The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-28
WILL CANADA BECOME AMERICAN
lied.

There are some indications that the per-
sistent efforts of the Canadian authorities
to attract American immigration to that
country are beginning to have a noticeable
effect. There is no good reason for such
emigration except the traditional American
tendency to seek cheaper land and more
of it whenever an opportunity offers. The
American farmer abhors a vacuum, and
whenever he sees unoccupied or unpre-
empted lands he is very apt to secure them.
The same disposition that has led thou
sands upon thousands of farmers to mi
crate from Indiana and other central
Western States to the new States of the
Northwest will lead many, as these States
begin to show signs Of filling up. to migrate
to Canada. When the time comes for a
population to swarm or overflow it does not
give much thought TO State or international
lines or forms of government 1t follows
the line of least resistance and seeks the
cheapest land. There is an immense
amount of good land in Canada open to
settlement. and it would not be surprising
if there should eventually be a very con-
siderable emigration from our Western and
Northwestern States to the Dominion. The
Canadian authorities and railroads have
been making efforts in that direction for
some years past. There are agencies for
the sale of Canadian lands in almost every
considerable city of the United States, in
Guiding indianapolis, and, while they have
not been doing a large business, they must
have been doing some Intelligent Canad-
ians themselves think the long-desired
movement has started. The manager of a
bank at Ottawa says that American land
agents are making large purchases of Ca
madam lands for individuals and COM
panies. citizen of st. Paul, Mimi, who
is now in Ottawa to take over an agricul-
tural implement plant which has been pur-
chased by a st. Paul company is quoted as
predicting that 10000 Americans will go
into the Canadian Northwest this year He
looks for a movement on an immense scale,
urged by the strongest economic reasons;
that is, he says farmers can sell land in
Iowa, Kansas. Indiana. Dakota Minnesota
and Nebraska at from $25 to SEQ an acre
and can buy land that will produce better
and more abundant crops in the Canadian
Northwest for SIS acre. Such a condi-
ton must result, sooner or later, in a con-
siderable movement of population The
Canadian census report of 1901 does not in
dictate a great increase of population dur
ing the last decade, the total increase being
from 4.sSS,2S9 in 1891 to 5.S7O.O0O in 1901. But
the increase in the wheat-growing prov
inces of the Northwest was considerable
that OF Manitoba being from 152 SOC to 254.-
| 9i7 and that of the Northwest Territory
/ from s2.1sS to 1884. Current History for
/ March. 1902, says: "a stream of emigration
/ from Iowa and adjoining States TO the
| Canadian Northwest has set in For this
there are several causes. prominent among
which are mentioned the prior occupation
of the available lands in the States. the
fame of the rich harvest which was reaped
last year in the Canadian Northwest and
the low price at which fine land in the
Northwest can be obtained, against prices
of from $50 TO 800 an acre in the States
\ Canadian census bulletin says: while
the growth of population is slow in older
Canada. the Northwest is somewhat rapid
~ filling up. The immigration branch Of
the government Department Of the Interior
is doing excellent work TO this end The
arrivals from the United States during the
past year have exceeded those OF any pre-
vious year i'm the history of the country -
Altogether the facts point to the beginning
of an emigration movement from the
United States TO Canada that may assume
considerable proportions. The emigration
OF $1,000 or 10000 Americans 10 Canada an
nually for many years 10 come would mean
a great deal 10 that country and would not
be felt on this side of the line. II the
Americans who go there become natural
lied citizens of Canada they will stll retain