The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-15
by these men on the land they handled
An UpbuIldlns Agency.

Il st 3
An UpbuIldlns Agency.
They are probably doing more than any
other agency In Canada except, perhaps.
the government, to turn the fertile Wild
erness Of western Canada into thickly
populated and prosperous community. AS
long as Canada was merely an immense
expanse on the map with few people
in one corner Of 1T, 1t could not expect to
and did not cut much of a figure In the
worlds affairs. Canada has needed popu
lation above all else for years, and the
fact that 1t Is now getting them thru such
agencies as the Saskatchewan Valley and
Manitoba Land company means more to
the dominion by far than even the great
Industrial enterprises that have been es
tablshed in middle and eastern Canada.
The company. in line with its policy Of
attaining substantial results, Is content
with small profits for itself and is thus
able to announce that it will put Its mag
nificent virgin lands on the market at
from $5.25 to 81 an acre, with easy terms
Of payment. Most Of its grant lies in the
Saskatchewan Valley, which may be fig
uratively compared with the Red River
Valley Of the North, tho 1t is vastly more
extensive, and, it Is claimed, much more
productive Of wheat.
Helps the United States.
Experienced observers of the land move
predict that this policy will result in a
tremendous impetus to the population of
western Canada. It Is recalled that the
men who are behind this mammoth land
selling operation moved 1000 German
Americans from Minnesota. Wisconsin and
Iowa in a block. While their work Is of
the first Importance to Canada it is be-
lieved that the time will come when it
will also prove to be Of great benefit to
the United States. Such a population
movement as that these gentlemen are
promoting not only makes reciprocity with
Canada more desirable. because it in
creases the country's consuming and pro-
ductive capacity, but also because 1t tends
to make the sentiment Of western Canada
strongly in favor Of reciprocity. 1t is a
fact worth noticing that Minnesota, the
state in which this company is so largely
represented by stockholders, Is also the
state which, thru the Minnesota Branch
Of the National Reciprocity League Is now
doing more than any other state to bring
about reciprocity with Canada.
( The resources and advantages OF west
ern Canada are now so widely known and
appreciated that it is not necessary, per-
haps, to say anything about them here.
Yet 1t is not easy to drop such an article
as this without few words along that
line.
To Lead In Wheat.
The Saskatchewan valley and Manitoba
Land company Is operating in a portion of
western Canada that was acknowledged
to be blessed with a rich soil and a
healthful climate long before it was
known that country nearer the boundary
line was also good but most Of it lacked
railway communication until lately. In
this region it is very little colder in win
ter than In Minnesota and the Dakotas,
and the winter Is endured with even less
discomfort than in the-e states. Farm
| work goes on just as easily and satisfac-
torily. The great crop Is and always be
wheat, altho other cereals and vegetable
crops are splendid and live stock does
well. In recently published book w. c.
Edgar, editor Of the Northwestern Miller
Minneapolis, comedies that ere long the
| primacy in wheat production will pass
| from northwestern United States to west
ern Canada He does not regard it as
absurd to predict that within a few years
| western Canada will be raising more than
| $50, 100000 bushels Of wheat, or half OF
| an entire bumper crop Of the United
States at present. Mr.. Edgar also admits
that the Canadian wheat is superior tc
the. American article. because it Is raised
on newer land. Twenty-Five bushels OF
| wheat to the acre Is considered just a fail
yield in the Saskatchewan valley, and
thirty, forty, fifty and even sixty are not
| extremely rare. Taking great many
years together and counting the worst as
we'll as the best, the wheat has averaged
twenty bushels to the acre, which is about
five bushels better than the Minnesota
average.
Taxes are very light in western Canada
the government is good. good schools are
provided and the social advantages gen
orally are probably superior to those O.
any other new country in the world. Pop
ulat1on is now going in at the rate Of 100,
600 year, however, and this new countr,
will soon be an old one. Those who go IL
now will skim the cream Of the oppor
tunities.