The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1909-05-08
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
no0ncement was made in these col,
amns that 'dollar wheat" had come to
stay. and that the time was not far
distant when the central provinces OF
Cznada-Nsnitosa. Saskatchewan and
AlhertS-wo0ld 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 stayins
there Roth OF these predictions have
come TO pass. Dollar wheat is here
and il is not only here. but is here &c
stay and at the same time, whatever
unpleasant sensations il may arouse
in the super-sensitive American. Cen
tr&l Canada is already being called
upon to help keep up the bread sup
ply. and within the next five years
will, as James J, Hin says, literally
become the hread-basket of our in
ereSSins millions
There are few men in the United
States better acquainted with the
wheat situation than Mr., Hill, and
cline1 to be more conservative in
their expressed views, Yet il was this
greatest of the worlds railroad men
who said few days ago that the
price OF wheat will never be substan-
TALLY lower than it is todsy"-and
when il is taken into consideration
that at that time wheat had SCARED to
81 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 % per cent.
while the yield of wheat and other
products is increasing at the rate of
only - 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, III United States wheat main
tains the dollar mark. Canada wheat
will be well above = dollar bushel.
Tor in every way it is superior to our
homegrown grain"
With these facts steadily impinging
their truth upon our rapidly growing
population. il is interesting to note
Just what possibilities as wheat
grower" our Northern neighbor pos.
sesses. While the United States will
never surrender her prestige in any
manufacturing or commercial line. she
must very soon acknowledge. and with
as much grace as she can. that she is
bound to be beaten as grain pro
Queer. IL must be conceded that a
great deal of the actual truth about
the richness OF Canada's grain produc
ing area has been kept out of sight,
as Mr.. Hin says. by the strenuous eff
forts of our newspapers and maya
rines to stem the exodus of our hes,
American farmers into those regions
II is u fact that up to the present
time. although Canada has already
achieved the front rank in the worlds
grain producers. the fertile prairies
Of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and AL
berts have as vet scarcely beer
scratched. Millions of acres, free fol
the taking. still await our American
farmers, and when these millions arr
gone there ara other millions in re
gions not set opened up to immigra
ton. "A few years ago the writer, wht
has been through those wheat prov
inces several times. laughed with 9th
ers of our people at the broa,
statement that Canada was bound I,
become John Bulls Bread Basket
Now. after a last trip land though h,
Is stanch Americanl he frankly be
heves that not only will Canada be
come John Bulls bread-basket. but i
will within the next decade at leas
BECOME THE RREApBASKET Oh
THE UNITED STATES. Perhaps thi
may be a hard truth for Aeusricans L
swallow. but it is truth. aeverths
less And il is at least pa -tial con
pensation to know that huu dreds @
thousands of our farmers ars profit
ing BY the fact by becoming pl oducer
in this new country.
The papers of this country hs We ma
uraliy made the most of the bret D,
Rod OF depression which swept ave
Canada. but now there is not sign c
II left from Winnipeg to the coss
Never have the three great wheat rSi:
ing provinces been more prosperou:
Capital is coming into the countr
from. all quarters, taking the form {
cash for investment. industrial col
Germs seeking locations. and. best {
all, substantial and sturdy immigrant
come 10 help populate the prairie
Towns are booming: scores of ne
elevators are sprinsing up: railroad
are sending out their branch lines i
all directions. thousands of prospe
Gus farmers are leaving their prairi
shelters for new and modern homes