The daily morning Alaskan., 1901-11-21
CREATING A NEW PROVINCE

Tn. agitation which has been going on for several years booking Co Che estah- Hshment of fun provincial statur for the Northwest territories of Canada has recently taken renewed lifc a-S assumed a morc definite shpae aS on outgroWth "t the recent conference at ottawa between Premier Haultlin and the Dominion gov ernmsnt The result it is said. will bc the introduction Into the federal parlia- ment at les next session ot bill pro- viding for state autonomy plncng the Northwest territories upon the same loot ing with the other provinces of the Dominion. An obstacle that has long eN- isted has been the vast country embraced and the sparse population. When the territories became a part of thc Dominion tn iS7o. the necessity of local selt-gov' ernment did not exist. for the reasons named. but the development of industry of recent ycars. and the growth of popI- Iatlon have changed the conditions. and the inhabitants arc again demanding % larger exercise of home rule.
 Al the last session of the territorial leg islaturc at Regina a resolution was adopt cd setting forth that the existing agr,c- ment was unsatisfactory financially: that the annual money grant was inadequate Co the obligations inposei and asking Tor an inquiry as Co the terms and conditions under which thc territories might bc cs- abolished as a province of Che Dominion It was in pursuance of this resolution that Premier Halltain and his colleague Mir. Sifton. of the executive coIncil went Go Ottawa Co present thc matter Go the federal authorities They urged the lacf ot control over the constitution which makes difficult for the territorial govern ment Co deal with its election Twas that lts legislature has no authority in the administration of criminal justice; that it has no control of the registry of- flee: and that the power Co lcgislate with regard Co property and civil rights, given in one part of Che territories. is largely curtalicd by the authority Of the pomin- lon under the land titles act.
 The principal objection raised Co th' proposed action comes from those VII" fear that ln thc course of time the new province would. by reason of its extent of territory and increasing population. have SO great a representation in thc fed- rrnl parliament that it would hc dom mating factor in thc confederation and tndependcnt of the veto power of thc ot- tawa government in its local affairs. The land embraces an arco of over 800" souarc miles capable of supportlng popu- lation. which now reaches the number Of i0eO souls. against e7.9 in i>9o The in- crease is constantly going on as mining and agricultural industries are being de velop-d The last official rcport shows that during the present season about iN.- GO people have emigrated Go Canada. ot whom nearly an have gone Co the west About two-thlrds of them arc said Go have come from England. and most Of the remainder from the United States. Another source of opposition Co the move nent is the fear of Increasing commerce with the United States. During July and August Manitoba and the Northwest ter ritories imported from this country S'e.- oo0 worth of binding twinc. The lumber trade with the United States is also in- creaSing. notwithstanding the efforts of ontario lumbermen Co capture it The fear that provincial autonomy may sum ulate this trade may also add Co the ops position when the matter comes up m parliament.
 It Is stated. however. that thc Dominion authorities save agreed Co rccomm"no the measure Co the coming legislat ire providing for the establishment ot the territories as one province under the name Of Saskatchewon. Three towns art mentioned as the capital Edmonton. Cal gary and Medicine Hat. with the chances In favor of the last named. owing t' ''s morc central location.-P-L