Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 136, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 December 1904 — An Inviting Prospect. [ARTICLE]

An Inviting Prospect.

Will Canada In the next quarter of B tentury*take the place of the United Ktates ns the great wheat exjiorftng section of the western hemisphere? Everything points that way. In the opinion of experts the United States has reached high water mark as a wheat exporting country. The increasing population over there has reached tlie point when home consumption is becoming annually greater in proportion than the increase in wheat production. As a matter of fact, wheat production is decreasing over there as the land becomes more valuable and by reason of the demand for other forms of produce for home consumption. It is said that the wheat crop this year is not more than 70 per cent of tlie crop of 190! and much below the crops of 1932 and 1903. it is estimated that this year the United States surplus for export will not be over 100.000,000, which is less than any year since 1878 with two exceptions. Not only is this the case, but a considerable quantity of the best Canadian wheat is being imported into Minnesota and also Chicago. All this tends to keep the price of wheat near the dollar mark, and “dollar wheat” is tlie loadstone that will attract farmers to the Canadian Northwest, where land is cheap and can be farmed on a wholesale basis, particulars of which may be had from any agent of the Canadian government The reduction of American exports will have the double influence of increasing Canadian product on and keeping up the price. It constitutes a roseate prospect for this country, and needs no optimistic enthusiasm to foresee the near expansion of the Dominion into the actual position of the “granary of the empire.'-