The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-09
The WOES OF
A COLONlzER.
REV. 1. M. BARR's EXPERIENCE
WITH 1900 ENGLIsHMEN.
The English Settlers, He Says, Are Not
to Be Compared With Those From
the United States Who Have Gone
Into Western Canada -Effects of
American Colonization.

n Rev. I. M. Barr, who gained fame
last year by bringing a solid colony Of
$500 Englishmen to Western Canada,
was in Minneapolis yesterday Mr..
Barr has now disregarded the title Of
Reverend and has gone into bust
ness at Portland, Oregon.
Ny experience with that famous
colony" said Mr.. Barr, was all that
want in that line. shall never again
assist in moving a large colony Of peo-
pie from one country to another.
However, the project was much more
successful than appeared from the
brought out $500 people; 1900 Of
them in one ship. We had a great
many mishaps and disappointment
but 1 feel perfectly confident that I
have. had far more than my share of
the blame. To begin with, the steam
ship people, after contracting with me
to provide the third class passengers
with the best Of food and accommoda-
tons, used them Wretchedly in both
respects; then, as was inevitable In
such a large undertaking, there were
from the start malcontents and per-
sonal enemies, who exhausted their
ingenuity in hampering me. How
ever, we succeeded at least in actually
putting about 1000 people onto farms
at Lloydminster, and several hundred
others settled near Saskatoon on their
own account.
Many Of the young men scattered
to find work wherever they could, and
of course the colony had it's share of
incapables many of whom have drift
ed back to England. One Of my re-
quirements was that no person would
be enlisted for the colony who did not
have money enough to care for him
self after arrival in Canada, but many
Of the emigrants misrepresented their
financial condition. One man with
eleven children assured me that he
had $500; when we arrived at Saska-
toon, I found that he did not have f6
all told. I was also imposed upon by
a number of worthless characters who
were permitted to join the colony be-
cause they brought letters of reference
from excellent authorities.
you may get some idea of the
magnitude Of the task I undertook
when tell you that for several weeks
I employed in my office in London, g
force Of forty persons, and that my
daily mail contained as high as 1,10(
letters.
After my experience I am con
WINGED that the English do not make
the best immigrants for a new country
The English settlers in western Cana
da are not to be compared with thu
thousands who have been coming il
from the United States for the las
four or five years. Even the despiset
Dukobohrs look down with contemp
upon the average English settler.
i'I regard the movement of Ameri
can farmers into western Canada anc
| the investment there Of American cap
ital, as one of the most momentou
tendencies in current history. 1t viii
have a profound effect on the future
relations, not only Of Canada and thu
United States, but on the whole Eng
| lish speaking world, and will strongl,
| contribute to, the rapidly approaching
| time when the primacy of the Unite,
States, in the English speaking world
will be undisputed.