Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-07
INTEREST IN CANADA
English People Watching Their
American Colony.
Special Cablegram to The Star.

4
| LONDON, January 6-The fiat,1re NJ ,-ast-
| ern Canada is a subject that has been at
tracing no end of attention here in this
| country. For years probably Afrfca has
| been the most interesting topic when colon
| fai subjects have been I'D for discussion
Perhaps this was perfectly natural when
| one remembers that the Boer war did much
| to turn the attention of the world to Africa
But now that, in the main, military educa-
tional and economic questions growing out
OF the war are a long way on the road of
settlement it Is natural that other portions
of the empire should be discussed with in
terest and intelligence.
Hence 1t is that the paper read by Mr.
Osborn at the last session of the ROYAL
Colonial Institute on The Future OF Can
ada is attracting an unusual amount of
interest and attention. Mr. Osborn said that
his object in discussing the future or west
ern canada at this time was to attempt
survey on broad lines from the point of
view OF imperial economics and to
strengthen the faith of the British investor
and politician in this western wing of the
empire. He said that of America it had
been justly said that the nineteenth CEN
fury belonged to the United Seates but that
the twentieth century belonged to Canada
And the truth of this statement which must
be regarded as almost prophetic was be-
coming daily more and more apparent
Growth OF Dominion.
One of the chief factors in the spectacu-
lar development of Canadian commerce was
the growth of the western wheat crop, the
profit on which for the past season would
greatly exceed the sum of all the dividends
paid this year by the Rand mines The
beauty of the country was an element in
patriotism. and By a description of the Jour
ney from the North bay in Ontario to the
verge the Pacific ocean
Mr. Osborn justifies the characteristic pride
of the western Canadian in the graces and
grandeurs of his country. The population.
drawn from many sources, was rapidly as
simulated.
AS pioneers in Manitoba farming Scotch
men had leading position. Next to these
came the American and English settlers
Scandinavians and Germans. 1t would he
folly to attempt the establishment of 'alI
British settlements In western Canada
and farm colonies for the unemployed were
not likely to be very successful. On COM
parison of the mining areas of western Can
ada with the American west there was no
geological reason for believing that one /
was greater than the other. Given a larger |
population. a free inflow of British capital
and an adequate system of roads and rail- |
ways and the mining industry of British /
Columbia would go ahead by leaps and |
bounds.
Mineral Resources.
The middle west of Canada holds North |
Americas reserve of iron ores. The Van |
couver coal fields are practically inexhaust-
ibie and the possession of them gave Brit |
ish Columbia an enormous advantage over |
the Pacific states. The timber wealth OF |
British Columbia had been barely touched |
while California and the Pacific states were |
being stripped to tho snow line. Though the |
wheat crop OF the three prairie provinces |
was at present small In comparison with /
that of the western states. the center of |
gravity OF the wheat growing industry was /
travelling toward the international boundary /