Mexico Missouri message., 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 aTATEs.

Nhnada--manttoba, baskataheWan and
Aiberta-would be called upon to sup
ply a large part Of the wheat con.
sumption In the United States, there
we're many who laughed at the predic.
tions 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 II is not only here. but is here TO
stay; and at the same time, whatever
unp.saGant sensations It may arouse
In the super-sensitiye American, Cen.
trail Canada is already being called
upon TO help keep up the bread sup
ply, and within the next Ave years
will, as James J. HIN 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.. HIN. and
there are few men, II any. who are In.
clined 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 today"-and
when II 10 taken into consideration
that Rt that time wheat had scared TO
sl.20. we'll above the dollar mark. the
statement 10 peculiarly significant.
and doubly significant is the fact that
in this country the population is In.
creased at the ratio Of 65 per cent,
while the yield OF wheat and other
products Is increasing at the rate OF
only 20 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 "a
wheat producers, and that no other
country can produce as hard or as
good wheat. Said n great grain man
recently, IF United States wheat main.
tains the dollar mark, Canada wheat
will be well above n dollar u bushel,
for in every way Il 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 a 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-
ducer. II must be conceded that
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 ef.
forts OF our newspapers and mAga.
zines TO stem the exodus of or 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
OF Manitoba. Saskatchewan and Al.
berta have as yet scarcely been
scratched. Millions OF acres, free for
the taking. still await ow American
farmers; and when these millions are
gone there are other millions in re-
giOns not yet opened up to immigra.
ton. A few years ago the wpiter, who
has been through those wheat prov.
lnces several times. laughed with 9th.
ers OF our people at the broad
statement that Canada was bound TO
become John Bulls Bread Basket"
Now, after last trip land though he
ls a stanch American) he frankly be-
lieyes that not only will Canada be.
come John Bulls brOad-basket. but II
will within the next decade at least
BECOME THE BREAD-BASKET OF
THE UNITED STATES. Perhaps this
may be q hard truth for Aemricans to
swallow. but II is truth, nevertho-
less. And Il is at least a partial com.
pensation to know that hundreds OF
thousands OF our farmers are profit
ing by the fact by becoming producers
IN thls new country.
The papers OF this country have nat.
uraily made the most OF the brief pc.
riod Of depression which swept over
Canada. but now there is not a sign OF
q left from Winnipeg TO the coast.
Never have the three great wheat rails.
Ing provinces been more prosperous.
Capital Is coming into the country
from all quarters. taking the form OF
cash for investment, Industrial con.
Germs seeking locations. and. best Of
ALL substantial and sturdy immigrants
come TO help populate the prRiries.
Towns are booming; scores OF now
elevators are springlng up; railroads
are sending out their branch lines in
all directions; thousands OF prosper
Gus farmers are leaving their prairie
shelters for new and modern homes.
built by wheat" cverywhere is 9
grnwfng happiness and coutenfmenf--