OUR CANADIAN LETTER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13834, 22 February 1907, Page 6

OUR CANADIAN LETTER.

(Fwu Our Ouk COIM3IOSBIST.) OTTAWA, December 31. CHRISTMAS. Christmas lias como and gone, and tomorrow we start on a new year. The great Christian festival has had its traditional setting of frost and snow, with the merry jingle of sleigh bolls in the air. It is essentially a season of joy and merriment, the time of general home-coming, ami the decasion of universal giving. Human nature makes at least one desperate effort to crush out all sordidness at Christmas, and to give play to the best and most generous instinct 6 o[ the heart. Tho giving of presents is general, and this year our people have felt themselves warranted in carrying out this custom on a. lavish scale. Prosperity has been smiling 1 on Canada, and tho happy conditions resulting have had their manifestation in an outgo of pleasant impulses. It. was a matter of general remark that tho Christmas trade this year was not only tho largest in our history, but that it involved tho buying by the people of a better class of goods than in other years. Perhaps some qualification should be attached to the broad statement that the holiday spirit affects all classes in the Dominion alike. Christmas is not so important a festival with tho French people of Quebec as it is with tho people of tho other provinces. New Year's Day seems to mean more to the French-Canadians than docs Christmas. Nevertheless, influenced by English, sentiment, it is coming to l>o more and more a season of joy and good will. On the other hand, the commendable custom of making calls on New Year's Day is best observed iu communities where French influence is felt. For this reason tho spirit of fellowship and neighbourliness will to-morrow be more in'evidence in Montreal and Ottawa than in Toronto. In the earlier days these calls wore associated with a good deal of conviviality: but wino is fast being displaced by the less exhilarating cup of tea or coffee'. It is a custom which has much lo commend it, as a thing apart from the ordinary social life of the people. A CREW'S DESPERATE PLTGIIT. ' While Ibo setting of frost and snow is suitable for tho Christmas festival, it is inseparable from tho tragedies which como wit hsovore cold. An incident of this nature occurred on Lake Superior during,tho early part of the month. A belated vessel was making her way down, when a blinding snow6lorm drove her to tho shelter of a. small island. There she went on the rocks. Her crew was composed, almost wholly of sailors from tho Old Country, who were quite unaccustomed to the cold of these latitudes, and also unprepared for the privations which followed. They made their way to the mainland in a boat, and started on a long journey towards tho nearest settlement. They lost their way, and night overtook them in tho woods. They were not clad for exposure, and in their ignorance wcro unable to resort to tho protective expedience which would have occurred to the Canadian-born. During the long night they lay in a heap on the ground, taking turns in . covering each other with their own bodies. Morning found them, in a desperate plight. There were fivo in the party, and all had their feet frozen, and one his hands also. In this condition they struggled onward, and at, last Ihey reached the cabin of a settlor. Thence thev wcro taken to tho nearest hospital, where all had their feet amputated, and one his hands as well. Tho last-mentioned died a dav or two ago. Ho had.prayed for death from the start. The pitiable sta-to of these sailors appealed very strongly to tho Christmas spirit of the Canadian people, and the Toronto Globe opened a subscription list. Money poured in from all quarters, chiefly in small sums, and the fund has now reached sufficient proportions to guarantee artificial limbs foy each of tho four survivors, and a sum in cash to enable him to start life afresh in some suitable avocation. Canadians may be always trusted to act generously under such circumstances.

