CANADA'S FUTURE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 134, 29 February 1908, Page 11

CANADA'S FUTURE.

"WEALTH BEYOND CALCULATION." VALUE OF. PREFERENCE TO BRITAIN. 'It is difficult -to. speak: of., the resources of tho::country, and'tho certain volumo of. its future business without' seeming to do so' in exaggerated terms," states Mr. Grigg, with reforenco to Canada, in; a "Report upon the Conditions and Prospects of British Trado in 'Canada,issued-as a Blue-book. "Tho enormous area of fertile-land, the lino climate, tho magnitude and character, of present immigration, the determination and faith of tho sottlers combiuq to promise a development of population and wealth beyond calculation." The report is divided into two sections,' tho first of which deals'exhaustively .with general questions',.'and 'the second' with the, vari-. ous branches of trade. [' . ~ i : Mr; Grigg, ; who;is tho Special Commissioner, of the.Advisory Commit-teo of tho Board of Trade, [ holds, -that-[the .-phenomena - [ which marked- tho' nineteenth, century-in the Uiiited States aro'about -to repeated in Canada.Immigration,.is [increasing (rapidly,-' tho railways, aro moving ahead of tho immi.grants,- .and are preparing .the way- for tho coming The production of the country is advancing by - leaps : arid bounds. The output of tho mining iiiuustrv'was-£3,-700,000,, in. 1891; in 1906 it was £14,000,000, In Ontario oro has boen found carrying '3000 .ounces ; of .silver to the'ton. Between 1801' and'l9o6 Canadian exports rose fyom' £20,-; [ 000,000 to v £51,000,000f and tho imports fr0m•£24,000,000 to £59,000,000. [. , ■ CANADIAN PEOPLE'S DESIRE. ; Tho desiro of tho Canadian people. is for trade witlr Britain, bccauso they believe in a real community-of commercial interests, and because of reasons of patriotism- and Eentiment. The preferential tariff is pronounced to have been'.of "undoubted value" : to Bri-[; tish traders, and to have checked the decline' which had-.previously set in in British exports to Canada. Some part of . tho credit for ■chccking this decline is, however, ascribed to tho'increased energy iyid-.vigour"'of tho Bri-' tish manufacture^ [The preferential tariff- 1 gives '-most' British, goods a reduction .of-'3O per cent.-'on, the duties 'paid .by other-Powers. But under tbo; new intermediate tariff this ■ advantage will." be [diminished •to 20 -per- cent;, ; or, even less,[ as.'■ treaties- of xbmmercb, aro' negotiated l biyCanada; particular,'reason to fear German '-.-coinpotition^wHich; - is'' at - present;, subject not. only' to [th'o general tariff, .\with duties 30 per'pent.'liigher than those-imposed on; British goods, but - an- additional surtax of 33"1-3 per cent. is stated that though .nearly'-.half the; population of; Canada is engaged in[agriculture, ' this : scctio.li; of the .-people aro ;"appa-. rent-ly. ready to pay more than they need for. ,tho' goods, they ■ buy,yoveri though- they- get,, littlo compensation in'a higher pnco'fqr.what' . they,; spll; : and''they. do ...this • bccauso.'of-their; patriotic; belief ;that' industries ar,o[n'ecessary[ fo'r ;tho - progress and development -of. tho, country.":-.;' ['

ENGLAND'S GREATEST RIVAL.'; . ~ .!- ;Tlie most formidable/competitor with[England;- Germany, being practically.;out of,.tho running l owing . to' tho, surtax [on. her goods, is. the United States,, which • has - tho advantage of, go6graphical[ : proxiniity, ■ similarityvin 'tast-o and [style,';m'ore .rapid -.coittmunibationV ,and, telegraphic; facilities; THe.[; American." packs his', goo'ds; better t than . the Eriglisliman; [his. commercial 't.rayejlcrs i a.rp["niorp_aggrcssivp and; are" "tho 'same as"-:',those common in Canada, while 'his money-is identical;; ; ;■'■ ■ '■

Tho idea that British goods are always bettor. is not sustained. ; Thero are'many articles where;<the /foreigner,-.either-makes . bettor-goods,-or, goods nioro suitable for"\tho Canadian market—for -example,' arid,saws! Complaints aro mado that- British manufacturers do ! not advertiso ; with sufficient ;enorgy.'and iu tho right journals, while Unitecl[ States manufacturers;.'have riiade ascientific study [of advertisement. ■

' In; somo 'lines of goods,' such as woollen manufactures, tho, United Kingdom practically rules, tho Canadian market. ;; But'-even' here/ '.'no relaxation, of . yigilanco,- should bo' permitted,", in view.of the strides which, aro being mado.by Caiiadian manufacture./ 'For Canadian manufactures, are advancing so fast that they; : will, in tho near future be formidable and effective competitors''"with'•.'British industry..'! *

Appoint of somo importance to South''-Wales, i.'-that' "within tho last year .or' two. the Jiiitod; States manufacturers- 'have/ been ox-porting-to'Canada ...... . Canada plates and tin plates/ and the quality of- their goods is 'excellent." \ : ' .

Tho report is. full of valuable hints to tho British manufacturer. ;■ .v . ....

; ; By the prefereritial tariff, on Efritish 'goods',' tho. total: Canudiail' tradq .with ' tho Mother-:. :.land' increased' last year .to -£41,750,000 from £19;800,000 .'in 1897, .tho- Ministervof Pinance stated. in tho Dominion' 'Parliament.'."" '