the days of my life

第79部分 (第1/7頁)

Thus　my　mission　ended。

In　confirmation　of　what　I　have　stated　above　I　ore　important　letters　which　I　wrote　or　received　as　a　Special　missioner。

The　first　of　these　was　addressed　by　me　to　Lord　Rosebery　as　Chairman　of　the　Rhodes　Trust。

Confidential。

Ditchingham　House；　Norfolk：

May　20；　1905。

My　Lord；　—　You　may　know　that　I　am　the　person　who　was　sent　to　investigate　the　Salvation　Army　Colonies　in　America。　I　write　therefore　thinking　that　perhaps　you　would　wish　to　hear　from　me　in　the　matter。

First；　however；　as　one　who　has　for　years　taken　deep　interest　in　the　problem　of　the　congested　cities　and　the　depopulated　land；　I　desire　most　heartily　to　thank　the　Rhodes　Trustees　for　their　action　in　having　set　this　investigation　on　foot。

Very　briefly　the　results　are　as　follows：

On　the　whole　I　was　well　satisfied　with　the　Colonies；　perceiving　in　them　a　great　principle；　easy　of　adaptation。

I　proceeded　to　Canada　and　showed　to　various　members　of　the　Government　there　my　draft　reports。　Also　I　explained　to　them　my　scheme。

I　am　glad　to　be　able　to　say　that　I　was　successful　in　impressing　upon　them　that　this　scheme　is　quite　sound。　Mr。　Sifton　（a　great　power　there）　even　went　further　and　stated　that　he　considered　it　of　more　importance　to　the　Dominion　than　any　plan　of　preferential　duties。

The　issue　is　that　I　have　brought　home　with　me　a　despatch　from　Sir　Wilfrid　Laurier　granting　three　hundred　and　sixty　square　miles　of　their　best　land　for　the　purposes　of　the　scheme；　promising　as　much　more　as　may　be　required；　and　stating　his　firm　belief　in　the　practical　nature　of　my　scheme　。　。　。　。

I　speak　with　reference　to　Canada　and　other　Colonies。　On　the　home　side　of　the　question；　where　dear　land　and　awful　rates　and　District　Councils　h