DEATH FROM EXPOSURE. Even mora terrible was the fate of a young Englishman in British Columbia., During the cold spell above referred to tin's young man started to ride from Silver Creek to Salmon Arm, a distance of 17 miles. The horse was vicious, and lie had not. gone far before he was heavily thrown. The fall disabled him, and he was not able to make his way back, to his cabin. A neighbour passed by during the evening, and hearing groans, believed them to be the granting of a boar. Next morning a searching party of fellow ranchers was organised, and the young man was soon found. His hands anil feet had been frozen during the night, and before medical aid could bo secured he died from shock and exposure. Such tragedies are, happily, rare in this climate. A FUEL FAMINE. 'Associated with the above references was the fuel famine in the North-west, to which allusion was made in my last, letter. Over a. very large section of the prairie provinces tho settlers are dependent, upon coal during tho winter months. The coal areas are very large in tho West, but a long-sus-tained strike had shut off the supply of this fuel. The cold is often very intense in those northern latitudes, and a desperate situation was at once created. Tho Government was appealed to, and the cooperation of tho railways was thus secured by pressure. It was an emergency demanding special measures. These verv conditions were regarded by the strikers as means toward the accomplishment of tllcir purpose, but both operatives and mineowners stood firm. In this situation some fuel was obtained from 'the United States, and after several weeks of great suffering in many homes the slruggle was brought l to an end by enforced arbitration. In the meantime some settlers had been obliged to burn their buildings in order to save their lives. At the moment of writing all danger to life lias disappeared. CHARGE OF MURDER. Tragedies of quite another character occasionally occur in the Western Provinces, arising out of the spirit of freedom iwhioh is always in. evidence in new and, to some extent, unorganised communities. Two or three weeks ago a Jewish rabbi was passing the homo of a •farmer, when ho was attacked I>y the lalter's dog. Ho lashed the animal with a whip, and this act was re- • scnlcd by the owner. Hot words ensued, and the rabbi again struck the dog. Tho farmor was infuriated by this, and mounting his horse started in pursuit of tho .fleeing Hebrew. Ho was an export in rope-throw-ing, and after a long eliaso lassooed the rabbi while riding at full speed. The latter was jerked violently from his vehicle, and his neck was broken.. The farmer is in gaol awaiting trial for murder, t WOLVES AND BUFFALO. In that same western country one hoars 'much theso days about wolves. They appear to have multiplied very rapidly dnrimr recent years, and, while they are not of the ferocious typo met with years ago in the 'back woods of Ontario, they nevertheless destroy sheep and other live stock. In time their destruction will bo as complete, as that of the buffalo. This noble animal was believed lo be absolutely extinct in the wild state, but quite' recently two buffalo were discovered in Manitoba. Tin's leads to tho hope that others may bo found farther north, and if this should turn out to bo the case every effort will be made, to protect them and encourage their multiplication. Other largo game are exceedingly plentiful iii the western provinces, and comprehensive laws have been adopted for their preservation. ' LIVE STOCK INDUSTRY. Where once the buffalo roamed in herds of millions tho plains are now given up to tho raising of domestic stock, and this industry is growing very rapidly in importance. Medicine Hat is the centre of a large ranohing country, and from that point diiring the past year 14,000 cattle, 13,000 sheep, 1500 horses, and 232,2501b of wool were shipped. The last-mentioned item indicates the commencement of wool production in a section of the West which is said to be well adapted for this purpose. The climafio conditions are favourable for the growing of a class of wool which experts declare to be unlike any other. It would be surprising, however, if sheepraising should be found to be as profitable as other branches of'tho live stock industry. TRADE. Other trade interests are also buoyant. The aggregate foreign trade of the Dominion for the five months of the fiscal year ended 30th November shows a gain of 9,000,000d0l as compared with the same period last year. The chief advance has been in imports, although exports also show a. substantial betterment. The grand total for the five months was 55,800,000d01, at which rnto of progress the commerce of tho country will pass well beyond tho 120,000.000d0l mark by 50th Juno next. Less than five years ago only the most optimistic dared to predict 100,000,000d01. We have now reached tho point where no one caTes to suggest limitations. FISHERIES. The large value of our fisheries is not understood abroad. The production from this source last year reached 6,000,000d01, and it is believed that the yield may be steadily increased without depleting the , fishing grounds. The Government is giving ' considerable attention to the matter. A Scottish ntpeit ja fob. curiDg has already

taught our fishermen a great deal that is of commercial value to them, and lie has also demonstrated better methods of fishing. Improved marketing methods have been introduced at tho same time', and the whole business is underpins; a. muchneeded revolution. It was only necessary to show the fishermen how to make more money in order to win them over to tetter ways. COLD STORAGE. The Government haa decided to adopt a broad and comprehensive policy with rospect to cold storage. Tho Minister of Agriculture has just introduced to Parliament a measure embodying the results of careful and systematic inouiry on tho subject. It involves the establishment of storage warehouses at various points throughout the Dominion, together with better refrigeration on our railways and steamship lines. Our dairymen, fruitgrowers, meat exporters, and fishermen will profit by this timely step. Tho Government pro-

poses to grant n. subvention of 30 per cent, of tho cost of approved plants in localities where the need exists for such accommodation. The appropriation for this purpose will extend over a period of .years, so as to carry the enterprises which may soring up along toward a self-sustaining basis.

