Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1912-06-13
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL
There is room for many more peo-
ple in the American West than are
turning their footsteps in that direc-
tion at present, and this statement
has more significance than would at
first appear. A little while ago peo-
pie were crowding into the west too
fast. 1t was not absorbing them as
rapidly as they came, and the west
asked for breathing spell. On top
of this it asked for appropriations for
reclamation and irrigation. 1t was
given of both generously. Great
tracts we're put in readiness for the
settler. The settler came, but she
came rather rs an individual than as
part of colony. The lure Of western
Canada interfered. 1t is still inter-
fering. So long as there are better
and cheaper lands across the border,
the settler whom the American West
is expecting is likely to be diverted
from his natural course. Those who
view things in their larger or CONT
mental aspect will deem it inconse-
quential whether the immigration is
at present toward the American or
toward the Canadian west, knowing
as they do that SO far as the general
development and prosperity of North
America is concerned it is all the
same. The leveling process is going
on, and in short time the Canadian
west will have nothing more than the
American West to offer the immi-
grant. For the present the advantage
of better soil is to the north, the ad-
vantage of better climate is to the
south. From this time on, however,
it looks as if the competition of the
two sections in their contest for set
tiers would be sharper. The prairie
provinces of the Dominion and the
railroads that penetrate them are
even now engaged in Offering increas-
ed inducements to the intending NOV
or on this side. And late intelligence
from Chicago tells of movement on
the part of the reclamation service of
the American government and of rail-
roads in the American West that is
manifestly intended to place some
obstacles in the way of the flow of
immigration toward Canada. A few
days ago, SO it is reported, q confer
ence was held in the city named for
the avowed purpose of inducing i'm
migration from the eastern states
and cities to the reclaimed and irri-
gated west.
Out of this conference. it is under
stood, will grow movement intend
ed to reawaken the people of the old
er section of the United States to the
advantages offered by the newer sec
tion. The national government,
among other things, is to be asked to
aid in the dissemination Of informa-
ton bearing upon the country that 1t
is awaiting, with open arms, as it
were, the arrival of settlers from the
east. This is the first time in many
years that the west has sent out q
general call or invitation. There
will be some, as always, who will
Jump to the conclusion that if the
west had anything very good to offer
it would have been snatched up LONG
ago; there will be others, as usual
and many of them, who will imm edi
ately inquire what the west has and
finding that it is worth while, will
not be content until they shall have
obtained share of it. 1t is the lat
ter class that usually gets in on the
ground floor, but whether the rust
shall be great enough to interfere
with the trend toward Canada, time
alone can tell. At all events, under
the impetus of the new movement
the west, speaking in the broad ane
international sense, must settl,
rather more evenly than it is settlin,
at present.