The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-22
A HOMEsICK AMERICAN.


A HOMEsICK AMERICAN.
During the last two or three years the
public has heard good deal concerning the
alleged attractions of northwestern Canada
in the way of cheap lands, agricultural re-
sources, etc. This exploitation Of the coun-
try has been part of a plan to promote i'm
migration. The British government, the
Canadian government and some large land
syndicates have co-operated in the work,
and with some success. The alleged attrac-
tons of the country have been freely ad-
vertised in the United States, land agencies
have been established in several Western
cities, and several thousand American farm
ers have been induced to sell out and seek
The work of exploitation and advertising is
still going on, and the promoters of the
movement expect to have larger immi-
grafton from the United States during the
coming season than ever before. Their adj
vertising literature is being circulated in
this State and efforts are being made to
convince Indiana farmers that they can
better themselves financially by selling out
their improved farms and taking up new
lands in western Canada.
When an American farmer gets the emf
grafton fever it is apt to take a strong
hold of him, but one who has home and
is making a living in any Western State
would be very unwise to sell out for the
purpose of removing to Canada. The al
legged advantages of a new country like
that can be made to look very attractive
on paper, but the disadvantages and draw
backs are kept out of sight. They have
to be experienced to be realized. A former
Kansas farmer who sold out and migrated
to Alberta two years ago has had an exper-
fence that satisfies him, and he writes to
in the Western States against following his
example. He says:
There is no doubt that Alberta is the
finest tract of western Canada. and of Ii
am going to speak. March and April of
1902 were the pleasantest months of the
whole year, and still there was not any
farming done until about the Goth of April,
and good deal of frost in the ground then
By the middle of May the cold rains COM
menced and lasted until July 8. They came
lasted from two to three days each time.
1t was the worst / ever saw. The roads
were impossible. Hundreds of people who
lived few miles from town and had not
taken the precaution to lay in a supply of
necessaries actually suffered. Rats were
rugged up and loaded with provisions to
float down the Red Deer river to supply
the people living near it, and some of these
RATS were lost in the high waters. On the
Saskatchewan, at Edmonton, government
dredging boat was pressed into service
to supply the needy settlers. Sick people
had to suffer, as it was almost impossible
to get medical assistance or even remedies
Grains and vegetables did very poorly on
account of the wet and cold. After the
rains ceased the roads got fairly good and
grain grew very fast All early grain rip
ened before the frost, which came the first
part of September. The principal crops
average yield of oats will run about thir-
ty-five bushels per acre. but some fields
will go double that or more. Potatoes do
well and mature fully, as do turnips, but
onions and cabbages seldom keep longer
than Christmas. Cucumbers, tomatoes
sweet corn and many other garden veg
etabes do TO good whatever unless under
glass. There are no fruits at all except a
few wild berries. and IL keeps a person
searching most of the fall to get enough of
these to pay to put up.
In the latter part of August. in 1900 there
was a fall of two feet of snow. which quite
successfully laid the grain down, forcing
it all to be cut one way. Ir fact, 1t is not
month of the year.
The correspondent says further that all
articles Of household use are very expensive
kerosene As cents per gallon, vinegar 81
per gallon. and other things in proportion.
He says government land in Alberta is
still plentiful and will be for hundred
years to come, but all the government land
now of any value lies from twenty to 1000
miles from the only railroad, with no pros
pect of more railroads This self-expatriat-
ed American finds himself. debarred from
politics and self-government He misses
the enjoyment of helping to nominate and
elect local officers. All the local officers i'm
Alberta are appointed by the government
at Ottawa and are nearly all French-Ca-
nadians from Quebec. While he lived in
Kansas the emigrant formed the habit of
voting. and he dislikes TO relinquish it. The
like to have a hand in making it, He con-
cludes:
In closing I have this to say: Nearly
every newcomer is pleased with the coun-
| try, but n residence OF a year or more
changes the mind. i can truthfuly say
that every man / have met who ia Ameri-
more wishes himself back in Uncle sam :
country. So my advice to the Western
| farmer who is reading everything pertain
ing to Canada that the emigration agents
send out. and who thinks strongly of SELL
| ing out and coming here Is Don't"
There is your true American. He was do
| Ing well enough in Kansas. but he wanted
J to do better and was LED BY slowing ac-