Evening star., 1925-04-11
What's Ahead for Business?
No. Is (Concluded)-Canadian Industry as Seen by
Sir Clifford SiftOn.
BY John +. Sinclair
Hold Togeh and "Can Your Be Cut?

their national and industrial prob
lens. They are a steadfast people,
not given to extremes. | have com
plete faith In the future of Canada,
politically, industrially and socially"
In these words Sir Clifford Slfton
of Toronto, one of Canadas promi-
nent business and political leaders,
summed up the situation as to Cana
da's future.
Canada Is twice as large as India
which contains 800, O,0OO, 900 people, and
over 80 times as large as the mother
country. which contains over 10000,
coo. Canada has scarcely 9,000.000
Canada is rich in raw materials
She needs money to develop her great
resources. Up to the war the invest
ments of American capitalists were
said to be only one-ffth of the in
vestments made by British people in
Canada. Ten years has seen great
change. 1t is claimed now that the
people of the United States have in
vested in Canada during the past
decade more than s2,0o0,Goo,0O0.
L. $. Capital Welcome.
"Do you see any objection to the
investments of large sums Of Amcri-
can capital in Canada?" he was
asked.
None whatever. American capital
lists who come to Canada are as a rule
shrewd and sensible men ot affairs
They are good citizens and never at
tempt to exert any undue influence
on the conduct of our affairs"
Asked of reciprocity, he said:
Not much can be done from our
side to reduce the American tariff"
His smile is an engaging one. we
are not the important factor in
A wi. l.,
think that we should seek to be so
L do not think 1T practicable to have
a permanent working understanding
on the tariff between Canada and the
United States"
Sees No Canadian Split.
OF secession talk heard both in the
western and maritime provinces, he
said:
Secession talk should not be taken
seriously. 1t has been heard many
times in Canadian history. Hot
headed people often make threats and
say foolish things, but they do not
represent any appreciable percentage
of our population. Not one-half of
/ per cent OF native-b born Canadi-
ans could be got to consider secession
seriously"
Then he grew more serious.
THE maritime provinces, | admit
made Il real sacrifice when they be-
came part of the Dominion of Can
ada, but circumstances have greatly
changed and if they were separated
from Canada, they would not now
occupy the position which they did
when they entered the confedera-
ton. They complain, 1 believe. of
high freight rates and that control
of their financial institutions is
is leaving them. I have great SYM
pathy with them in their difficult
ties
L. y. Tariff Hurts.
Has the high United States tariff
to do with this situation?"
Yes, it shuts them cut of n very
profitable market
Sir Clifford Sifton was asked
whether Canada's real interest lay
in the direction Of more and more
political action.
Our present position within the
British commonwealth of nations
is very satisfactory" he replied Eek
cept in regard to the question of
peace and war. We have full free
dom of action through our own
elected representatives and govern
ment in all civil matters, both domes-
tic and foreign.
and war is not so well defined. 1t is
the accepted doctrine that when
Great Britain is at war Canada is at
war, though not bound to participate
either with men or money.
I'VE are not responsible for the
enforcing of any treaty between
Great Britain and other nations, un-
less we are a party to it, but as to
the actual making of peace and war
we have no powers"
To Make Lake SeapOrts-
Upon the subject of the ST Law
renee deep waterway development
the former cabinet associate of Sir
Wilfred Laurier was particularly
enthusiastic.
Such q development would be of
the greatest possible benefit to the
peoples of both countries. 1t means
that Chicago, Duluth, Port Arthur and
Fort William will be ocean seaports,
and there will be no ocean route that
will carry a heavier traffic than that
from the head of the lakes to our
seaboard. The United States, of
course, will benefit enormously, as
perhaps the wealthiest and most pro-
gressive and productive community
in the world lies in the United States
tributary to the proposed deep water
way. Canada will benefit proportion
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