The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-12-25
Western Canada as Seen
by a Noted Writer.

Emerson Hough, the celebrated novel
ist, who made q somewhat extended
trip through Western Canada, during
the past summer, grows enthusiastic
in his description of "The Last Best
West" which comprises the Provinces
of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Al
berta, as all other writer's who have
ever visited that great country. To ex
tract from what, he has said We find
the following:
THAT black strip across the land
scape--it was not the shadow OF
passing cloud, but the record of
plough! These yellow gray bands were
the fields of stubblet already reaped.
These other bands of green, of pale
yellow, or deep bright yellow--they
were the fields of wheat, among which
the binders were yet TO do their work
The centuries-old soil was finding its
first upturned exposure to the sun.
Surely the plough had come. There
is no more thrilling experience than
this, of seeing the ancient wilder
ness just passing into the first loose
fingers of civilized mans occupation
Here was the wheat, crowding up
to the trail, high as the wagon seat
as we drove through. At the edge of
a grumbling COW mans nnowned but
long occupied range, we reached down
and plucked off ripe wheat i'm handsful,
lcrumpling out into the palm the full
ears and triple-rowed kernels, magnif-
cent grain, the food which the world
must have--that grain upon which the
whole civilization of the earth seems
so strangely to depend; for, when
the wheat has come, civilization has
taken hold of the land never again
to loose its hold of the land never
again to loose its grasp. One who loves
the open air and the wild word cam
not Suppress. sight of regret at first
thought of the passing plains, at the
rancher; but, none the less, there must
come the soberer thought that the will
derness of this world, as well as the
scant fields of the old world, belong
to the world and the worlds peoples.
Extended personal inquiry in the
course of long journey failed to dis
cover one farmer who was homesick or
disconnected, or who declared that
he was going back to Old England or
to the States. Without exception they
declared that they were not only con-
tented, but prosperous. In most eases
their one or two crops had given them
their lands and their first farmstead
buildings OF rude comfort, at least,
fully paid for; and this land was
their own. No basement life for these
settlers, nod for their children, nor their
children's children; no rack rents, no
Struggle with a warn, exhausted soil; no
cap-touehing to a so-caiieu superior
class. Here was different field for
humanity. Is there any difficulty in
predicting the difference between the
product of such fields and those of the
pent and huddled East?'
1T was a fascinating sight, this mid
die land between the old and the new.
Most fascinating of all was the air
lof hope and confidence. Something set
the blood tingling in the veins. No one
here spoke of dispair or discourage
ment. These men made no repining at
their lot as frantier farmers. Their
sole and engrossing concern was the
question of means of getting out
their wheat to the markets-bor even
in Western Canada farming has run in
advance of transportation y
in such regions rs this, one still
travels as one likes across country,
paying no attention to roads; although
now and again, one comes upon roads
rudely ploughed along the section lines
in some case, near the railroads, fairly
well worked. The. time of the main
travelled road is passing rapidly, even
in Canada. Soon the fence will come
along the highways, and all travel will
fellow the lines bounding artificial rect
angles. Exulting in our liberty, for the
most part our party continued to ira
vel direct toward destination. We
still held to the prairies; and still on
every side of rs was wheat, wheat,
wheat"