Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1906-03-16
CANADIAN LAND BOOM
Said to Be Mainly a Spec
uIativc More
Matter.

Reports to the London FINANCIAL
Times by an English financial expert,
W. R. Lawsop, throw new lisht up
on The Development # the Canadian
North west. He has been studying TIE
situation from both eides of the inter
nation al h>nndary, and tiods that toe
movement from either size to take up
lanHs is more of speculative charac'
ter than has commonly hem s7pDcssd.
rays the Springfield Reg uolican
Americans and Causdiars alike are
going into the northwestern Provinces
rather {, boy lar DIS on partial pay
ments and then sell out at an advance
than to become permanen. owners aud
occupants
Of course there is q large move
ment of the latter character, but on
the basis of it ia. building one Of tie
ARREST mutations of land values ever
known in connection with the west.
ward course of empire. Mr.. Lawson
finds that the so.called American
exodus to Canada ia largely fl ing
immigration of persons who are taking
lots in the plotted towns and quarter
sections in farm lands-from the Had-
son Bay company. the Canadian Pa
cific railroad, the Canadian gov ern-
ment or any other concern having
land to sell. and they all are offering
In abundance-snd paying down a
small margin, leaving the balance to
be carried at high rate of interest.
Nearly every town in our north west
ern states has its venturers in this
speculation. Clergymen without a
dollar to spare are foand among
these who have taken land on Install
4ents which draw from them ter
cent intere st all classes Of people
seem to have become taken BIZ the
craze. On the Canadian sids-ssys
Mr. Lawson
If the land fever is So strong
amohg the Americans, what Is it
likely to be among the Canad ians
themsel7es2 should say THAT they
are all in it-parsops, laymep, and
headles. From Q1ebec to Sarn1a all
the papers are foil Of land advertise,
ments In some Toronto streets every
other door leads into the office of q
land or mining agent. Every other
window is placsrded with flaming
pictures of Arcadian homes anC
quick fortunes waiting for US all ir
the northwest. If we do not fee,
equal to q whole section of ''the fines
wheat-growing land in the world
we may draw big prize among ths
corne: lots of the new. born cities tina,
are extending rapidly beyond th|
Hndson bay and the north pole.
Wherever he went 1t was the same
| story-everyb body buying land on mar
gin and trying to sell out on eacl
other at an advance. 1H.t3 49,.
It is an old and familiar story
and #, will have the familiar ending
Specializing in land on q margin O.
otherwise during . craze is like specu
lating In stocks on a marRin-onl.
far more dangerous since the sal
market is always far more limited AMI
uncertain. At first the crowd is al
BUYERS. but coon the means for keep
ing up Interest and instalmeot pay
ments become mario wed, and then tn
preponderance of sellers increase
until the bubble bursts and vslue
fade away in night. judging from
what Mr.. Lawson says, this last stag,
in the Canadian land boom is near al
hand, and the inevitable collapse vii
possibly not be without effect upol
similar speculatioIs which have beeI
going on In various parts of on!
| western country.