New-York tribune., 1908-12-27
PROGRESS OF CANADA.
after Forty Years of York 1t Shoes
Biz Gains.

Toronto Dec. 8.-It is always interesting to re-
view the progress Of country, the rise OF a per-
sonality or the growth Of an enterprise at the
close Of another year. To Americans the develop
ment of Canada can hardly help but be important
a new field for surplus investment and energies
a homo of social and political experiment,
contiguous country OF varied resources. Taken as
a whole, this development practically began In the
early 7O's Confederation OF the provinces in 1867
had placed the new Dominion where the United
States at the close Of the Civil War, though
without the impetus Of large popula ton and OF
resources and history known to all the world It's
political institutions were. however, organized, and
although the country remained somewhat
back street until the beginning OF this century
tho period utilized IN laying broad and deep
a foundation of railways. canals, settlements.
farms and growing communities which have now
brought 1t well into the sunlight Of public knowi
edge
In the last forty years the occupied and culti-
waited land OF Canada has more than doubled
cities have grown out Of villages and small
towns, It's banking capital has trebled its bank
deposits have grown from $33 100000 to S654.-
oO0.0OO and its banking assets from s7e,oOO0O0 to
t9+5o0Oo00 It's population has doubled. its expendi
ture upon education has trebled its railways have
increased from 220o to 1900 of operated mile
age, and now they gridiron half a continent with
rails OF steel Its trade has grown from $25 600
to s65OO0o,O00, its shipping from a small figure to
g. 100000 TONS its mineral production from almost
nothing to s9G,0O00oo in value and its agriculture
product, with surplus exports running into the
hundred millions. It's life insurance has grown
from few millions 100000 900. its fire insurance
from S2O0O0o0oo to 81 600 and the value
Industrial products from S22 900 600 Sis 100000
OF course these figures small beside the over
powering statistics of United States progress in
that period; In some respects Mexico and Argen-
tina may excel them But for a scattered
people of three millions. who at the beginning
OF their life OF political unity merely fringed the
shores and boundary line Of the great Republic
or pioneered in isolated groups through the bound
less wastes of the West, the record Is not a bad
one. The competition of United States manufact-
urers in the Canadian market Of United States
producers in the British market and of the American
name and overshadowing wealth and power every
where was q natural and inevitable difficulty.
For many years Canada lay like island between
two great streams of national, commercial, indus
trial and productive Iife-the United States and
Great Brtain-having but little share in either;
hurt by the repeal Of the Corn Laws and British
preference in 1916 she by the imposition Of
the Mckinley tariff in 1890; excluded by the one
commercial to anything like the extent which
the resources of the country warranted. But that
time has passed. and the period of development
and recognition has come, whether not Sir Will
frid Laurier's claim that this is the country OF the
twentieth century be fully sustained
At the close Of this present year everything Is
working toward the creation of material prosperity
the accumulation Of wealth, the increase of wages
the growth of production and the development of
the country. The setback a brief period of fnan-
cal stringency has been overcome and the results
Of a great harvest being reaped. In the cities
there is sedimentary deposit OF unenployed-the
waits of a large immigration movement in the last
few years; but the other hand the continuous
erection Of beautiful homes is a greatly growing
factor in the life of the urban centres and
proof In cities like Toronto Of the Increase OF
stantia1 and well distributed wealth. How far the
intellectual religious and moral life OF the people
has kept pace with material progress is another
question and another story In the recent general
elections of the vital elements in the return
Of the government to power was the undoubted
growth of the country In its twelve years admin
istration. Perhaps brief statement of the actual
expansion IN three specific decades would be inter
esting here illustration of national growth
rather than as a political demonstration:
CANADIAN GROWTH IN TEN-YEAR PERIODS.