The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1916-07-07
C~ANADASEXCEL[ENT
FINANCIAL STANDING
Bank CIearings Increase-Agri'
culture Is a Paying Indus
try--Manufactures
Doing Well.

business experts assert that Con.
q is on the threshold Of perhaps
the most prosperous era in her his
tory. The unprecedented value OF
the farm products of 1915, together
with the very large output Of factories
working on munitions Of war has sud.
denly brought the country into a pc.
sltlon, financially, scarcely hoped for
as a nation for years to come. Lex.
port surplus of $4,000, 900 a month is
making Canada very strong in cash.
-EXtract from official bulletin of Feb.
ruary IL, 1916.
Inc response by the farmers of Can
ada to the call for increased produc-
lion In 1916 was a total net output
exceeding one billion dollars, an in
crease g normal years Of at least
three hundred millions. The three
Prairie Provinces contributed prob
ably nearly one-half of the total prod
uct.
The wheat crop was worth $50 1000,
wv, and accounted for about 80 per
cent Of the total agricultural product.
other things counted also. Look ut
carrying. In Ontario the dairy pro-
auction was increased 20 per cent,
prices were over 10 per cent
ahead of 1914. Other provinces shared
IN the increase. especially Alberta,
saskatchewan, Quebec and Nova ScO-
tia. The dairy COW was ION the job"
In 1915. so also we're the beef cattle,
the pigs and the hens.
1t is not fair to the farmers Of the
FrairieS to call the wheat crop Of 1915
a miracle crop. The farmers cult
waited more land and gave attention
to their seed. Providence gave them
favorable weather. Then they toiled
early and late in the harvesting and
threshing. Good cultivation gave big
ger yields than careless work, As bush.
els as against 25.
The wealth of Western Canada Is
by no means all In its wheat crop. II
the country had no wheat ut all 1t
would still be famous as a land of sue
cessful farmers on account nf its stock
production. From one shipping point
(High River, Alberta) over $75, 100000
worth Of horses have been sold In the
last two months. The average price
20 the farmer has been about $175.OO
per head. According to Government
,eturns there are II million and a half
lorses in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and
Alberta, worth probably S15O,OOO. 900.
The investments which farmers of
Western Canada are making in live
stock and farm improvements are
good evidence of the fact that they
have money for these p~urposes3s 1t is
apparent, however, that they NE also
spending some of their profits on
those things which will bring greater
comfort and enjoyment to themselves,
their wives and their families. The
automobile trade all through the
country is particularly active, and
farmers are the biggest buyers. A r.
cent report Of the Saskatoon district
shows that in two months Il million
dollars worth Of automobiles have
been sold, largely to farmers. Nor are
all of these cars of the cheaper makes;
some high-priced machines are in de-
mnnd.
Bank clearings throughout the West
srn Provinces show greater
cial activity than at the same season
in 1915 or 1914, the increase for the
last week Of February being IS, OOO 900
and almost $9,OOO,OOO. respectively,
for the first week of March $4,000
600 over 1915 and $751; 900 over
1914. The same excellent story comes
from Moose Jaw, Sask.. where they
showed from 40 to 100 per cent over
the previous year. Calgary, Alta,
bank %clearings continue to reflect the
greatly improved business conditions
as compared with a year ago. Cana
da's bank clearings for the month Of
February, 1916, were the greatest for
any February in the country's history.
The totals amounted to $6G4, 22o, 10000.
as compared with $4S7, 8 100000 for
the same, month a year CO.. An In
crease of SLIT OOO.OOO.OO In bank clear
ings for the month tells Its own story
of the country's prosperity.-Adyer-
tisement.
Something Different.
"Elahduh has written n very I'M.