Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-04-18
Secure n Free Home I'm the Fertile
Wheat Fields OF Western Canada.

Wheat Fields OF Western Canada
To the Editor: The emigration Of
well-to-do farmers from the United
States to the Canadian Northwest has
assumed such proportions that organ
lied efforts are now icing made by in
terested persons and corporations to
stem the tide. The efforts are being
initiated chiefly by railway and real
estate interests in the States from
which the bulk OF the emigration takes
place. The movement of population
has taken from numerous States thou
sands of persons whose presence along
railways in these States made bust
ness for the transportation companies.
The movement has also become so
widely known that it has prevented
the settlement of vacant lands along
these lines, parties who might have To-
Gated there being attracted to the free
and more fertile lands Of Canada. The
result of the movement has been that
the railway companies not only see
the vacant lands along their lines re-
main vacant, but they also see hun
dreds Of substantial farmers who have
helped provide business for these rail
ways move away and so cease their
contributions. The farmers have
moved to Canada because they were
convinced that it would be to their
financial interest to do so. In nov
ing they have been inconsiderate
enough to place their w financial
interests before those of the financial
interests of the railway corporations
In addition to the railway corpora
tons, real estate dealers are working
TO stem the flow of em~igrants. OF
curse every emigrant who goes TO
Canada means the loss Of commissions
OH land deals by real estate dealers.
Now n person has but to know what
the interests are that are trying to stop
the flow To know what motive Is in
fiuencing their course. The emigration
means financial loss to railway corpo-
rations and to real estate men. These
interests therefore are not directing
their opposition efforts out OF any love
for the departing emigrants or out Of
any high patriotic motives, either.
They are doing so purely from selfish
interests. 1t is n matter Of dollars and
cents with them. They are so patriot
ic, they arc so consumed by love for
li'll lt1lD" NlliLtllN' lldl tll'N want
TO prevent these fellow citizens going
to Canada and getting free farms of
the best wheat land in the world; and
instead they want to make them stay
on high-priccd farms in the United
States, where they will continue to
pour money into the pockets of these
railways and real estate men.
One Of the methods employed by
these interests to stem the tide Is the
distribution Of matter to newspapers,
painting Canada in the darkest cOlors.
These articles emanate chiefly from a
bureau in st. Louis. They are sent
out at frequent intervals for simulta-
neous publication. a writer is en-
ployCd at a high salary to prepare the
matter.
Moreover, statements absolutely at
variance with the truth have lately
been published broadcast. These ap-
pear chiefly in what purport to be let
tiers from persons who are alleged
to have gone to Canada and become
Disguised with it. Only a few Of such
have been published, and they CON
tain statements that are absurd in
their falsity. Whether the parties
whose names appear in connection
with these letters have ever been to
Canada, and, If So, their history while
there, is to be thoroughly looked into.
The discovery of their motive, like the
discovery of the motive Of the inter
ests who are engineering the opposi-
ton, may prove il%lumining. In the
meantime, however, it may be pointed
out that only n few Of such letters
have appeared, but since 1897 owe
$1,000 American settlers have gone TO
the Canadian West. Can any reason
able person suppose for q moment that
If Canada was o%ne-Quarter as bad as
represented in these letters, the $1,000
Americans now there would remain
in the country; or, if the Canadian
West had not proved the truth Of all
that was claimed for it, the papers Of
every State in the American North
west would rot be filed with letters
saying so? Imagine $1,000 aggressive
Americans deceived and not making
short shrift of their dcccivers. The
fact is, the $1,000 are well satisfied
and are encouraging their friends to
follow them.
Anyone who sees any of these dis
paraging letters should remember that
it is railway ana real estate interests
who have from purely selfish reasons
organized n campaign to stem the flow
to Canada. If Canada were half as
bad as represented there would be nc
need Of such an organization. The fact
that such exists is Of itself a magnifi
cent tribute to Canada. Finally, il
should not be forgotten that the let
ters published are brimful of false
hoods and that $1,000 satisfied Ameri
cans in the Canadian West constitute
n living proof that such is the case.
The Canadian Government Agent
whose name appears in advertisement
elsewhere in this paper, is authorized
to give all information as to rates, and
available lands in Western Canada.