Evening star., 1909-06-12
LIKES AMERICAN Settlers
CANADA PREFERS IMMIGRANTS
FROM THE UNITED STATES.
They Are More Desirable Than News
comers From Great Britain-Some
Dominion Statistics.

The Canadian immigration laws are
very stringent. and the rule of selection.
while impartial. actually works largely in
favor of Americans against those from
the mother country, because the Ameri-
cans bring more money and are better
fitted to the environment Every immi-
grant. male or female. eighteen years OF
age or over who arrives in Canada must
possess S2a, unless going TO some definite
employment or TO friends or relatives.
Whenever such immigrant within two
years of landing becomes a public charge
or condemned criminal he or she may he
deported This rule. says ]. Hall Richard
son In the Fortnightly Review QIondon).
has been stringently enforced" The la
Dor market. as Canadian labor organiza-
tons demand, Is not to be glutted by
subsidized immigration to the point OF
depressing the rate OF wages or to that
OF assisting employers to resist strikes.
The Salvation Army and other charitable
institutions have been instrumental in
dumping SO many British ''undeArables
on Canadian soil that in q book entitled
Opportunities in Canada" printed by
order OF the minister of the interior. We
read that lit has been found necessary
TO check the tendency of British mag1s-
rates and philanthropic societies to un-
load social problems of the mother coun-
try upon Canada"
British immigration Declines.
The consequence was, says Mr.. Richard
son, that in 1908 there was a decrease OF
about 60 per cent in the number of emf
grants who left the mother country for
Canada. One OF the reasons for this de-
crease lay in the fact that the British i'm
American. declares this writer. To quote
his words:
American financial troubles led to an
American invasion OF border towns, and
the immigrants from the old country
found themselves in the fiercest competi-
ton with trainloads Of keen, practical
people. whose ways. mode OF living and
general adaptability made them infinitely
more acceptable to the Canadians them.
selves than could possibly be the 'difficult'
Londoners and town-bred Englishmen
generally who, whatever may be asserted
to the contrary, are certainly not liked In
Canada"
He gives the following reasons why the
Canadians prefer immigrants from the
United States:
"The Canadians welcome the Amer
leans. They prefer them to Britishers. It
proof were wanted. find II in a pamphlet
officially published. entitled Immigration
Facts and Figures The object of this
compilation. issued early last year. is to
show that the Americans are much more
suitable settlers than the English. Irish
and Scotch. Critics asserted that Mr..
Bruce Walker wrote to order in view OF
the elections which were then approach
ing, in condemning English phlanthropic
emigration. For my own part l think his
report was impartial. but certainly Facts
and Figures was not above suspicion OF
having been prepared with purpose
and that a political one.
Taking the figures for the years Jan
uary 1. 1897, to March 81, 1908, 1t was
shown that only 1s per cent of the total
arrivals from England and Wales made
homestead entry In western Canada,
whereas 43 per cent OF the arrivals from
the United States became homesteaders.
Further. In 19O7-S alone they brought
! with them more than So. 600 600. OF nearly
920O per head, cash and settlers effects.
Then. too, SS3 English were deported.
having become a public charge, as against
81 Americans To this may be added that
| the relative cost of bringing immigrants
| to Canada was estimated in 1904 at: Brit
ish. $4s6S per head; American. $4,53. and
continental. $2.A."
i Canada Becoming American.
Mr.. Richardson argues from these facts
that Canada Is likely to become moro
| and more un- English, unless q more ca
pable. desirable and we'll furnished class
of British emigrants be sent out. Canada
| does not want the Submerged tenth"
| AS this writer observes:
"Should this importation OF American
StOCk (hHO OOlldTSD COnt1Que, Sluulldnt-
| ously with the immigration of the Scan
dinavians. Gallicians and others from for
| eign lands, 1t is not difficult to predict
the period when Canada will be no longer
predominantly British In blood origin.
If that time should come. what kinship
| bonds Of sympathy will exist to maintain
the Dominion as part OF the empire?
- The deputy minister (of the interior
| in his latest report) speaks of the unprec-
edented number of arrivals from the
United States as the most satisfactory
| feature OF the returns. It Is no imaginary
danger. therefore. that Canada will be-
come American in spite OF herself unless
we send her the right class of emigrant."
From the report of United States Con-
| sui Franklin d. Hale OF Charlottetown.
canada, we learn the following facts.
He says in substance:
From 5000 to 10000 people are ex-
pected to leave the United States for
Canada in 1909. carrying with them many
millions OF dollars. Since 1903 3OOGO
homesteads have been granted to settlers.
The population of the Dominion has in
creased over 1OOO,0sO: the total trade
has increa sed $17S.UO,OOO and the revenue
| $30OOp,OnO. The product of wheat in the
| .hree great western agricultural PROV
inces shows an increase of some 10O.Gn.-
| coo bushels. The minister of the interior
| reports that In these three provinces there
are still 24O.O72OOO acres available for
homesteads."