The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-27
CANADA,S NATIONAL RICHES
SET ATI7 BILLION DOLLARS
r. H. Coats Dominion Statistician, Gives Authorita
tive Estimate of Wealth of the Provinces
by Inventory Method

In recent ISSUE Of THE SUN a cor
rospondent declared that "there are no
Official figures about Conuda's sDeaitho:
that aoocssfble ddto (eo the correspond-
emit, at leost), arc ~,nero 0,ssss,oork,D
aud asking: "Oon nothtn0 be done TO
tsa 1891 TO see sohot that census tuiH
supr
In vioto Of the foregoing the Cdnddtdn
Scotton Of THE Sun invtted Hon, r. II.
Goats. Dominion Statisttcian, to pre-
pore an article upon "The National
Heoth and Income Of Candda," tohich
nc has oourtoously done, as betotp:
ny HON. n. II. COATS.
Dominion Statisticlan.
tWfften especially for the Conadidn
Section of THE SUM.
The enormous burdens thrown upon
NE nations by the war has placed I'm
ance in tho forefront OF every discussion
OF reconstruction Fundamental TO fin
ance Is the estimation OF national
wealth and income.
In canada's case. the recent shifting Of
30 many Of her large financial TRANSACT
tons to New York; new field-hns ma
turally created keen demand for infor-
nation OF a general and comprehensive
KIND For ten years prior 70 the war
Canada was the scene OF the largest
Industrial expansion, relatively speak
ms. In the world. Her magnificent war
enort, both in the raising of men and
the manufacturing OF war materials
mas naturally left pome further dislo-
cations TO adjust and her efforts now
TO regain the normal, make Il of first
interest to throw together what data
exist on her fundamental financial con-
dition.
As above slated, the fundamental con-
s.deration is The nature and extent OF
tho national wealth and income. The
problem or estimating the latter is one
o. the most difficult In statistics Es-
pecially IL this the case at the present
moment, In view OF the revolutionary
rise In prices and values that has taken
place in the last three years and which
mas rendered certain statistics obsolete
ahnost as rapidly as they have been
complied The figures which follow.
however, though based on estimates in
many cases, are thought TO be within
conservative limits
The Statistical Method,
First or all a word on statistical
method Is Necessary. Several methods
are employed by statisticians in esti-
mating the national wealth OF a country
me TWO most commonly in use are, first
the so-called Inventory" method. which
consists of totalling the amounts known
thiough the census and other INQUIRIES
TO be invested in agriculture. manufac-
lures dwellings, &C, &C, and second
the method OF working back through ~
come tax returns TO the capital from
which the income is DERIVED method
available only in countries where In
comes are rather thoroughly appraised
Tor taxation purposes; as yet we have
nothing OF the sort to work upon In
Canada
A third method In the estimation OF
wealth from probate returns. Still an
other is termed the census method, which
Is perhaps the best of all as II is based
on canvass of the Individual Aus
trala applied this method very success
FULLY in the opening year OF the war in
conjunction with a registration of man
power. but rothing Of the kind is avail
able for Canada. 49,
Attempting the erst of the above men
TONED methods, !. ", the Inventory"
method. we may bring together in the
Following table the various items which
are usually taken 10 represent the IA
tional wealth. The figures are taken
very largely from the files OF the Dornin-
ion Bureau OF Statistics. In some cases
they are up to date statistics. In others
they are the latest available, adjusted
to what Is thought to be present values.
Here is an inventory OF the national
wealth OF Canada:
Estimated