Foreword to the First Edition xiii 



I may call attention here to the enormous 

 impetus that has been given to the develop- 

 ment of Canada by the very simple help the 

 railway companies and landowners have given 

 to emigrants in the way of starting them with 

 a homestead into which to move on arrival 

 on the prairies. This simply means that by 

 making it possible for families to move into 

 Canada, that country has become prosperous 

 and successful. The money for these home- 

 steads is paid back by the emigrants, and I 

 believe that no loss has resulted under this 

 system. If planters were similarly encouraged 

 in the Tropics by the help of a little capital 

 and a bungalow, the security being on the 

 plantation, a rate of interest could be arranged 

 sufficient to cover all risks of loss, and to give 

 the Government granting the loan a high 

 return. It is not possible for any private 

 individual to work on these lines, but it is 

 possible for Governments. There are millions 

 of acres of waste land in tropical countries 

 waiting to be developed, and all that is wanted 

 is a little help from the authorities to convert 

 waste tropical possessions into veritable gold 

 mines, producing wealth beyond the dreams of 

 avarice, in occupation as well as in money, and, 

 in addition, providing food for all. 



As a proof of this, let us consider what 

 Government railways have done in developing 

 Nigeria. Surely, with this striking object- 

 lesson in front of them, Governments could 



