The New York herald., 1922-12-11
Canada's Immigrant Campaign.


Canada's Immigrant Campaign.
Canada has again launched a cam
paign to attract American farmers to
the Dominion. BY newspaper adver-
tising and by the direct appeal OF
travelling agent the agricultural
advantages found there are being
described and inducements TO immi-
crate are being offered.
Excellent grain growing land at
low prices and long time payments Is
the basic attraction. Climatic dis
advantages are minimized AS a
matter of fact winter contrasts be-
tween our northwestern tier Of States
and the country little further north
are not marked enough to be a seri-
Gus handicap. Campaigns similar to
the one now under way have been
conducted in the past. They were
reasonably successful. Many Ameri-
can families trekked northward.
Some of them remained in their new
homes. Not few returned to the
United States.
That Canada's situation as regards
population is unsatisfactory has long
been evident. Latterly the subject
has been engaging the very serious
attention Of Dominion authorities
and business interests. In October
last there was an important confer
ence on the subject. In response to
Government summons representa-
tiyes Of transportation companies.
leading immigrant officials and heads
of the newly organized Canadian Col
| onization Association assembled in
Ottawa.
The facts they laid before the Min
lister Of immigration were disturbing.
The Canadian Pacific and the Cana
dian National railroads, the Canadian
Pacific steamships and three great
transatlantic steamship lines were all
represented by a single spokesman.
At the outset he made the broad
statement that in the decade 1911
1921 Canada lost to the United States
every immigrant that came to her
shores and nearly 100000 persons
besides.
He estimated the population of
Canada in 1911 at 7,206,643. By nat
ural increase this population in 1921
should have been 9,043,050. To this
figure should be added the 1875, 1893
immigrants who arrived in the dec
ade. With these additions Canada
in 1921 ought to have had a popula-
tion Of 11,01S,443.
But the actual population Of
Canada in 1921 was s,769,49 or 312.-
572 less than the 1911 population
plus the ten years total Of immigrant
arrivals, and 273,556 less than might
have been expected from natural in
crease with immigration left entirely
out OF the calculation. In other
words, Canada lost all of her nearly
1000, 900 immigrants and more than
quarter of a million population
besides. These figures moved the
Montreal Star to remark that Canada
was only UNCLE SANS sieve.
But il should be borne in mind
that the particular decade in ques-
tion was exceptional. 1t included the
war period, and during the opening
years OF that period, when this coun-
try was not involved, the demand
here for all kinds Of labor caused a
Canadian migration to the United
States such as was never known
before.
Canadian immigration effort labors
under three distinct handicaps. Eng
lish speaking people fear an inunda-
ton OF non-British stock. French
speaking people fear an inundation
of non-French stock. Labor is op-
posed to immigration of any sort 1t
is a problem to tax the skill OF the
best Canada has in the way Of broad
minded craftsmanship.