Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-11
THE NEW PROVINCES
Recent Additions to the Ca
madam Dominion.
TO SELECT CAPITALS
DECISION OF THE PEOPLE TO BE
MADE NEXT MONTH.
Hot Fight Over the Seat Of Govern
ment in Each Of the Provinces
School Question Revived.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Star and the Chicago
| Record Herald.
! CALGARY, Can, October 8, 1905.
| On the LIST of September two new prov
| inces. states (as we would call them)
were admitted to the Dominion of Canada
| They are called Alberta (the second name
| of the Princess louise and Saskatchewan,
| after the lake of the same name. Edmon-
| ton is the temporary capital of one province
| and Regina of the other.
There is considerable difference in the
| methods of creating a new state in Can
| ada and in the United States. Here the
| state, or province (as they call it,, Is ad-
| mitted to the Dominion by an act of par
| lament which defines it's boundaries and
! gives 1t organic law The act having
| been passed, the governor general of the
Dominion, after consultation with the prime
| minister at Ottawa, appoints a lieutenant
| governor for each province, whose duty
| /! is to call an election of the people, with
| in six months. to determine many i'm
portant questions In the meantime he also
| names some political leader, naturally one
who is in sympathy with the party in power,
| to organize provisional government. At
| the election the people choose delegates to
| the Dominion parliament and elect pro-
vincial Legislature of twenty-five members
| 1ney also QeCl0e WneINer tEey Will accept
| the provisions OF the act under which they
| are admitted. This election will be held
| sometime in November, but has not yet
| been called
| important duties to perform. 1t determines
| the political policy of the provincial gov
| eminent; it establishes system of schools;
| it locates the seat of government. and
! frames code of laws for the government
of the province which is always difficult
| to change.
| Lively Political Fight.
Although the population of the two new
provinces is comparatively small and is
| scattered over large area, there Is already
| a lively fight over the political complexion
| of the government, the location of the cap
| ital, and the question whether or not Cath
Ollie children shall have separate schools,
| which has vexed Manitoba for many years.
More or less involved in this agitation are
the conflicting interests Of the three great
raidroads-the Canadian Pacific, the Cana
dian Northern and the Grand Trunk Pa
ciffc.
Both of the new provinces are about the
size of Texas. Each comprises about 25O,OO
| square miles Of territory. and together they
| include all of that vast region which until
recently, was divided into four territories
| Assiniboia, Saskatchewan, Alberta ana
| Athabaska. They take in all OF the terri
| tory between the northern boundary OF the
| United States and the sixtieth parallel OF
| latitude This region was explored anc
partially settled by the Hudson Bay Com
| pany half a century ago, and Is mostly roll
| ing prairie; although there are seYeral large
| forests Water Is abundant-riyers are nu-
merous and there are several large lakes.
| The population of the new provinces Is
| probably about 10000 each. AccoIoipg "
| included in the two provinces had a COM
| bined population Of 31O,5o9s and II Is en-
| tfreiy probable that $4,000, and perhaps
| 100 OOO immigrants have come In since
| The territories of Alberta and Assiniboia
| have received more immigrants than any
| other part of Canada except Manitoba:
| during the past four years, ana most VI
| them are Americans.
| Nv the act of admission the new prov
| inces have the English common law In
! controversies relating to property ana clVi
| rights and the same criminal law that pre-
| walls throughout the rest of the Dominion.
Location Of the Capitals.
| Already there is hot fight over the To-
| cation of the seat of government in both
of the new provinces. For reasons best
| known TO themselves the party in power
at Ottawa designated Regina as the pro-
| visional seat of government for the prov
| ince of Saskatchewan, and Edmonton as
| the temporary capital for Alberta BUT the
| thriving young town of Saskatoon, 1oo
| miles northwest of Regina, is making a
| desperate effort to be the capital of Sas-
| katchewan and the people of Calgary are
| thorouehly excited In advancing their
| claims to be the capital city of Alberta
Regina and Calgary are the most I'm
| portant. have the largest populations ano
| do the greatest volume OF business OF any
| towns between Winnipeg and Vancouver.
Five years ago Regina was mere village.
but at the same time had the prestige OF
being the capital of the Northwest Terri
tory and the headquarters of the Canadlan
mounted police-a splendid body or CIVIL
cavalry, who have kept the Indians al
peace and have maintained order IN the
immense territory which hes between the
| United States border and the Arctic circle
They have been much more effective than
our own military forces, because they have
had greater authority. 1t has been theii
| duty to prevent crimeand punish offenders
| as we'll as to protect the frontier from the
| savages: and the people OF canada nave
| not suffered from Indian RAIDS or from cat
tie rustlers. or from the tough eieheii
| anywhere near as much as those on oul
| side of the border. This is largely due Il
the thorough work of the mounted ponce
and the prompt action of the territorial
| courts. which have been appointed from
| ottawa and consequently have not beer
subject to local influences.
| During the past four years Regina ha!
ton and a corresponding amount of bust
| ness Its population has doubled every
| year and II Is a prosperous town of I,CU
| or S00o inhabitants.
| Sassakoon its rival. has about 5000 IN
habitants and IS also progressive and
prosperous. 1t is Headquarters for land
| seekers In the Saskatchewan district anc
an important railroad center. So far al
| population is concerned, Regina has de
| cided advantage and will undoubtedly b.
retained as capital of the province.
II Is not possible TO speak so confidently
| of the result of the fight between Calgary
and Edmonton for the honor of being thu
| seat of government of the new province o.
| Alberta Edmonton has the advantage o
being the temporary capital, and the fnftu
ence of the Dominion government at OF
tawa behind II, because II has a large LIB
eral majority. Calgary is hotbed of con
servatives. Edmonton Is the home o
| Frank Oliver. minister of the interior of tn,
| Dominion Mr.. Oliver IS one OF the bes
known newspaper men in Canada and II
editor of the Edmonton Bulletin. Caigar!
is supported by the Canadian Pacific Rail
way Company. while the Canadian North
ern and the new Grand Trunk Pacific com
! panies are backing Edmonton.
Promising Future Of Edmonton.
told you good deal about Calgary yes