Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-16
MOVING into CANADA
Emigration of Farmers of the
Northwest.
COST. TO DOMINION
EFFORT OF THE GOVERNMENT TO
INDUCE SETTLEMENT.
No Appreciable Effect on the Exporta
ton Of Wheat-Comparison of
the Land Laws.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.


The importance to the United States of
the much-talked OF movement of American
farmers into the Canadian northwest has
been quite generally overestimated. To
Canada, however. the movement is of pro-
found significance. The difference lies in
the point of view from which the facts in
the case must be considered
During the past year the Canadian gov
eminent disposed of less than five million
acres Of land and during the same period
the United States passed title to about
twenty million acres About 800 home
steads were filed upon in the Canadian
northwest, and $1,000 in the United States
It is undoubtedly true that vast proper
ton of the homesteads filed upon in the
United States did not mean legitimate ex-
pansion of the agricultural area, and the
figures cannot be taken at par value as
they can in Canada
practically all of the homesteads are gen.
uine, and result beneficially to the country.
nearly 10000 claims were taken in the one
year. or over twice as many as the total
number pre-empted In the Canadian north
west.
American Emigration to Canada.
About $4,000 people emigrated to Canada
from the United States during the past fis-
cal year. This American immigration rep
Oh
and. allowing five souls for each head of
family. it is evident that fully 20 per cent
of the people Canada received from the
United States were attracted to the north
west by the opportunity to secure farms in
a region where, under present circum-
stances, irrigation is not necessity.
These Americans went to Canada from
widely scattered points. forty-one states
and territories being represented as their
former homes By far the largest number,
went from the states Immediately
bordering upon the northwest territories.
for three-fifths of the Canadian homestead
filings were made by people from Dakota
and Minnesota Iowa. Nebraska, Kansas.
Michigan and Montana furnished very
large proportion of the others.
Investigation shows that very few Amer
leans actually sell their holdings In the
United States for the purpose of investing
their all in Canadian wheat lands. 1t is
undoubtedly the case in some instances,
but as rule the Canadian immigrant Is
of the restless. foot-loose type of man who
is ready to move on short notice to Cali
fornia, Oklahoma. Montana or Canada II
needs be. to find new outlet for his ener-
gy Many of the emigrants are of the
younger generation. the older people stay
ing at home to care for property already
acquired.
Last year the Canadian government spent
nearly half million dollars on its emigra-
ton department and secured less than Sow
enty thousand people as an addition to
the permanent population, the cost being
between seven and eight dollars for each
one. The entire energy of the department
is directed toward the securing of agri-
cultural emigrants, and it may be said.
therefore, that for every man who locates
upon a homestead in the northwest terri
tories the government has expended fifty
dollars to secure him.
Canadian Export of Grain.
There has been much talk of late of the
possible effect Of this Canadian expansion
upon the export trade of the world in bread
stuffs. The fact of the matter is that while
the Canadian figures of acreage and pro-
duction are impressive when considered
alone. they sink almost into insignificance
when viewed comparatively in connection
with the trade fthe whole world, or even
that of the United States.
The total wheat production of Canada
is now in the neighborhood of about fifty
million bushels a year. 1t will take an
enormous increase in the grain-producing
area of that country to appreciably affect
conditions in the United States where the
annual production is over 500 900 900 BUSH
els.
It is not the intention to belittle the pres
ent growth and prosperity or the tremen-
dous possibilities which present themselves
in the future Of Canada. There has been
much extravaganza of statement, however.
and the absurdity of any alarm to the
effect Of present Canadian development
upon the industries Of the United States Is
apparent after the most casual examina-
ton of the figures and facts bearing upon
the situation.
Danger of Drought.
One serious possibility of the future in
the northwest territories of Canada is a
drought. Should a serious drought come
upon the Canadian northwest under present
conditions it would entail terrible hardship
and suffering upon thousands of people and
would give a setback to the country from
which it would take many years to recover.
The semi-arid region of the United States
is now habitable only by reason of dear
bought experience and more conservative
and intelligent occupation. The northwest
territory of Canada today presents all the
conditions incident to early occupation. and
the next few years will be a period of most
trying anxiety for those who are SO earn
estly and effectively retaining the virgin
prairies that they may contribute to the
BODYBUILDING area and thus to the future
food resources of this continent.
Canadian Land Laws.
The Canadian land laws are open to
severe criticism on several points, but in
the requirements made upon the settler
and in the rigid administration of the laws
themselves, the system is far better for the
country than that which is in force in the
United States.
The Canadian land office figures for 1902
will serve as some indication of the annual
in mind in considering these figures that
the homestead law is the only law under
which Canada grants land to settlers. Some
of the land is sold, but as compared with
the amount homesteaded the area Is in
significant. In 1902 there were IA .633 home
steads filed. representing an area of 2,341.-
$50 acres. In addition to this, "a, 2sG acres
were sold for cash.
Notwithstanding the anxiety of the Ca
madam government to secure rapid settle
ment of these northwestern lands. 1t has
promptly exercised it's legal right to can
eel fraudulent entries and entries made by
those attempting to evade the spirit of the
law. The percentage of entries cancelled In
each year from 1874 to 1901 ranges from
per cent to as high as II per cent. From
20 to 40 per cent seems to be about the
average of cancellations in year. This
would indicate, first, a close supervision
over all filings, and, secondly. a fearless
administration of the law and an insistence
upon the carrying out of the requirements
of residence and cultivation.
Against Large Holdings.
The whole spirit of the Canadian land
law is to provide against the building up
of large land holdings. The land is held
primarily for homeseekers and even where
large tracts have been temporarily leased