The British Preference will in future be 33 1/3 percent Canadian Securities on British Trustee List - Free Trade with Trinidad, Beet Root Sugar Industry Encouraged.

Ottawa, March 23 ..Seldom has such an important utterance fallen from the lips of a public man in Canada as that which was delivered in the House of Commons this afternoon by Hen W. S. Fielding. Rarely if ever in the Parliamentary history of the Dominion has a budge speech been so enthusiastically received. The Minister of Finance has a well-established reputation as an able and pleasing speaker, and a full House and crowded galleries greeted him as he rose to speak at 3.35 o'clock and followed with the closest attention his masterly speech, couched in clear, concise language and full of meaning to Canada and the Empire.
Hon. Mr. Fielding was in splendid form and was generously applauded by the government members as he proceeded to drive home point after point in a manner which carried conviction.
Four Important Announcements: Beet Root Sugar Industry: Free Trade with Trinidad: Securities in Trustee List: British Preference Raised.

Hon. Mr. Fielding rose at twenty-five minutes to our and was received with hearty cheers. He said: Mr. Speaker, when I had the honor to deliver this budget speech a year ago, I spoke of affairs of the proceeding year, which I was able to describe as the most prosperous period in the history of Canada. It is, I am sure, a case of gratification to us that the favorable conditions which then exited have continued…The year 1898 was regarded as a phenomenal year, but great as was its activity, that of the year 1899 was still greater, and beyond all question the most prosperous year in Canadian history.
During the year 1898-99, the revenue collected from all sources amounted to 46, 741,249. This amount, which exceeds my estimations expressed in last year's Budget by 108,850. Sources of Revenue: Customs, Excise, Post Office, Miscellaneous.
The increase of customs was great along the line: Spirits: 4,566,147, increase of 1,002,573 over the previous year. Malt:843, 193; Cigars: 768,496, Cigarettes: 302,841.
In Miscellaneous revenues we have a large receipt from the Yukon, which is a new source of income, and an increase of 600,00 in earnings of the Government Railways.

Railways in Canada:
No. of Passengers: 1898, 18,444,049; 18,999,19,133,365
Miles in operation: 1898, 16, 718…1899, 17,250
No of tonnes of freight: 1898, 28, 785, 903…1899, 31, 211, 753
Gross Earnings: 1898, $59, 715, 105…1899, $62, 243, 784
Working Expenses: 1898, $39, 137, 549…1899, $40, 423, 281
Click here for itemized cost of Section B Canadian Transcontinental Railway 1910

Immigrants:
I have a statement of the immigrants arriving in Canada for a series of years as follows:
1895/6: 16,835
1896/7: 19,304
1897/8: 29,781
1898/9: 32, 598
In addition in the last three years about 30,000 have come in from the United States. Prior to 1897 there is not to appear any statistics for this group.
Question: Mr. E F Clarke Rep for East Toronto: " Have you got the information as to the nationality of the immigrants arriving at ocean ports during the last two or three years?"
The Minister of Finance: I have not in my notes, Is there any particular nationality the Honorable Gentleman wants to shut out?
A future illustration may be given as to the importance of settlers' effects:
1896: $2, 188,975; 1897: $2, 233, 730; 1898: $2, 282,675; 1899: $2,805,956…It should be noted, there is a considerable increase in the last two years.