River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-12-25
why | EMlGRA1ED"
THE NOTES OF A PROMINENT
JOURNALIST WHO MADE A
TRIP THROUGH WESTERN
CANADA.

knowledge of the land and people and
of the "boundless possibilities" that
Canada, the virgin land, affords. In
an American Sunday newspaper he
published after his return the interest
ing account which we print as fol-
lows. He writes:
why did you emigrate from the
United States?" l asked q farmer In
Western Canada.
Il believe that for poor man West
ern Canada is the most faVorable
land" was the reply, "and have now
found that it is the Paradise OF tho
Poor"
The farmer, a pioneer of the west.
had five years earlier left Iowa for
Canada to secure a new home there.
After traversing the country for some
time he started his home on the open
prairie and with steady industry de-
voted himself to the working OF the
virgin soil Now he is the welltO-dO
owner of that endless sea of waving
wheat ears that goes on for miles be-
fore my eyes. His strong, sunburned
figure finds the best background in his
farm itself, which is the outcome OF
his ceaseless activity--a pretty two
stored dwelling house, a large clean
stable in the midst of q hamlet or
barns, sheds and outbuildings, a use
full garden overlooking with products:
horses, cattle, sheep and swine on the
rich pastures, and around to the hOri-
Zon wheat, golden wheat.
In Iowa?" the farmer continued, I
farmed on rented land, for at the price
Of 500 per acre | did not possess
money enough to buy. l might farm.
l might farm as | could more than the
| living for myself and family, could
not attain Sometimes the harvest
! turned out good, sometimes bad, but
! the grand total was bitter combat TO
keep want from the door. 1t was inn
possible to lay by for bad times and
| in spite Of all trouble and work an old
age free OF care was not to be
thought of. My death would have
| brought bitter poverty to my wife and
| children.
Il decided to breakup and go tn
! Canada, where at least / could fight
out the struggle for existence on my
own land. l started out with mule
team. all my earthly possessions we're
in the prairie-schooner with my wife
and children. Then / took up home
stead of 100 acres to which l added
by purchase gradually; now as a
whole I count about 5000 acres as my
| own. The whole property is free or
| debt. | do not owe a cent to anyone.
I bought my land for $3.50 per acre.
now / would not give it up for $50"
do you mean to say that you paid
| for the whole land In the five years
interrupted.
I'm much shorter time" replied
the farmer THE land paid for itself.
some already by the first harvest, and
at longest in 3 years each field had
brought in its purchase price. IL you
doubt that land in Western Canada
! pays for itself within 3 years you can
easily convince yourself of che truth
! of my assertion. Let us assume that
farmer buys farm of 160 A. at $l5
per A. for $1,000. Farm machines.
seed ploughs, moving and threshing
might bring up the outlay to about
| $40 per acre. If the farmer sOws the
| IOU ~ lOl - SCctIo III ouSCSSpiOh
wheat and harvests 20 bus. per acre.
then the product of an A. at the aver
age price of csc per bu. is exactly SIS
per acre II you deduct the $40 out
| lay. you will retain a clear return Qt
| $500. For 160 A. the annual excess
amounts to $500, consequently the
farm has after the third harvest
| brought In the purchase price or
$1,000.
"Sometimes-and not rarely--the
land pays for itself by the first harvest
of 80 bus. of wheat bring in more than
| the purchase price Of SIS per acre.
AS in some years ] harvested more
! than 30 bus, you can reckon for your
self how quickly paid for my farm"
would you not prefer your own
farm in Iowa." ] asked.
mo" replied the farmer, never
will I go back In general very few
| American settlers return to the old
home. In Iowa 100 A. farm costs
100 per A., $4,000; in Western Can
ada SIS. only $4,000. For the same
money that you require to buy a 16O
A. farm in Iowa, you can buy here in
Western Canada farm of 1000 acres.
! have money enough to buy farm in
Iowa. if l wished. But there my year
Nv income would be small one.
whereas here ] work for great gain.
| There l would only be a small farmer.
here 7 am a large landed proprietor.
In corner of the farmyard | mad
during our conversation noticed a
mound OF earth overgrown with
grasses and wild flowers. TO my in
ouirv as to what it was, ! received the
reply: "That is the run of the wooden
shack covered with sods, which ! call
ed NV home when | settled here five
years ago."
gathered a wild aster from the
ruin and flung it into the air. IN Dnr-
plish-glittering line the wind drove the
flower towards the fine, modern-equfp-
ped farmhouse. What a contrast be-
tween the lowly earthly hut OF yester-
day and charming palace Of today!
This contrast says enough OF the I'M
bounded possibilities, which this ne"
land offers to the willing worker How
the poor emigrant on the open prairie
through energy and activity, within
years worked his way up to being
well-to-do farmer and esteemed citl-
zen! More, the farmer did not re-
quire to say Why did he emigrateE
WHY? Why / saw the answer with
-, o,,,,, a1,oc "A