The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-15

control Of all the work in the Northwest.
Mr.. Smith has been with the movement
from its start, when he was private sec
rotary of the Hon. Clifford Sifton. lie
had something to do with 1t as railway
commissioner of Manitoba. and he now
controls all of its machinery between
Lake Superior and the Rocky Mountains.
In my talk I asked the commissioner
how the Canadian government could af-
ford to spend SO much money bringing
in settlers. He replied
Our government does not expect to
make money out of such things except
through the development of the country.
We are charging nothing for the land,
but we want Canada prosperous and be-.
licve she will become more so as more
land Is brought under cultivation. With
more people there Will be more business
for our factories.
There will be more importatons through
the custom houses, and, as most of our
revenues come from tariff duties. the gov
eminent will have greater receipts"
About how fast are you settling the
new Canada?" I asked.
I'VE have about 10000 new homesteaders
every year. This is In addition to men
who come to buy land. Each OF these
homcstcaders takes up 100 acres and
that altogether means 10000 new farms
annually II you figure tho families at
three members, it means new popula-
ton Of 5000 possible Taxpayers and con-
sumcrs."
New Railroads..
"Another important feature of this
movement is its effect upon the railroads
and railroad building. Thirty thousand
homesteads means new farming area
of 1850 square miles. II that were in one
solid block on two sides of railroad,
reaching back for ten miles on each side,
the strip would be 375 miles long. The
government, however. allots only the al
tcrrate sections MS homeHteads, 80 you
must double the territory over which the
hornestcnds are planted. and your tract IS
750 miles long. Such tract would reach
from New York 10 Fort Wayne and be-
You'd IT would mean continuous line
Of farms. covering strip ten miles wide
from Philadelphia to Detroit. or there
abouts; and railroads have TO be built
to accommodate those farmers.
"rhe settlement OF such n tract Is n
part OF what Is now going on here IN
ono year. 1t Is true that our lands are
not in solid block, They arc scattered
all over the country and the home
steads arc here and there and every
where. Tho railroad building goes on
al! the same.
"A these new settlers are new GUS
TONER'S for our stores and our factories
They add to tho value OF tho lands DO :
longing to the government near which
they Kctte and TO the general wealth OF
our country. They mean everything to
our future, and we feel that the money
used 10 bring theme here Is among our
best Expenditures"
Canada Wants United States
Citizens.
There " one thing should Ike to
Fhy." continued Mr. Smith, "and that Is.
No want your people TO come hero to
set,ie. our American immigrants arc
about The best element OF the new Can
ada They are good men, and the most
~ ben bring In good money. That Is
8tht Ne need more than anything else.
We have enormous resources, but we re-
apIre capital and push TO develop them,
and We would rather have that from
America than anywhere else. Your people
NJ TIE nfst ana our people OF the west
arn much tic same. They asslnilatc
satiif. ana as time goes on believe the
TN countries wiIl In sympathy be closer
together than eyer tnforc.n
Copyright 1906. NY Frank q. carpentcr)