Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 October 1901 — CANADA VS. PHYSICAL FACTS. [ARTICLE]

CANADA VS. PHYSICAL FACTS.

Rigorous Climate and Danrerous Water’ Hold Dornin on Back. In 1897, when Sir Wilfrid Laurier was enjoying himself as one of the colonial premiers who took a leading part in the queen's jubilee in London, both in London and in Paris, particularly in Paris, he went out of his way to slur the United States and plant a future for Canada, which largely ignored the physiographic, hydrographic and climatic effects. Canada was to surpass the United States as only a first magnitude star could surpass another and lesser star in glory. But. unfortunately, the climatic facts will not down. Immigrants will not go to a country that has six months winter and an uncertain summer, with wretched communications and shipping interests and are avoiding a route to the new world that is notorious for its dangers. Though the slow growth of the population of Canada has worried the leaders of the dominion and the Canadian publicist-, they are still taking cold comfort in the alleged fact that the growth of Canada, "when one considers the healthy and stable character of this increase, as compared with the vast hordes of impoverished alien outcasts who contribute so largely to the increase for the corresponding period in the neighboring Republic erf America,” gives slight cause for disappointment. Moreover, they are still pointing out that the climateric moment is about to arrive when, the tide will turn and Canady's snowy wastes will swarm with untold millions of people and its dangerous waters will be crowded with busy shipping. But the facts are otherwise. The recent census of Canada reveals an increase of 9.7 pet cent, only, which gives a total population of 5.300,000. just one million, ir round numbers, behind Pennsylvania’s population of 6.301,365. From thesfe figures of Canadian growth and the known total of immigration, it is clear there is no movement of immigrants from the United States to Canada as has been asserted. nor any repatriation of thrifty Canadians who have sought the United States in order to “earn a living,” nor any drift from the old world. Moreover, while the census reveals the fact that the world still gives some attention to the snow line, and to the isothermal of zero weather, an even more serious blow has been struck at Canada’s claims by the refusal of British insurance companies to handle policies for vessels trading in St. Lawrence waters. The disasters of the past few years have but clinched, in the minds of the shippers, the great risks involved, and though an effort has been made to form a Canadian Lloyds, with government backing, the shippers who have abandoned the Canadian route will not have anything m'-'re to do with it. Philadelphia Press.