Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-08-25
OUR FARMERS IN CANADA.
Are They Sick of Their Bargain and
Coming Backf-A Difference Of
Opinion.

/
(From the Toronto Mail and Empire)
There seems to be n difference Of
opinion expressed in rather acrim on
ious terms as to whether the thous-
ands of American farmers who became
Canadian settlers in the past few years
are returning to the United States. In
Canada the idea is that more Ameri-
cans are coming across; in the United
States they say the migration has al
most ceased, and that some $1,000 dis
illusioned Americans are making for
Uncle SANS side Of the border. On
one hand Is the official United States
claim that this number Of farmers re-
turned in the last nine onths: on the
the other. Canada's official reports
that 100000 settlers with 10000 900
In coin and chattels have come over in
year.
One would suppose the New 0r'enas
Times Democrat to be far enough
from the spot to give an Impartial
opinion and -easons for 1t. Accord
Ing to this authority The American
settlers were dissatisfied with
the character Of the land. 'he
sisted chiefly Of alfalfa. and such
hardy grains as wheat, and even those
were not sure. The form of govern
ment did not appeal TO them. and they
considered the railroad freight rates
exorbitant. The climate was a source
Of dissatisfaction, ice and snow In
August and September Of last year
adding to their disc omfort" If this is
true, We cannot blame tho Americans
for returning to the balmier climate
OF Dakota. to the moro popular forms
of government Is rxemplified in Penn
sylvania. Rhode Island and other an
cient homes Of liberty and to the rich
or soil OF Nevada and Wyoming
We wonder what the $1,000 tired.
disappointed. disiilusioned American
farmers" are going to do now that
they are back home For leaving the
Western States in the first instance
they had plenty OF reason. and while
Western Canada may not have proved
the earthly paradise some expected,
the reasons for leaving the Western
states remain as strong as ever.
Those reasons are not disputed. Tre-
rnendous prices were paid for farm land
in the Western States, and the far
mers. to the number OF tens Of thous-
ands. sold out at top prices. Now that
some Of them have returned is II to
be expected that they will buy back
their old farms? II so, will they pay
moro for them than they received?
To buy for less would indicate that
the land boom in the Western states
has collapsed. and to invest money In
district where pricos are falling is
not favorite diversion for farmers
or any other class of the community.
1t must be admitted that there Is still
some good government land left in
the Western States. but II is getting
scarcer every day and Is not to be
compared in point of quality with the
deep soils OF Alberta and Saskatche-
wan. When a block Is to be thrown
open for settlement men camp for
weeks before the registration offices,
and once the farms have been located
the price shoots rapidly UP to a parity
with neighboring long settled land. In
other words. there Is more land than
there are settlers in the United States,
whilo In Canada the case is reversed.
l ntil the proportions become adjusted,
irrespective Of the boundary line. the
demand for Canadian farms by Ameri-
can FARMERS Is very likely to continue
That something In the nature OF a
national conspiracy to check the
movement northward exists in tho
United states there can be little doubt
The railroads OF tho United States ara
very much Interested in Turing back
dissatisfied farmers and they ara
suspected of being responsible for the
unbiushing ISLANDERS that have eman.
ated from several sources. We recall
the gifted Winnipeg newspaper man
VINO volunteered to supply matter de-
famatory Of Canada for distribution
In different parts OF the United States.
The effort Of the Canadian govern ,
ment to check the spread Of CHAMBERS
en- the frontier was exploited as \
reason why no American should ven
ture to cross the border.
Canada has responded to the don't
20 north" campaign by establishing a
permanent press bureau at Washington
whence bulletins will regularly issue
describing the opportunities OF the
Canahisn west. Only those who live on
the side OF the border know how little
disturbed Canadians are at the pros
poet OF losing American settlers Tho