Tombstone epitaph., 1916-01-23
WESTERN CANADA'S
 GREAT HARVEST
Decidedly Encouraging From Ev-
 cry Standpoint.

Canada, the most encouraging feature of the year. from trade and financial standpoint. has been the bountiful harvest of the Northwest, where a greatly increased area under cultiva- tion has given the highest average yield in the history of the country. It is estimated that the grain crop of Manitoba. Saskatchewan and Alberta has market value to the producers of approximately four hundred million dollars. in the use of which we may anticipate not only the liquidation Of much indebtedness. but the stimula- tion of current trade.
 The annual reports of the various banks throughout Canada are now be- ing published. They savor of opti mism all the way through, and, con trary to what might be generally ex- pected in war times, business is good everywhere.
 The General Manager of the Bank of Montreal at the recent annual meet ing said: The position of Canada is highly favored one. with an assured future of growth. development and general prosperity"
 In the same report it is said that the Canadian West has recovered to a marked extent from the economic dis. location of year ago"
 The seasons wheat and other cereal crops have exceeded all previous rec. ords in quantity and quality, and, de spite the enormous yield. prices have been uncommonly we'll maintained. l: would be difficult to exaggerate the importance of theso results to the Prairie Proyinces-and the Dominion at large.
 The prosperity of those engaged in mixed farming and ranching is most encouraging.
 The flour mills in Manitoba, Sas- katchewan and Alberta are busy and are doing well. Their combined daily capacity is about 27.o00 barrels. The large advances of the Dominion Government to farmers in certain dis tricts, principally in the form of seed, were made very opportunely and have been amply justified by the very large crop yield in those districts. Business in many important lines is good and should continue to improve as returns from grain yet to be mar. keted are received.
 The general business outlook has been transformed by the large crop.
 The returns of the gross earnings of Canadian railroads for November show those of the Canadian Pacific in. creased s1,796, 900 or 7s per cent for the last nine days of the month. Com. ' pared with same month year ago, in. crease no less than $5,291 900 or 67.6 per cent against 45 per cent gain in October. and a decrease of 41. per cent in September.
 II. V. Meredith. of the Bank of Mont. real. in a recent address delivered at i Montreal, declared that the most en. couraging feature from a trade and finance standpoint had been the boun. tiful harvest of the Northwest, where the greatly increased area under culti in history of the country. He esti | mated the grain crop or the three provinces at value of over s40o,000, 900. and said that such remarkable re suits would have the effect of attract ing the tide of immigration to our shores. when the world is again al peace. The restoration of favorable balance in our foreign trade is a fac tor of supreme importance at the pres ent time.
 It is the general opinion in the East that the 1915 grain crop in the Prai rie Provinces not only put the whole Dominion in a sounder trade and finan cial standing, but that it will also re suit in a big increase in immigration to the West of agricultural settlers who will include capitalized farmer. from Europe and the United States a: well as homesteaders.-Adv