The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1905-07-27


At the time Of the purchase in 1860, the
white population Of tho entire country,
including the oficials OF the Hudson's
Bay Company. could be numbered on
four figures.
With the creation Of Manitoba into
q province a year later. and navigation
OF the Red river improved. the attention
Of settlers 20 limited extent was drawn
that way: but Il remained for the APP
proach Of the railway ten years later to
give shape to the marvellous growth that
has since followed. In short, the settle
ment Of the entire country 10 the work
Of but tho last - years.
The Western Territories.
In 1882, that part Of the country now
open for settlement was divided into four
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. Alberta. Sas-
katchcwan aud Athabasca--and an ele-
mentary form Of government conceded 20
them. In the present year these four
territories were converted iato two prov.
inces. with full provincial autonomy and
admitted to full membership in the Ca
madam confederation with all tho pow
ers aud privileges Of the older prov
inccs.
Very naturally the nsriculturist of old
or countries who II satisfied with present
surroundings. and the man whose intcn-
tons are TO give agriculture n trial. have
q few leading questions revolving In their
minds, aud ever before them for consid-
Grafton, such rs climatic conditions. char
acter Of public institutions, educational
facilities, postal convenicnces. transporta-
"a 10 l.,,k al
nature and extent of the natural re-
sources and advantages Of the country in
which they are about TO locate.
Nobody claims that Western Canada
II perfection in every particular but IL Is
claimed and fully borne out by the cx-
pcrieEse Of thousands who have settled
there. that there is no country on the
face Of the globe that surpasscs IL in
opportunities for the man Of limited
means who Is content with pioneering for
q couple Of years.
It's productive capabilities are now
fully past the experimental stage, as the
crop yields. dairy returns. profits of the
rancher and general satisfaction to the
man in mixed farming fully demonstrate.
Under territorial or primitive govern
ucul, "utEt auhuuTANy ntlNttu ieucEdl
and local governments was divided. there
could not have been the same liberties
and freedom that now exist when the
whole legislation Of the country Is vested
practically in the hands Of the people
themselves under manhood suffrage.
This gives them the freest form Of dem.
ocratic government under the sun.
Low Taxation.
One OF the terrors of the people Of the
older countries Is taxation. In the prov
inces Of Manitoba. Alberta and Saskatch.
evan, which constitute the entire Cana
dian west that Is open for settlement,
there is no taxation but as the settler
imposes II on himself. On the home
stead In the unorganizel territory, the
tar collector IL never seen. As people
organize municipalities, however. roads
and bridges have To be- built. and schools
have TO be maintained: hut the govern.
ment defrays much Of the cost of the
latter. and taxation is necessary for the
former. The taxes for both purposes
however. rarely exceed IS 4 year on a
quarter section uG0 atreSl.
Schools are established in every coun
try section where there are ten or more
pupils 10 attend them, conducted by high
~ ccrtifcated teachers under the best
system known 20 the most advanced edu.
cationists Of the world. In 1856 there
were but T6 schools in the territory that
now comprises the provinces Of Alberta
and Saskatchewan with n government
support of $S,9OS. In 1904 there were
SIS In the same territory with a govern
mcnt support Of S292.OT0. As the sub
sides these two provinces are now in re-
ce!pt Of from the Dominion government
amount 20 about Sl,O93,0O0 each, they
are a sufficiently large sum 20 carry on
all the expenses Of the country, includ.
ing schools. with but little or no taxation
on the people. As these subsidies In.
crease as tho provinces grow In popula-
ton, settlers ia the Canadian west will
always have immunity from taxation.
Crop Statistics.
The following statistics as 20 crops
n. Il faEW