The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1914-01-02
WHY / EkIGRATED"
THE NOTES or A PROMINENT
JOURNALIST WHO MADE A
TRIP THROUGH WESTERN
CANADA.

knowledge Of the land and people and
OF the "boundless possibillties' 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 lie writes:
why did you emigrate from the
United States?" asked farmer In
Western Canada,
u believe that for a poor man West
ern Canada Is the most favorable
land was the reply. and I have now
found that II is the Paradise OF the
Poor"
The farmer, a pioneer Of the west,
had five years earlier left Iowa for
Canada TO secure new home there.
After traversing the country for some
time, be started his home on the open
prairie and with steady Industry de-
voted himself 10 the working OF the
virgin soil Now he is the well-to-do
owner of that endless sea Of waving
wheat ears that goes on for miles be-
fore my eyes His strong, smburned
figure finds the best background In his
farm itself. which is the outcome Of
his ceaseless activity-a pretty two
storied dwelling house, a large clean
stable, in the midst Of a hamlet OF
barns, sheds and outbuildings, use
ful garden overflowing with products:
horses, cattle, sheep and swine on the
rich pastures, and around to the hor.
zon wheat, golden wheat.
In lowa?' the farmer continued, Il
farmed on rented land. for at the price
Of 500 per acre ! did not possess
money! enough to buy. ! might farm.
] 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 a bitter combat TO
keep want from the door It was i'm
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 to
Canada, where at least | could fight
out the struggle for existence on my
own lana. started out with a mule
team, all my earthly possessions were
in the prairie-schooner with my wife
and children. Then / took up a home
stead of 100 acres to which / added
by purchase gradually; now as a
whole | count about 1900 acres as my
own. The whole property is free OF
debt. ! do not owe a cent to anyone.
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
In much shorter time" replied
The farmer The land paid for itself.
some already by the first harvest, and
at longest in years each field had
brought in its purchase price If you
doubt that land in Western Canada
pays for itself within years you can
easily convince yourself of the truth
1f my assertion. Let us assume that
4 farmer buys a farm of $50 A. at SIS
per A. for $1,000. Farm machines,
seed, ploughs, moving and threshing
might bring up the outlay to about
80 per acre. If the farmer sows the
60 A. for years in succession with
wheat and harvests 20 bus. per acre.
.hen the product Of an A. at the aver
lge price of 75c per bu. is exactly SIS
Der acre. If you deduct the $40 out
nv mill Fofr ,P
500. For 100 A. the annual excess
mounts to $500, consequently the
arm has after the third harvest
,rought in the purchase price Of
2 400.
"Sometimes-and not rarely-the
and pays for itself by the first harvest
# 35 bus. of wheat bring in more than
he purchase price of $15 per acre.
rs in some years l harvested more
han 35 bus, you can reckon for your
elf how quickly l paid for my farm"
Would you not prefer your own
arm in Iowa?' | asked
NO" replied the farmer, never
'ill l go back, in general very few
american settlers return to the old
ONE. In Iowa a $50 A. farm costs
100 per A., $4,000; in Western Can
da SIS, only $4,000. For the same
honey that you require to buy 100
. farm in Iowa, you can buy here in
Western Canada farm of 900 acres.
have money enough to buy a farm in
,wa, if l wished. But there my year
income would be a small one,
hereas here work for a great gain.
here | would only be a small farmer,
ere | am a large landed proprietor"
In a corner of the farmyard / had
lring our conversation noticed
ound Of earth overgrown with
rasses and wild flowers, To my in
airy as to what it was, I received the
ply; That is the ruin of the wooden
lack covered with sods, which / call
! my home when / settled here five
ears ago.
gathered wild aster from the
lin and flung it into the air. In a pur-
ish-gittering line the wind drove the
over towards the fine. modern-equip-
I'd farmhouse. What a contrast be-
'een the lOwly earthly hut of yester-
~ and charming palace of today!
his contrast says enough Of the un-
,unded possibilities, which this new
nd offers to the willing worker How
e poor emigrant on the open prairie.
rough energy and activity. within
ars worked his way up to being a
all-to-do farmer and esteemed citi-
n! More, the farmer did not re-
ire to say. Why did he emigrate3
HY? Why l saw the answer with