INSPECTION OF FOOD PRODUCTS. An act has emanated from tho Agricultural Department designed to secure a thorough inspection of food products. Various laws are now in force with regard to tho classification of fruit and dairy products, as well as the proper marking of packages, and the new measure proposes to inoludo all forms of canned goods. This is au industry which is rapidly assuming large proportions, and it is the object of tho Government to standardise 6iich products and protect the good na'me of the Dominion in foreign markets. An elaborate system of inspection has been devised to secure these ends. The cost will be considerable, but it is believed the interests involved amply justify tho outlay. Tho laws ju6t referred to arc tho direct outcome of the larger views now being entertained with regard to the possibilities of Canadian commerce. It is the purpose of our far-seeing Govern- ' ment (o lay safe and sound foundations for tho Irado which it is believed lies ahead. Tho Canadian people as a whole believe profoundly in honesty and straightforward conduct in business.-and the object of the legislation now before Parliament is to make it impossible for any unscrupulous packer, by reason of unsanitary conditions or tho putting up of inferior products, to jeopardise the whole trade. It is felt that the timo to do these things is at the very start. INDUSTRIAL PEACE. At this date there is industrial peace throughout the Dominion. At the time of my last writing a number of serious strikes were in progress; but tlicso have been settled, in each instance with loss to the strikers. The strike of the street railway employees in the City of Hamilton, which had led to serious rioting and the proclaiming of martial law, was referred to arbitration. Tho result was a practical vindication of the position of the company, the union was defeated, tho scale of wages was merely adjusted in the cases of a few men, and the leaders were all dismissed. Some of them havo since been sent to prison for acts of violence. The strike of coal miners in British Columbia, and of piano makers in Toronto, had a similar termination. In all these cases the struggle was not so much for increased pay as for "the closed shop"— which means absolute control by the union. ASIATICS. On the occasion of the coronation a number of Hindoos were transported by way of Canada to and from England. Some of these were representatives of the hill tribes, tall and wiry, and they seemed to take a fancy .to Vancouver. This led to the settlement at tho coast of a score of these natives, and in process of timo others joined'them from the East. There is now quite a colony of Hindoos iu British Columbia, and public feeling is strongly against them. They are regarded as being utterly unsuitable) for this country. Their coming has accentuated the feeling which exists in that province against Asiatics. In this situation the Government has sent a commissioner to look carefully into the matter and make a report. In the meantime, tho colony of Orientals is steadily growing, and the opposition to this class of immigration is intensifying. IMMIGRATION. While thero exists this discriminatory feeling against, Asiatics, tho country at large is rejoicing over the swelling tide of immigration from Europe and tho United States. Up to the end of November 74,791 immigrants bad come in, as against 19,896 for tho same period last year. This would appear to indicato a record influx for the wholo fiscal year, Of those who are coming in perhaps 20 per cent, will be added to the labour, supply, while tho remainder will make their homes in tho pastoral provinces of tho West. It has been announced that 10,000 Doukhobours will come from Russia in the, spring; but they will scarcely bo welcome. Wo havo many thousands of these people in (lie North-west, and until they have purged themselves of their fanaticism and have shown themselves disposed to send their children to school, it is felt that we can get along without any more of them. Tho most pressing need of tho West at present is for young women of suitable types to become the wives of bachelor settlers now on the land. INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY. In this connection it is gratifying to realise, that tho industrial life of the Dominion was never so active. Factories and workshops everywhere are running at their utmost capacity. This means that, there is keen competition for labour, and artisans of all classes arc receiving hicrh wages. Tho activity in the mining districts also continues. At Cobalt new mines are being opened each week, some of them showing rich deposits of silver, and speculation iu shares goes madly on. The capitalisation of these companies now reaches over f50,000,000, and it is obvious that- an immen.se quantity of metal must ho won from the earth before this investment will-be justified. However, everyone appeare to be hopeful, and while confidence continues the fever will not abate. MUSCULAR CHRISTIANITY. An incident, occurred in the city of St. Thomas, Ontario, recently which has caused a good deal of comment. An anniversary tea was licing given in one of the outlying churches, to which a partv of ycung people went from the city. They were somewhat boisterous during the evening, and their conduct aroused the resentment of the church people. The .pastor appears to have been an exponent .of muscular Christianity, and at the olosc of the exercises he invited tho more demonstrative of the visiting young men to the basement, where he thrashed them soundly. A trial followed in the courts, and tho clergyman was made to pay a heavy fine for his successful demonstration of the manly art which he had acquired during his unregene.rate days. A SAD OCCURRENCE. In the same neighbourhood, although a little.closer to the City of London, nearly an entire family was wiped out under most unusual circumstances. A considerable number of frogs had accumulated in the family well, and for some r-oason they died with the oncoming of cold weather. Their bodies poisoned the water to snob, a degree that, the father of the family, two full-grown daughters, and two sons died drinking it. They were well-to-do people, very much respected, and their death under such conditions has caused general grief in the community. THE COLOUR, LINE. While there is a growing feeling, against Asiatics in Canada, there is a strong sentiment against the drawing of tho colour line in , respect of general liberty. The proprietor of a roller skating rink in Toronto refused admission to a negro lad. The mother of the boy took the case info the civil courts, and has just recovered damages. CHURCH UNION. Another step has been taken in the movement towards church union in Canada, The General Committee of the Methodists, Presbyterian, and Congregational Churches met in Toronlo during the past month. This was the third conference. It would appear that doctrinal obstacles are not insurmountable; but the purely denominational idea is apparently the rock which threatens shipwreck just now. At best, it will bo several years before anything like a practical union can be agreed upon.