The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-21
CANADA READY TO SPEND
LAST DOLLAR FOR EMPIRE
Increase of the National Debt to $500, 900, 900 Is Borne
Calmly Throughout the Dominion-Recruit-
ing Is Steadily Maintained.

OTTAWA, Feb. 20.-Not since the bat
tie Of 81. Julien last spring. when
10000 Canadians paid the supreme sac
rifice. has the war been so strongly
brought home to the Dominion as In
the past week..
Sir Thomas Whites budget calling
an expenditure Of 250.ooo.o 900 dur
ing the coming year. showing that the
national debt has been increased from
> 100000 at the outbreak Of the war
TO 100000. 900 at the present time. and
imposing an additional heavy tax on
business. has made Canadians realise
that they are only at the beginning
OF the struggle and are to be called
upon to sacrifice everything in blood
and treasure before the end IL near.
Rut while there is a disposition In
press and Parliament to criticise the
details Of the Governments latest tax
proposals-while 1t IL felt that the new
taxes should have fallen more heavily
upon wealth and less heavily upon
business, that ordinary business should
have been segregated from munit!on
manufacturers In the imposition OF the
tax. u that the retroactive clause
IL the legislation will work al inJus-
tice. there Ia on the whole a universal
sentiment from one end Of the country
to the other that Canada will sacrifice
her last man and her last dollar.
How Canada Pays.
What the war means to cauada's
finances liz s~,r,kingly illustrated b. the
figures given the House by Finance
Minister White. For the fiscal year
1915. which in Canada ends on
March 81. revenue totalled tI33. 600. 900.
Against this there was expenditure on
capital. ordinary and war account, OF
s237.12I.oo2. leaving a total defcit Of
~&l0i.6t7.52O.
For the fiscal yea 1916. which vii
md this coming March. the revenue
will be abou, $40. 600. 900. but ordinary
capital and war expenditure will reach
s2o5.o0 .000. leaving a deficit OF
$4,000. 600. Forthe fiscal year 1915
Finance Minister White estimates rev
cnue at $40. 600. 600. ordinary. capita
and war expenditure At E+5.ooo.ooo
leaving an estimated deficit OF scto.'
vO0.ooO.
Thus in three fiscal ears the add
ton to the public debt owing TO Wal
will be n the neighborhood OF $500
'f's''Fs l1Nab 30 "'fA - -
end Of March. 1917. Of about sS25,
100000. which - over 500 for ever!
man. woalae and child in the country.
confronted with these enormous fig
! ures. the country j. beginning to real
re that only the strictest private AM
national economy will suffice TO bear th'
burden without taxing TIE nations re
sources 20 the breaking point. IN,
while Government estimates have beef
1 :uthiessly purged Of everything not Alb
/ solu.ely necessary FOR the CARRYING o,
of Tho Ordinary business Of the countr'
there Is strong agitation in n" pres
Cor still greater economy.
MIR White hin,ed IN the course Of hi
budget speech that The Government VA
even prepared to close down work nj
several important national enterprises
aud II is altogether probatl. that tn
coming year will see the cessation q
construction ~ the Hudson RAJ Rail
way. as we'll as several important har
hor work en- the Ntlantic and Paci'
~scahoards.
Meantime recruiting throughout N
country is being steadily MAINTAINED
Figures compiled by the Department q
Militia and Defence show that since IN
beginning Of the new year men hay
been enlisted AZ the rate 81 1000 n ia,
which IS faster than they can he ;raine
and equipped for the present.
IT. the city II Toronto alone one ia
las, week over one thousand men Join"
the colors. And even in quebec. wher
recruiting has not been rs rapid as !
5olnc Of the other provinces, little diff
cul;y is being experienced in hl'ing u
Professionalism battalions. Men ar
being sent overseas AT the rate OF %
a lay ana II the present level Of recruit
ing Is maintained throughout the comm
wear there will be little difficulty in 80
curing the 100000 men required.
The Government has bowed befor