Daily Arizona silver belt., 1908-08-18
LOSING AMERICAN CITIZENS.

There is one phase of the report of the Canadian commissioners of immigra- tion that cannot fail to be of intense and grave interest to many Americans. For many years now we, as nation, have been welcoming to our shores i'm migrants from various countries, and so steadily has the tide flowed in our direction that it has been, as a matter of course, that we have regarded the fact that for the privilege of American citizenship, literally millions of immi- grants have gladly thrown of their allegiance to the country of their birth.
 During the recent business depression immigration into the United States has fallen of in a marked degree, and the same thing has been true in Canada. all this decrease is charged up to Euro the past six months has been nearly one half of what it was formerly, and all this decrese is chraged up to Euro pean countries and Asia. The immigra- ton from the United States to Canada has not only not fallen of, it has shown a slight increase. During the year just passed, over 1000 American citizens dropped their allegiance to the United States and became citizens of Canada and subjects of the King of England and it is reported that in the past six years the sum total of United States citizens absorbed by Canada is 10000.
 It must seem strange that so many people would be willing to give up what most Americans regard as one Of the highest of worldly blessings, citizenship in this nation; and, of course, the causes are distinctly industrial, not patriotic. It may safely be ventured that not a single individual has gone from the United States to Canada because of dissatisfaction with the American form of government.
 Most of the emigrants from America to Canada are farmers, and Canadian farming has been having great boom in recent years, owing, partly, to many natural advantages possessed by the Northwest, and owing more largely, perhaps, to the system of exploitation and advertising liberally employed by the Canadian officials, ably seconded by the Canadian railways. During the period of this emigration to Canada the railways of the United States have been feeling the depression rather keenly, and this has halted enterprise, while the Canadian railways have been hay ing period of prosperity, of wonderful activity, resulting in the opening up of new territory and the placing of millions of acres of the very best farm ing land in the world on the market at ridiculously low prices. Canada's home stead and timber claim laws are most liberal, and assistance is rendered the incoming sgriculturist wisely and gen. erously. All these things combined have gone to account for the strange increase in emigration from the United States to Canada and for our loss in American citizens.
 We need not be ashamed as a peo- pie, to take a lesson from our northern neighbor in methods of exploitation. We have still great tracts of land that only need the right sort of immigrants to become enormously productive and an added strength to the nation. We must let the people who want farms, and who desire to carve out homes, know about the lands we have for them, and how to reach them. We must learn, as Canada has learned, that "it pays to advertise.