Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1909-05-06
DOLLAR WHEAT HAS
COME TO STAY
IN LESS THAN FIVE YEARS CEN.
TRIAL CANADA WILL BE CALLED
UPON TO SUPPLY THE
UNITED STATES.

A couple of years ago, when the an.
nouncement was made in these col
umns that dollar wheat" had come to
stay, and that the time was not far
distant when the central provinces OF
Canada-Manitoba, Saskatchewan and
Alberta--would be called upon to sup
ply large part of the wheat con-
sumption in the United States, there
were many who laughed at the predic-
tons and ridiculed the idea of wheat
reaching the dollar point and staying
there. Both OF these predictions have
come to pass. Dollar wheat is here
and 1t is not only here, but is here to
stay; and at the same time, whatever
unpleasant sensations it may arouse
in the super-sensitive American, Cen
trail Canada is already being called
upon to help keep up the bread sup
ply, and within the next FIVE years
will, as James j. Hill says, literally
become the bread-basket OF our in
creasing millions"
There are few men in the United
states better acquainted with the
wheat situation than Mr.. Hill, and
there are few men, il any, who are in
,lined to be more conservative in
heir expressed views. Yet II was this
greatest of the worlds railroad men
who said few days ago that 1.-THE
price OF wheat will never be substan.
TALLY lower than it is today"-and
when 1t is taken into consideration
that at that time wheat had scared to
b1.20, well above the dollar mark, the
statement is peculiarly significant,
and doubly significant is the fact that
IN this country the population Is in.
creased at the ratio OF So per cent,
while the yield OF wheat and other
products is increasing at the rate Of
only 25 per cent. For several years
past the cost OF living has been stead.
lily increasing in the United States,
and this wide difference in production
and consumption is the reason.
This difference must be supplied by
the vast and fertile grain regions Of
Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
There is now absolutely no doubt of
this. Even the press OF the country
comedies the fact. Results have shown
that no other country in the world can
ever hope to equal those provinces as
wheat producers. and that no other
country can produce as hard or as
good wheat. Said a great grain man
recently, IF United States wheat main
tains the dollar mark, Canada wheat
will be well above dollar bushel,
for in every way It is superior to our
homegrown grain"
With these facts steadily impinging
their truth upon our rapidly growing
population, it is interesting to note
Just what possibilities as a wheat
grower our Northern neighbor pos
sesses. While the United States will
never surrender her prestige in any
or commercial line, she
must very soon acknowledge, and with
az much grace as she can, that she is
bound to be beaten as grain pro-
ducer. Ii must be conceded that a
great deal OF the actual truth about
the richness OF Canada's grain produc-
ng area has been kept out OF sight"
rs Mr.. Hill says, by the strenuous eff
forts OF our newspapers and maya
Zines to stem the exodus of our best
American farmers into those regions. /
Il is fact that up to the present
time, although Canada has already
achieved the front rank in the worlds !
grain producers, the fertile prairies |
If Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Al |
oerta have as yet scarcely been
Millions OF acres, free for
he taking, still await our American
armers; and when these millions are
gone there are other millions in re.
sions not yet opened up to immigra.
ion. A few years ago the writer, who
has been through those wheat prov.
noes several times, laughed with 9th.
rs of our people at the broad
statement that Canada was bound to
,ecome John Bulls Bread Basket"
Tow, after last trip (anG thou .
3 a stanch American) he fran be-
ieves that not only will Canada be-
ome John Bulls bread-basket, but il
will within the next decade at least
BECOME THE BREAD-BASKET OF
HE UNITED STATES. Perhaps this
nay be hard truth for Americans to
wallow, but it is truth, neverthe.
ess. And ii is at least partial com.
ensation to know that hundreds of
thousands of our farmers are profit.
ne by the fact by becoming producers
a this new country.
The papers of this country have nat.
rally made the most OF the brief De.
Iod of depression which swept over
anada, but now there is not a sign of
left from Winnipeg to the coast.
ever have the three great wheat rails
lg provinces been more prosperous.
apital is coming into the country
'om all quarters, taking the form of
ash for investment industrial con-
erns seeking locations, and. best OF
i, substantial and sturdy immigrants
ome to help populate the prairies.
owns are booming; scores of new
Ievators are springing up; railroads
re sending out their branch lines in
! directions; thousands of prosper.
rs farmers are leaving their prairie
lelters for new and modern homes
milf hv uhaof.v avarvnboro a. -