170 INTKoDrC'lloN OF D >MKSi:i(' KEINDKEK INTO ALASKA„ 



])hmks that thov iuij>-ht wish to simicI to the coimnuiiding officer at St. 

 Mifhaol. who has the payiiuMit of the sahiry of the I^apps. 



C'oiioratuhitino- you on tlie near approach of peace in the Philippine 

 Ishiiids. I remain, 



Vt'i-y n\speetfiilly. youi's, 



Sheldon Jackson. 

 The Skckktaky of Wak, 



WasJdtxjtoh^ I). C. 



CANADIANS AG1TATIN(; TIIK 1NTU( )l)l'CTI()N OF UFINDEKU INTO 



CANADA. 



Halifax, N. S., January J U 1S9D. 



Sir: 1 have just rocoivod the Report of the Commissioner of Educa- 

 tion of the United States, and note Avith unabated interest the mag'niti- 

 cent progress you are making" in Ahiska in education. For years the 

 first glance at the Report has been to the index for Alaska. There can 

 ])e no longer any doul)t as to the feasibility of making the reindeer 

 both the horse and ox of our great iiorthern land, and if I understand 

 your work and its significance it is now possible to explore, settle, and 

 I'eslde anywhere on the rim of the Arctic Ocean from the Alaska line 

 to. the mouth of the Nelson River in comparative comfort and safety. 

 Your Avork is just as valuable to Canada as though you were an officer 

 of the Canadian Government; and I noAV write with two objects in 

 view — the introduction of the reindeer into Canada, and the condition 

 and wants of the Eskimo and Indian trib(\s north of (50 degrees in 

 Canada. 



As to the first point — the introduction of the reindeer into Canada: 

 How ought Ave to proceetl and Avhere and at whtit point had Ave best 

 mak(> the attempt to introduce them? Dr. MacKay, our superin- 

 tendent of education, tells me the moss on Avhicli they feed groAvs in 

 abundanc(> through our Avhole northland; and [ hear Macoun, our 

 Dominion lK)tanist, says the reindeer could live Avell as far south as 

 Ottawa. If this is so, avc ought through the reindeer to open up oui' 

 great northern country, so that trading posts and mission stations are 

 no long(M- places of banishment for six months of tlie year and that 

 the Indian might have a chance for his life. If youi' (>xperience in 

 Alaska can be repeated in Canada, there is notiiing to prevent com- 

 nuuiications all Avinter Avith Fort McPherson, some 500 miles from one 

 of your stations. Fort (xood Hope, Fort Noi'man, Fort Simpson, Coro- 

 nation (irulf, tht^ (xreat Fish River, and the Hudson Ray. I only Avrite 

 you on this sul)ject ])ecause you know the condition and A'alue of 

 Canada north of GO degrees north latitude. 1 am fiiiidy convinced that 

 where there is one reason for introducing the reindeer into Alaska 



