The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-05-23
CANADA'S IMMIGRATION
Increased by About Sixty Per
Cent in Past Six Months.

That Canada is at war is now more
fully appreciated on this side of the
boundary line, now that the United
States has stepped alongside its north
ern neighbor and linked hands in the
great struggle for freer democracy
throughout the civilized world. AS a
result of this a greater interest than
ever is seen in the mutual effort to
develop both the United States and
Canada. Recently, just before the
time that the United States declared
its intention to enter the contest and
contribute of its resources to the de-
feat of the autocracy, whose design
was to permeate the world, Western
Canada made an appeal for farm labor
to till the fields and prepare the soil
for the crops of grain that were nee
eSsary to feed the fighting forces and
keep up the requirements necessary
for the Allies. The responses were so
great that before half the time limit
expired, over six thousand laborers
were secured. This was not sufficient,
but once the United States was de-
clared to be in a condition of war; and
farm labor required here to meet any
exigency as to short rations that might
arise, the sister to the north, withdrew
from attempts, which might mean
restriction of the farm labor supply
in the United States. But even with
this it is thought Canada will now be
fairly well supplied.
Apart however, from the farm labor
proposition, it is gratifying from both
United States and Canadian point of
view that the immigration of farmers
to take up homestead lands and to pur-
chase improved and unimproved land
in Canada, has shown such a wonder
full increase in the past three months.
The great struggle for increasing the
food supply has broader and greater
significance than ever. The food must
come into existence, whether the rich
soils Of the United States Or those of
Canada be the factor.
1t is altogether probable that the &C
ton of the Canadian Government in
taking the duty off wheat going into
Canada, thus automatically lifting the
duty off that coming into the United
States, may not be responsible for an
increased immigration to Canada. Can
ada's reputation for growing larger av-
erage yields and q better quality of
grain, and on lands, many of which are
free, as well as those that range from
SIS to S35 an acre, is an appeal that
is being responded to by farmers who
are now renting high-priced lands, is
another reason for expecting an in-
creasing number of farmers from the
United States.
Mr.. w. D. Scott, Superintendent of
immigration at Ottawa, Canada, re-
Gently gave out figures concerning i'm
migration from the United States,
which shows that the increase in the
past three or four months was 60 per
cent over the same period last year,
and Mr.. Scott forecasts that during the
calendar year of 1917 there will be
over one hundred per cent increase
and be much heavier than for many
years past. Mr.. Scott declares that
already this spring more settlers eff
fects have entered Canada than
crossed during the whole of last year,
and the movement has just merely
started.
The new settlers are coming from
numerous states through the ports of
Emerson, North Portal and Coutts, as
well as from Oregon and Washington,
through Kingsgate and Vancouver.
There arrived in Saskatchewan dur
ing the year ending December 81, 1916,
total of S,136 persons as compared
with 5,812 during the twelve months
previous. At the same time nearly
| twice as many immigrants passed
| through the immigration department
| at Edmonton, Alberta, in the last
twelve months as for the same period
of the year before.
The number Of settlers from Eastern
Canada migrating to the west also in
creased. From January 1 to March 81,
1917, the number Of cars of stock that
passed through the Winnipeg yards
was $50, as compared with 361 last
year. A fair estimate of the value Of
each car would be about $4,000, which
means that the west has secured addi-
tional live stock to the value of $780,
900 or more, during the first three
months of 1917, not taking into account
that brought in by immigrants from
the United States.-Advertiseme