The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1914-01-10
WHY | EMIGRATED"
THE NOTES OF A PROMINENT
JOURNALIST WHO MADE A
TRIP THROUGH WESTERN
CANADA.

A prominent journalist from Chi
cago, some time ago, made a journey
through Canada obtaining a thorough
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?" 1 asked a farmer in
Western Canada
Il believe that for poor man West
ern Canada is the most favorable
land" was the reply, "and 1 have now
found that it is the Paradise of the
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 well-to-dC
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 pretty two
stored dwelling house, large clean
stable, in the midst of a hamlet of
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, Ct
farmed on rented land, for at the price
of 500 per acre I did not possess
money enough to buy l might farm,
might farm as 1 could, more than the
living for myself and family, 1 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 1t 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 I could fight
out the struggle for existence On my
own land. 1 started out with a mule
team. all my earthly possessions were
in the prairie-schooner with my wife
and children Then 1 took up home
stead of 16O acres to which 1 added
by purchase gradually; now as a
whole l count about 5000 acres as my
! own. The whole property is free Of
| debt. l do not owe a cent to anyone
1 bought my land for $3.50 per acre.
now 1 would not give it up for $50"
do you mean to say that you paid
for the whole land in the five years2''
l interrupted.
In a 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. If you
doubt that land in Western Canada
! pays for itself within 3 years you can
easily convince yourself of the truth
of my assertion. Let US assume that
a farmer buys farm of $50 A at SIS
| per a. for $4,000. Farm machines,
seed. ploughs. moving and threshing
might bring up the outlay to about
SO per acre. If the farmer sows the
| $50 A. for 3 years in succession with
wheat and haryests 20 bus. per acre.
then the product of an A. at the aver
age price of Use per blu. is exactly SIS
per acre. If you deduct the SO out
| lay, you will retain a clear return Of
| $500 For go A. the annual excess
amounts to $500, consequently the
| farm has after the third harvest
brought in the purchase price Of
| S2.40O.
"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 l harvested more
than 50 bus, you can reckon for your
self how quickly 1 paid for my farm. -
Would you not prefer your own
farm in Iowa 2' 1 asked
NO" replied the farmer, never
will I go back, in general very few
American settlers return to the old