The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-16
BooDLIvo IN raR xIoND1kE
Minors Complaining of Alleged ExRotions
by Canadian Onicihls.

QUEBEC, Dec. 10.-The Canadian Klondik'
not only contains some OF the richest Rolt
mines the world has ever seen. but 1t Is also
fast becoming the scene OF great oflcia
boodlinR and corruption. II Is alleged. Hun
dreds OF miners and prospectors are either re-
turning to their homes or crossing into the
American Yukon because OF the hardship oil
the conditions imposed by the Government
and the alleged boodling propensities Of the
officials. Many letters OF warning are being
received here from Canadians at Dawson and
elsewhere. urging friends not TO go there.
IL Is almost impossible to obtain patents for
claims without standing in with some OF the
officials. they say, Prospectors have presented
themselves Mt the land office to make applicn-
lions for claims only to be told that there were
previous applications. or that officials were
busy and that they must call later. which inva-
riably meant that when they did return some
body else had got there before them. One pros
pector writes that he and his friends. all Of
whom refuse TO stand in with the officials. can
only succeed in obtaining patents by having
recourse to u ruse. They apply for Il claim
somewhere in the vicinity OF the one they de-
sire. only to be told that it Is taken. and finally
they take, in an apparently careless manner.
pee inn upon Rn wh,en t Ie,ton ra rro nS'n psws6 oeea aa pros l.
Of the Post ONCE without waiting ali day for il
cial. An individual offers for SO many dollars q
month to deliver mail matter. Miners often
prefer 10 pay this tribute to get their letters.
rather, than stand the greater part OF the day
In the, long line OF a hundred or two. anxious TO
take their turn at the office window, and the
profits of the scheme are valued at a hundred
dollars n day. And the Canadian Government.
winch will not pay half a dozen clerks to run
the Post ONCE upon even a semi-respectable
basis, has collected n million dollars OF tribute
In gold dust from this district alone this year.
An experienced English miner named Num-,
writing from the Klondike. says: The Cana
dian G~overnment policy in the Yukon has set
the country bnck ten years. 1t has driven hun
dreds. yes. thousands of men. not impractical
fools. but hard-working miners. into Alaska.
and the result. will inevitably be that a strike
viii be made there which will clean the Cana
glan Yukon OF prospectors in the near future.
The goose That laid the golden egg in Cana
dian, territory has been choked to death, and
the brilliant reason given IL that Americans
were getting the eggs. What IL they were ?
Az Canada profits. for / have seen at st.
Michael at one time this year. en- route to
Dawson; 100000, worth Of Canadian manu-
There is no doubt that the 10 per cent. roy
atty imposed upon miners at Dawson Is Us
vicious a. piece OF legislation as can he imag-
ined. 1t Is no wonder that towns are s%pringtng
below along tho Yukon when it IL remem-
bered that III the United States Yukon there Ia
no royalty, no Government reserve, imber
free to locator and claims measuring ! 800 feet,
against Canada's 25o-foot claims. timber re-
served or, sod. Government .eBerve every ten
olocRs ana III per cent. royalty.