PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE EARLY EUROPEAN IMMIGRANT.
THE SWEDISH COLONISTS. (con't)
remained on their own, asking help from neither the State or the banks,
or money lender, but only such neighborly help as he was prepared to
return. To encourage and foster debt is not a good thing and the matter
is not improved when you call the debt investment. The writer is quite
aware that there are two sides to the question, and that many, perhaps the
majority, of his readers will not agree with him in his opposition to what
he looks upon simply as organized debt. He is only expressing an indi-
vidual opinion, which he is well aware will be very much like a solitary
voice trying to drown a chorus. If the farm loans board think I ought to
apologise, the apology is tendered before it is asked, but we fear we shall
be of the same opinion still. After all the best settler is he who hoes his
own row unaided, like a free-born man.
To return to the Swedish Colony. Its religious services were in the
hands of the Rev. Mr. Olson, who we are glad to say is still with us. An
able preacher and administrator of church affairs, he is not an ordained
minister. If we may be pardoned a personal note pitched in a somewhat
high key the writer may state that some little time ago Mr. Olson called
on him at the Parliament Buildings, renewing an acquaintance which
had lapsed for the best part of a generation, and reminded him of some-
thing the writer had almost forgotten. The law was that no marriage
could be celebrated in the Northwest Territories by any person other than
an ordained minister of the gospel. This was a great hardship in cases
like that of the Swede colonists where the minister was not ordained. A
deputation came into Whitewood to the then member, and the writer was
sent for and took part in the discussion. Neither the member, (now
Senator Gillis) or myself thought the chances for a change were very good
but the writer suggested that a petition should be sent to the House; and
I drew up the petition. It was successful and an amendment to the Or-
dinance was made at the next Session giving the Lieutenant Governor in
Council power to appoint Commissioners with the power to marry. Mr.
Olson was the first commissioner appointed and as commissioner the num-
ber of marriages he solemnized goes into double figures. Most people are
unaware to this day that it is possible for a layman to become a commis-
sioner with power to tie the "nuptial knot". The little story of Mr. Ol-
son's appointment may tend to show how simply important changes in the
law may be brought about, how a little discussion in a post office may
result in a change in Legislation.
The history of the Swede colony shows that the first segregation is
only a matter of time. The colony, as such, no longer exists. Other set-
tlers are mixed in. Stockholm, the name of the old post office is now the
name of the contiguous town and railway station on the Pheasant Hills
Branch of the C. P.R. The Swede influence is however still preponderant
in the district.
The old settlement has a prosperous and now grown up child in the
almost entirely Swedish settlement at Percival between Broadview and
Whitewood. About 1892 some Swedes from Stockholm went to Percival
and took up lands as second homesteads, which they were enabled to do
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