The sun., 1903-12-27
CANADIAN IMMIGRATION.

The immigration season for 1908 in Canada
practically closed on Oct 1. Most Of the
newcomers prefer not to reach Canada on
the verge of winter. and the season OF ar
rivals is chiefly between April and October.
Though the figures for the entire Dominion
have not yet been published, it has been
the banner year.
The Commissioner of immigration has
just reported that up to Oct. 1, l22.1A Inn
migrants settled in Manitoba alone this
year, more than double the number of in
comers during the same period last year.
1t was believed in 1902 that the influx into
the Canadian West and Northwest would at
least be doubled this year. for many OF the
arrivals from the United States were men
who came alone to select new homes for
their families. and it was expected that they
would bring their wives and children into
the Western provinces in 1903. This ex-
pectation has been realized.
The Dominion Government has been
more energetic than ever this year in its
efforts to attract immigration, particularly
from the United States. The new land
survey maps of Manitoba. Assiniboia. Sas-
katchewan and Alberta, issued within tho
past three months, show that very
large area has been added to the surveyed
domain in the past year. The Government
has sent broadcast lists of the Dominion
land agents and sub-agents in Western
Canada who are authorized to grant home-
stead ent ries and are preparedat all times
to give information tointending settlers.
There are now forty-five land officers scat
tered over the districts that are attracting
the immigration.
A list of the emigration agents in the
United States is also distributed. There are
agents in most of the Northern States OF the
Union, particularly west Of New York State,
who are expected to scatter literature and
promote the boom in every way They have
doubtless helped to swell the stream OF set
tiers in Canada. In Manitoba alone the inn
migrants from the United States have in
creased to Al 600 in 1903 as compared with
$4,000 in 1902. A large part OF them, how
ever, are persons Of Canadian birth who
have lived for a longer or shorter period in
our country. The most recent bit OF ltera-
ture issued from the Government Printing
Office at Ottawa is pamphlet Of 1877 pages
entirely given to the testimony OF United
States farmers who have been travelling
over the Canadian wheat plains and stock
ranges
Most Of the immigrants as yet are settling
tent, in Alberta. The time is approaching
when Saskatchewan, and even Athabssca.
will attract many homeseekers. The pres
ent influx of colonsts, large as it Is. is al
most lost to view when scattered over the
ilmitable expanses of the Northwest. 1t is
the hundreds Of thousands of toilers who
will be spread over this great part Of Canada
within the next decade that will make the
influence of these grain and grass lands
felt the world over
At the beginning of last year the Govern
ment, the Hudson Bay Company and the
Canadian Pacific Railroad had disposed OF
only 81, 500 600 acres in the total of 345OO0.-
600 acres in Assinboia, Alberta, Saskatche-
wan and Athabasca. There was still at the
disposal of the Government and other land
agencies in these territories 2S,4lO,0OO
acres If we add to their total acreage the
"A 600 600 acres of Manitoba, there is total
of 4l9, ,OOO. 600 acres; and probably there is
no similar area in the world which contains
a larger proportion of good agricultural
land