The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-26
EXODUS TO CANADA
J. H. Haslam Thinks It Is Only
in the Beginning-His
Reasons.
Western Canada Certain to Be Set
tied by Americans and Devel-
oped With Their Capital.

j. H. Haslam, who Is probably the
largest individual land owner in western
Canada, has, perhaps, given more atten-
ton to the deeper meaning, the causes and
effects, of the present immigration into
western Canada and its consequent de-
velopment than any other practical man.
Mr.. Haslam is a Canadian by birth, edu-
cation and allegiance, but he has always
been friendly student Of American his
tory and institutions. After temporarily
living for some seven months in st. Paul,
the better to manage his land business,
he finds that what has TRANSFERRED in that
time tends to confirm the views he enter
tanned when the Canadian land movement
first began to attract his attention: !
1.-THE longer live in st. Paul. said Mr..
Haslam, 1.-The more I am impressed by
the essential similarity Of the. climate OF
Minnesota and the Dakotas to that of
Manitoba and Assinilooia. The more this
fact Is understood the easier it. Willssbe
for homeseekers to cross the line. The
climate Of western Canada is a fine one
The best part Of the United States, not
withstanding the variety reproduction Of
the south, is the north. Canada has an
immense extent of territory that is as
good as the northern part Of the United
States. The winters are cold, it is true,
but they in no way detract from :the
broad truth of the assertion that the eli
like that Of western Canada. A northern
man is slow to emigrate to a southern
country. So, now that the chance for free
or cheap homes in the American north-
west is about gone the westward bound
tide of northern immigration will be de-
fiected-already is defected-into western
Canada, where cheap and fertile lands
are yet to be had for little money.
Americans VIII Make 1t.
"These Americans are going to come in
such increasing numbers-already they
are 10000 a year-that they will prac-
tically make the Canadian west. So far
western Canada has been made and
populated almost wholly by Ontario. But
the population Of Ontario has little sur
plus. The birthrate is low. Moreover
Ontario is developing a new country OF
it's own. Its young men who are not at
tracted to the United tSates will stay at
home. Neither has Ontario the capital to
spare necessary to develop the west. The
French Canadians Of Quebec are prolific
but when they emigrate, it is to New Eng
land or other parts Of the United States
They do not go the land. The young men
Of the maritime provinces are ambitious
to plunge into city life in New England
They have not that longing for broad
acres that characterizes such a large per-
ton Of your American people.
/ ION the other hand, the United. States
has an immense surplus of capital and
humanity that ever presses for new fields.
These will be found by both in western
| Canada. Already 25,0OO,000 acres of the
| rs, 900, 900 Of the best arabic land in west
ern Canada have been bought by Ameri-
cans. These American thousands-they
| increase at the rate of 1000 a day-wil]
| ultimately overrun western Canada. They
| will be the business men, the lawyers and
| the doctors, as we'll as the farmers.
"While there is a sentimental reason
| for not leaving the republic, there is no
! sentimental reason against settling in
Canada. Its institutions, in all essential
respects, are either like or modelled after
| those Of the United States. Municipal
government and the school system are
American. Political institutions are just
as free. The monarchy of England is a
| distant and shadowy tradition. Canada Is
democracy. The religious atmosphere
| has the same puritanical tinge that dis
| tinguishes America.
| Effects of American immigration.
| Moreover, the American immigration
| into western Canada will be so large that
| the settler will find himself among his
own people, and their pressure on local
affairs will tend to make government and
society more and more like those Of the
United States. The American does not
| leave the United States because he Is dis
satisfied He loves his country and thinks
its institutions the best in the world. He
goes into Canada, as he formerly wen
west merely to better his material con
dition. Being not embittered or dis
pleased, and being in an environment that
is largely American, though under an
other flag, he will remain an American If
fact. For that reason he can not be com
pared to the European immigrant to the
United States, who so quickly becomes
Americanized and devoid of attachment
to his old country. Where the American:
settle in numbers in any country they
. Americanize it, The more this becomes
| true of Canada the less strength will
there be in the sentim mental reason for no
leaving the states. The more this chan
| ging condition is understood in the United
States the more rapidly your land hungry
1 will pour into Canada to satisfy their deer
| desire for ownership Of land, and the more
American and homelike the new loca.
| ton will be.
"All Of this means, of course, better re.
lations between the United States and
Canada and the gradual reduction Of the
international boundary as barrier to the
free interplay of the forces of industry
commerce and progress on the Nortl
/ American continent
j San Francisco and Return, Ss1 40; =
i Via the SCO-PACIFIC LINE the Urn,