Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-14

balance of current expenses of the schools
and provide for maturing debentures.
The nonresident land owner and resi-
dents without children are compelled to
contribute toward the maintenance of the
school.
There are no government taxes. either
federal or provincial, the province de-
irving it's revenue from certain subsidies
from the federal treasury and various fees
and licenses. The tax for school purposes
is limited to not more than SIG per year
on each quarter section OF 100 acres, and
for road Improvement not more than So
on each quarter section. Incorporated
towns and villages arrange such matters
to suit their own convenience.
The provincial department of public
works undertakes all large expenditures
in connection with roads. such as the
building of bridges and other heavy ex-
penditure on main highways. The max
ing and maintaining of side roads is left
in the hands Of the settlers interested.
Local improvement districts are permit
ted to be organized and rate may be
levied on all taxable lands within the
district to be used for road improvement
purposes.
Subsidy to the Province.
The expenses of the administration of
the provincial government are paid from
a subsidy granted by the Dominion gov
eminent in lieu of the public lands within
the limits of the province. This subsidy
is in two forms-a cash allotment of sew
eral hundred thousand dollars and do
nation of so cents per capita of the pop
ulation. The new capitol. which will cost
100000 or more, and the new uni
versity, for which $250,OOO has been ap-
propriated, are paid for by the issue of
bonds.
While this peculiar form of government
and the single tax system 20 not please
everybody and have not given the salts
faction that was expected at the time OF
their adoption the people believe that the
principle is correct and that a Few years
Of experience will smooth things out ana
correct the defects in the administration.
The people Of Alberta claim the largest
coal deposits in North America. and they
are getting out a good quaiity or Dltu-
minous coal at several points IN TINS
vicinity. There are three coal mines
within the city limits of Edmonton. Ihey
supply the local demand, and the three
railway companies whose lines converge
here not only get their fuel from them,
but are preparing to ship at least
thousand tons day curing the coi ;nin,
geological survey on their maps show
10. 600 square miles Of coal beds in Al
berta province, which Is fortunate pos
session when one considers the long WIN
terS, the low temper e diio siie So'~'S VI!
of other fuel.
- Colored immigration.
Four wears ago an authorized agent of
the immigration department of the Do
minion government induced three or four
families of colored people to come from
Oklahoma to Alberta. He thought he
was doing good thing. They had sold
IN, Ind
plenty of ready money and were looking
for new homes He sold them large
tracts Of land and they came north
bringing two or three carloads OF house
hold effects. farm implements and other
portable property. They were well re-
ceived and prospered, and through their
lnnuence about forty other colored fam
lilies from the same section of Oklahoma
came up in the spring of 1863. Most OF
them settled in town. A few of them
bought farms The lack OF labor made
them welcome also, but some fana.ical
people began to talk about negro in
vasion, the newspapers took up the sub
feet and when 1t Was discovered that
three or four hundred families were COM
ing from Oklahoma the next year the
authorities were appealed to.
The more intelligent colored men who
;lad arrived the previous year We're adj
vised to notify their friends that they
would not receive a cordial welcome. and
a negro who had been working up the
movement in Oklahoma received notice
to suspend his immigration operations.
but refused to do SO. He had already
made contracts with railway companies
for transportation: he had already sold
several farms to those who were coming
and plans for new town had already
been completed by firm Of American
real estate agents in Edmonton.
The matter was discussed in parliament
and in the provincial assembly, and ex-