When I went to call upon Sir Frederick, I passed through a doorway supported by huge Corinthian pillars. Once inside, I found a banking room larger than any I have ever seen in the United States. Its great size, and the rows of counters and wicket windows reminded me somewhat of the New York railroad stations and their batteries of ticket offices. The roof, more than one hundred feet above the floor, is supported by columns of black granite from Vermont, each as big around as a flour barrel and as bright as polished jet. The building has not the shine and new look of some of our great banks, but everything about it is stately, and the servants are as imposing as those of the Bank of England. A sleek, black-haired attendant, who looked like Jerry Cruncher, wearing a blue suit trimmed with red and a bright red vest with brass buttons, ushered me into Sir Frederick’s office. In speaking about Canadian banking, Sir Frederick said: “By means of our branches in all parts of Canada we have our hand on the pulse of the whole country. Every one of the great banks receives constantly from its own representatives accurate information of the state of business in his locality. We do not have to depend upon friendly correspondents or outside agencies, but know promptly and at first hand just what is going on. In this way we can always anticipate the needs of a particular section, and act accordingly. We can see the signs of any trouble ahead, and adopt measures to prevent disaster. The managers of our branches are responsible directly to us, and are therefore not likely to be influenced so much by purely local considerations as might be the case under a different system. On the other hand, it is our practice to include in our board of directors men who reside in western and central Canada, and are therefore in close touch with conditions in those sections.” “With such sources of information,” I said, “you should be in a position to judge of the condition of Canada as a whole. I wish you would tell me, Sir Frederick, just how you see her situation?” “Canada is suffering from three great disadvantages,” he replied. “I don’t wish to emphasize our troubles, but there is no country without them, and we have our share, just as does the United States. Our handicaps are the high cost of living, high taxation, and loss of population.” “But is Canada losing population?” I asked.