Arizona republican., 1903-01-12

rLnt was raised to Sl,45O, although SIX
acres were taken from the farm. Not
withstanding this. it is now proposed to
raise the rent of the whole farm 20
the amount of so cents per acre, and
because ne will not pay this, tenant
of thir ty- three years standing is driven
from the home and land in which he
has invested all his money and where
he has fondly hoped that he would be
able to end his days. There are many
causes tending to the decay of agri-
culture in this country, but there Is
not one so effectual as a system under
which injustice like this can be in
flicted upon the occupier and cultivatoT
and no measures for the restoration or
prosperity to the agricultural districts
can possibly attain their end as long
as this system remains.
a great many communications have
reached me, and are still coming TO
hand from South Africa with reference
to Irregularities in the expenditure of
public money. The most common mat
ter to which they relate lis the employ
ment of soldiers and public property of
one kind or another for the personal
benefit of officers. For instance, a vet
Urinary officer. who has purchased a
farm, is said to have number or men
in the public service working for him,
and to be keeping his racehorses in the
veterinary stables. This is only. one
example out CT many of which 1 hear.
When it is out Of the question, as in
this case, to test statements that reach
me from correspondents, 1 cannot pos
sibly make myself responsible for the
publication of their allegations. But l
have heard quite enough to feel certain
that q great many of such irregulari-
ties must be going on, and it is evident
that the military officers ought to keep
c sharp eye on officers in out-of-the-
way places who are able to take such
advantages of their positions. Some
closer system of inspection is required
in these cases. 1t is not merely q ques-
ton Of the misuse of public money,
but these abuses on the part of individ-
uals in authority are calculated to de-
moralize all those under them.
The detention of six hatters at sgd
ney. Australia, has put new phase on
our possessions" These hatters were
native born Englishmen, and were de-
tanned on board, ship for a week or so
before being allowed to land, and have
only been admitted to the country a.
This is the agreeable result of a clause
in the Australian immigration restric-
ton act. which forbids the landing of
any wOrkmen under contract to take
service with local employer, whatever
the immigrants nationality. The
United States took this step the other
day. Australia follows suit today
South Africa and Canada may follow
mil An - fe-
from this to the prohibition of all i'm
migration, whether the immigrants are
under contract or not. There are good
reasons why we on our side should not
regard such measures with any dissat-
isfaction. whatever we may think of
their eXpediency from the colonial point
OF view. In my judgment the coionlsts
are fools, and we are the gamers by
their short sightedness. But whether
we like it or whether we do not. We
nave no power to interfere-no more
power in the case of Australia or Can
ada than in that of the United States.
We can only be sure that a colony will
always be open to our "unwanted"
population so long as we keep the gov
ernment of it in our own hands: and
we cannot expect to keep the govern
ment of it in our hands for long when
once considerable number of British
emigrants have settled there. We
should do well to bear these facts IN |
mind before mourning any risks and |
expenditure in "pegging out claims Tor |
posteilty, which, when it comes into |
existence, may as likely as not find the |
claim barred.
1t is the proud boast OF the United |
States that she has the wheat with |
which to feed the world Sir Wilfred |
Laurier calls attention to the wheat |
helds of Canada. He paints a rosy
picture of the future of canada. ri
MS figures are correct, Canada will soon |
become by far the most important of !
our colonies. Here they are. In west |
erh Canada there is a vast plain. per
fectly level, treeless, and capable of
producing from thirty to forty bushels |
OIL wheat per acre. 1t consists of 200
100000 acres. At present only Der
cent of them are under cultivation. Tb,,
pest portions of this arabic land ean
be purchased by settlers for 81 DER
acre. The Canadian wheat cron will
this year be above 100 900. eco bushels
and at the rate at which land is beine-
taken up in the northwest territories.
It is estimated that in 1908 il will no
ABOUT 2OO,OOO,000 bushels Certainly. If
correct, and it, as stated. wheat can
De cultivated cheaper in Canada than
either in the United States or India.
canada needs no preferential aid in tne
form OF preferential treatment by rs
soon to supply us with the 1870 900 600
oushels that we annually consume. We
are turning our plows into swords. the
canadians stick to their plows. and Sir
wired Laurier says that he is not
II ne can help it-going to allow Canada
10 be absorbed in the vortex of orr
nlhtarism a wise man, Sir Wilfred }
II we really are so anxious to develon
Our colonies, we should have done bat-
ter to have lent 100000 emigrants eaco
10000 each TO settle on this VAST main
lhan TO have spent the amount in aid
hS Sold-grubbing in the TransvaaI
with the sword-all the more SEEM,
nat the emigrants would probably
nave refunded us our advances with in
lerest whereas the gold grubbers arc
alternately clustering and whimnerip,,
u the idea of being called upon to nav
wen their share of the costs of the war
nat we undertook for them.