United States Interest in Canada 



It is gratifying to note that The Northwestern 

 Banker, a monthly journal published at Des 

 Moines, Iowa, now in its twenty-sixth year, has, 

 in its December issue, opened a department to 

 encourage a greater knowledge and better under- 

 standing of Western Canada by bankers of the 

 American Middle West. In writing to advise us 

 of this departure, the publisher says: 



"To serve the need which The Northwestern 

 Banker knows exists among Western bankers for 

 accurate information about Canadian conditions, 

 more particularly Western Canadian conditions, 

 The Northwestern Banker has decided to start a 

 Canadian Department. The object of this 

 department will be to provide the information 

 about Canada which will enable the readers of 

 this journal to answer quickly and completely 

 any questions which may come to us. This is 

 done from no mere academic desire to spread 

 information of an interesting character, but is the 

 result of a very clear perception of the many 

 ways in which the interests of the two countries 

 are interlocked." 



An editorial in the December issue, above 

 referred to, says in part: 



While it needed the war to establish the close contact 

 that at present exists between Canada and the Eastern 

 United States, it needed no such influence to awaken West- 

 ern American interest in the development and progress of 

 the Dominion of Canada. For in a way Western Canada, 

 at least in spirit and outlook, may be said to be almost a 

 part of the great American West. 



In spite of the imaginary line that from the Great Lakes 

 West divides the Dominion of Canada from the United 

 States, one finds it difficult at times when traveling in the 

 west to tell where Canada begins and the United States 

 ends. Physically the two countries, or that portion of 

 them which lies along the international line, are much the 

 same. The respective peoples of the Canadian West and 

 the American West have many qualities and vast interests 

 in common. In the growing cities of the Canadian West 

 one finds that bounding optimism, that belief in the infinite 

 possibilities of the future, that has come to be recognized 

 as so characteristically American. In the rural districts 

 of both countries one finds the same type of men, men who 

 might be transplanted from one side of the line to the other 

 without anyone being aware of their place of origin. And 

 it is not surprising that this should be so. 



Have Much in Common 



But even geographical proximity and great freedom of 

 intercourse does not account entirely for the similarity 

 which exists between the outlook of the people of Western 

 Canada and the people of the American West. If there be 

 one fact more than any other which accounts for this 

 similarity of outlook it is the fact that both have one 

 great industry and interest in common, agriculture. The 

 American West and the Canadian West in no small portion 

 to-day are the food providers of the world. A common 

 occupation always produces a community of interests. 

 And this is true in the case of the Western parts of both 

 Canada and the United States, even if, to a degree, they 

 are rivals in the markets of the world. Having a common 

 aim and being rivals in achieving that aim, it is obviously 

 important that each should know as much about the affairs 

 of the other as is humanly possible. 



That Western Canadians follow closely the course of 

 events in the American West, is a fact that is obvious even 

 to one whose contact with the Canadian West is confined to 

 the reading of Western Canadian newspapers. To the 



Western Canadian, the Western United States are at once 

 an inspiration and a school. He hopes that the day will 

 come when his country, like the American West, will be 

 dotted with prosperous cities, and that this will be brought 

 about by the same courage and the same trust in the fut 

 that made the American West what it is. 



Offer Reliable Canadian Information 





But does the Western American take the same interest 

 in Western Canada ? Does the Western banker who is 

 perhaps asked by a farmer customer whether it is wise for 

 him to consider pulling up stakes and going north always 

 feel able to base his advice on an intimate knowledge of 

 Canadian conditions ? Can he tell his farmer customers, 

 for instance, how the crops are getting along in Canada or 

 how the Canadian Government is helping the Canadian 

 farmers out of the difficulties which they, like their Ameri- 

 can cousins to the South, face to-day? Can he tell them 

 what has been the real effect of the imposition of the Emer- 

 gency Tariff upon Canada's exports of foodstuffs to the 

 United States ? Does he know whether the Canadian 

 graingrowers tried out selling their grain co-operatively 

 and what has been their success ? 



The banker is to-day the man to whom a greater number 

 of people both in country and in city look for information 

 accurate, up-to-date information. His function in the 

 community is not adequately performed unless he is pre- 

 pared to give that information. 



Outlook in Western Canada 



By John F. Sweeting, Industrial Agent, 

 C.P.R., Winnipeg 



Slrenuous efforts appear to have been made 

 during the first month of this year to assist in 

 stabilizing conditions, getting stocks sold off and 

 bringing prices to a point where a satisfactory 

 return can be had on new goods. There have 

 been many and large sacrifices, but it has been 

 realized that such methods were 1 he only ones by 

 which some effort towards rehabilitation could 

 be hoped for. While the present situation may 

 be classified as tentative as to which way the 

 "flop" will be, the signs are really for progressive 

 carrying on, and the writer is impressed with the 

 idea that more optimistic views are justified anc 

 that prospects for a fair average year's busine 

 can be confidently looked forward to. 



There are some definite proposals in hand f< 

 new construction work, such as the new paper 

 mill at Port Arthur and pulp and paper mills at 

 Kenora, and the construction of a 10,000 ton 

 freight boat at the Lake Ports ; work on the Winni- 

 peg power plant possible pulp and paper mill for 

 the Winnipeg district additions to terminal and 

 prospects for new grain elevators. Many tenders 

 called for in the last few years are likely to be 

 re-opened and new figures submitted to take 

 care of storage and warehouse requirements. 



More residences will have to be constructed 

 and a continuance of the various housing schemes 

 appears likely. New crushing mills and mining 

 works are due for erection on the coast and the 

 mining industry appears to be on the upward 

 grade, with many new proposals under invest' 

 gation for prospecting and development. 



A distinctive campaign is to be carried on ir 

 Alberta to foster the dairying industry and ir 



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