The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-07-31
BUY TO SPECULATE
Minnesota and South Dakota In
vestors in Canadian Lands.
SETTLERS GOING OUT ARE FEW
A Good Crop In western Canada
Means Increase In the
Speculative Fever.

Thre Is q round million of southern
Minnesota and South Dakota money ready
to go into Canadian lands as soon as the
provinces to the north are assured Of
good crop. This refers entirely to small
investors, not to purchasers of big blocks.
The person with small bank account
is on the hunt for cheap land. Southern
Minnesota and South Dakota people are
making liberal investments In South Da-
kota soil, but the price is reaching
point where the man in search for dirt
cheap" land for speculation purposes
must turn to Canada.
1t is often the case that timid capital
thinks better Of investments In foreign
fields. This has been element in the
land movement. 1t explains In part why
Canadian land has been used as a medium
for speculation by Americans. while OPP
portunity just as good lay directly under
their numerous noses.
At any rate the most ordinary observer
in visiting the smaller cities and towns
Of the northwest can see that with good
crops in western Canada this fall big
era in land speculation is Immediately
DUE The farmer, the small business man
and the travelling man are asking 1nnu-
merable questions about Canadian LANDS,
their quality, value, location and pros
poets of railway extensions. Information
on the progress of the Canadian crop Is
eagerly seized.
Compared with the number Of those
merely looking at lands, the number OF
real settlers which southern Minnesota
and South Dakota are sending to Canada
Is evidently small. Nearly ever commu-
nifty has its active dealer in Canadian
lands, and has sent number of people
into the provinces to look the situation
over. Now and then one can be found
which has furnished one or more settlers
to Canada, but the percentage Is small.
Careful inquiry shows that the American
investing in a quarter or half section OF
Canadian land regards the Investment as
good thing, but In this section OF the
northwest such purchasers do not care to
follow their purchases up by moving
across the line. They reason that all
cheap lands are advancing in price, that
the rapid increase in population will not
only force but support an advance IN
Canadian lands. They have seen people
from other parts of the country make
money in lands which have remained neg
lected. They want to try the trick. This
suggests that the interest Of people IN
southern Minnesota and South Dakota IN
western Canada is at the present time
largely speculative.
A party of southwestern Minnesota
people, eight In number, who recently
made purchases of Canadian lands ad-
mitted that they were OF speculation
buyers, and all expected to turn at a
profit" inside Of year. Numbers OF
travelling statesmen are enthusiastic over
their prospects Of making a .'spec' on
their Canadian land deals. Merchants
are showing great interest One town
has four women who recently returned
from Assiniboia after making land pur-
chases Land dealers are taking advan-
tage Of the situation by stocking up with
Canadian SOIL; as one Of them put 1t,
preparing for the rush."
Give Canada a good crop and southern
Minnesota and South Dakota money Will
contribute its share to the general gaiety
of land speculation. But there Is little TO
indicate that those sections will furnish
Canada with many regiments of new set
tiers. The land buyers believe that i'm
migration is bound to roll into Canada
from somewhere and they want to "be In
on the bulge"