The Minneapolis journal., 1902-07-23
NEW WHEAT LANDS
And How Northwestern Business
Is Affected.
AN EASTERN VIEW IS GIVEN
What a Correspondent of the BOs-
ton Transcript Says of the
s Land Boom.
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal.
Washington, July PR. L. O'Brten,
correspondent Of the Boston transcript,
furnishes to his paper to-day the follow
ing on northwestern business conditions
which will be of interest in that locality
as an eastern view:
within ten years western Canada will
be producing annually 250,00O,O00 bushels
OF wheat!' This Is the prediction OF
Theodore M. Knappen, associate editor
of the Minneapolis Journal, made In an
address before the Minnesota State
Bankers association, and other observ-
ers who have been lately quoted In these
tTranscript) columns share his views II
this estimate proves correct 1t will con-
stitute one of the most far-reaching
economic movements of the time, and
one destined to have notable political
effects on both sides of the line. The
prosperity Of the United States always
depends in large part upon the the for.
eign market for our great cereal prod
ucts, Of which wheat Is king. It's price
Is regulated in the markets Of Liverpool,
and as that figure goes up prosperity
smiles on the great northwest, and when
1t goes down complaint deepens In the
hearts Of the people. The low prices of
a decade ago which gave birth to the
farmers alliance and poulistic movements,
eliminating in their capture Of the dem
ocartic party in 1896, were in no small
degree due to the sudden prominence at
tanned by Russia and the Argentine Re-
public in the food markets of the world.
There had come to be an over-supply OF
cereals which reacted unfavorably upon
the United States.
Since that time the consuming power
OF the world has been steadily increasing,
and new markets, especially in Asia, have
been opened for our cereals. New races
have learned to eat wheat, the most
aristocratic of grains, and one which only
the richer peoples have been accustomed
to afford. Prosperity in a high degree
at home, and it should always be re-
memherod that the American home mar
ket is the most important Of all, has
supported this upward movement of prices
occasioned by Increased demand the
world over until our western farmers are
now in a state Of unprecedented prosper
ity. But thev without being aiarmlsts' m
may properly ask where this new Cana
dian wheat is going TO, and what will be
its effect upon the worlds market, IN
case present indications are fulfilled.
The United States is to-day exporting
about S0,O00, 900 bushels in the kernel
and as much more in the form OF hour:
Mr.. Knappen's 25O,00O000 bushels OF
western Canadian production within
decade would thus be nearly double the
present export of the United States.
That the suggestion that the existence
of such food supply on British territory,
with the cattle-raising possibilities OF
Australasia, would make the British i'm
perial federation scheme, which has long
been discussed, much more feasible than
before, is natural. 1T could seemingly be
accomplished without perceptible in
crease in the price of food stuffs to the
English working classes, which has hlth-
erto been the chief objection to differ
entail tariff in favor Of the colonies, as
to the return to any general protective
policy. But to the American wheat-ralser
of the northwest, the coming to pass OF
the imperial zollverein scheme is not
necessary in order to make the new open
ing of western Canada serious devel-
opment. On basis OF only equal oppor-
tupity in Liverpool, as to-day, the Cana
dians would get as much for their wheat
as our own farmers, and their cost OF
transportating it there would be hardly
perceptibly greater. 1t could be shipped
in bond to Duluth, and then, take the
route of the American wheat, or 1T might
be exported through Port Arthur on the
northern shore of Lake Superior. The
Canadian Pacific railway with its feeders
which are rapidly extending, has double
interest in making the most reasonable
rates possible for this wheat movement
Its increase will bring in population and
stimulate general business.
.s The New Wheat Land.
The world has very much misunderstood
and so failed to appreciate western Cana
da, and an awakening from this mistake
region there on corresponding mertdi-
to be coming very suddenly. The iso-
therm of 60, which in July lies just north
of Quebec at it's eastern end, touches the
mouth of the Mckenzie above the arctic
circle at the western extremity of the
continent Climatic conditions thus give
western Canada distinct advantage over
the eastern part with which the world il
familiar. Moreover, the bad lands of ou1
own west, which begin in North Dakota
Just west of the Missouri river, do not
seem to extend far up into Canada; the
region there on corresponding meridi.
ans, is lake country, and we'll watered
It has all kinds Of natural advantages
forests, ores and minerals, and general
F ly fertile soil. It's development promi SCI
to be one of the great movements Of tht
next decade. -
1t is estimated, such is the boom IL
Canadian land, that 10000 acres are sell
& ing daily In Minneapolis and st. Paul
This is an ortgrowth, to be sure, of tht
extraordinary boom in American farm
lands, occasioned by the high prices o
their products, and the resulting funds
available for investment in the the pock
cts of the farmers. Twelve years ag,
the speculative boom Of the west wa
mostly in town lots. Dazzled by the for
tunes which had been made in Chicago
through its growth within the lifetime
of men then living, from a frontier pos