The Elk Mountain pilot., 1916-03-04
WAITING FOR THE
END OF THE WAR
"Then Take Advantage of the
Opportunities in Canada"
Contributed by w. ]. White, of the
Department of the Interior.
Ottawa, Canada.)

l strolled into bank in one OF the
cities of the west a short time ago and
the bank manager said after the
war, the Canadians should be pre-.
pared for a great influx of people.
The crops that the western Canadian
farms have produced in 1915, and the
wealth that the farmers have had
thrust upon them by the high price
OF grain. will make farm lands valu-
able and farming remunerative. After
the war is over there will be thou
sands go to Canada to engage in agri-
culture and many other industries that
will certainly prove profitable. Condi
tions will be wonderfully good. The
advertising that Canada has had dur
ing the last year or two by its magnifi-
cent contribution of over 250,000 men
to fight for the Empire, the wonderful
sums 1t has given to the Red Cross
and Patriotic funds, the excellent
showing 1t made in subscribing over
double when only so millions of dollars
was asked as war loan, the bray
cry. courage and hardihood of the SOL
diers who have fought the battles in
Flanders, 1t is just wonderful" and
my enthusiastic banker grew eloquent.
One might have thought he was a sub
sidized booster for Canada. But" he
said they won't go until after the
war"
We'll, now. Mr.. -, why wait un-
til after the war? If all you say be
true. and you have said nothing yet
OF the wonderful bank clearings of
Canada today, nothing of the fact that
the immense grain crop of Western
Canada this year has given to every
man. woman and child in that coun.
try, over three hundred dollars per
head, why wait until after the war?
After the war, under such conditions
as you have pictured (and which are
real) land values will go up, prices
will increase. Advantage should be
taken of the low prices at which these
agricultural lands can be had today.
and excellent farm lands can be had
close to railways in old settlements.
in excellent communities for from IF.
teen to thirty dollars per acre. The
climate is good and will be no better
after the war"
What about conscription, though?
Is there not danger from conscrip-
ton, and should ! advise any to go
there now, would they not have to
face It? Then too. there is the report
that there is a heavy war tax on
lands"
was surprised to learn that these
old yarns. stories that l thought had
been exploded long ago. were still do
ing duty in many parts of the United
States, and that a gentleman of the
wide learning of my friend. was in
clined to believe them.
"Conscription!" l said. with Can
ada contributing 25O.O0O men voluntari-
ly enlisted, why conscription? There
is no conscription in Canada, and
neither will there be. 1t is not need
ed. In any case no Legislation could
be passed by the Dominion Parliament
which would impose military service
upon people who are not citizens of
Canada. either by birth or naturaliza-
ton. Settlers from the United States
could not become naturalized British
subjects until they had resided in
Canada continuously Tor three years"
I quoted from official documents
In the first few months of the war
/ clearly stated that there would not
be conscription in Canada. repeat
that statement today"
And then as to taxes" continued,
quoting again from official authority.
All taxes levied by the Federal Gov
ernment take the indirect form of Gus
toms excise and inland revenue du-
ties. 1t is untrue that farmers are
paying direct war-tax levies and no
intending settler need hesitate to
come to Canada on this account.
Official denials should convince you
been making some would-be-settlers
from the United States hesitate to
make a change while the war lasts
are without foundation. With these
Misunderstanding cleared up, the
present war conditions even become
an added inducement to settlement in
any part of the provinces of western
Canada, inasmuch as war prices and
keen demands for all manner of farm
products afford the farmer a special
opportunity to make money"
was glad of the chance and
pleased to have him state that his
views had altogether changed.
could have continued, and told him
OF the fortunes that had been made in
the season of 1915, out of farming.
wheat growing, oat growing. barley
growing. cattle raising. dairying and
mixed farming. / could have told
him of an Ottawa tCanada) syndicate
that had yield Of 130 bushels of
oats per acre from their farm at Vain
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