Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-11-13

Minor scenes and Incidents sketched
On the snnt.


Minor scenes and Incidents sketohca
ON the spot.
A hearing is scheduled before secte'aIV
Taft IN the War department today on the
question Of increasing the diversion OF
water from Niagara river for power pNr-
poses. The law passed at the last session
OF congress. primarily intended to preserve
Niagara Falls as one Of Americas great
wonders, vests In the secretary Of war dis
cretionery power in granting permits TO
draw water from the river on the American
side beyond a specified amount, and also
to regulate the quantity Of electrical power
which may be carried to the American side
from power houses on the Canadian side
Of the falls. American companies applied
for permits TO draw more water from the
river and Canadian companies desire to
transmit 20 the American side en- aggregate
Of $4,000 horsepower. Both requests, II
granted, means large increase in the
power now developed and corresponding
Increase in the valume Of water diverted
from the falls on the American side alone
the Increase would amount to $500 cubic
feet per second-more than half the volume
which the waterways commission est
mated as the maximum volume which
could be safely diverted. THE resistance
which this pressure will encounter in the
sturdy avOrdupois OF the present head Of
the War department" says Lesle's Weekly,
had an Illustration in the secretary's re-
fusal to grant TO American companies a,
total diversion Of more than 13.l23 cubic
feet-an increase OF 1900 cubic feet over
the amount which they are now using He
has granted to two companies permission 20
bring into the United States from Canada
electrical current equivalent to 5O.Oo0-horsc
power daily requiring for its generation a
flow Of about s75 cubic feet per secondD.
The demand for imported electricity is rela-
lively Insignificant thus far, but Joined with
the other powerful agencies for the destruc-
ton Of natural beauties may be found a
considerable interest among the ontario
communities which hope to profit CONNER
cally by gigantic schemes for the trans
mission of Niagara power"
Miss Phoebe W. Cousins Of ST. Louis,
who for the last twenty years has been
interested in woman's rights temperance
and Mormon legislation before congress, is
in Washington to take part i'm the campaign
this winter for the restoration Of the can
teen to the army and beer to the soldiers
homes. She is at the Riggs. Miss Cousins
Is a decidedly interesting woman, who was
United States marshal for St. Louis after
the death Of her father IN 1887 and was a
member Of the board Of lady managers OF
the Worlds fair at Chicago
! THE absence Of the canteen and the
| prohibition Of wine and beer at the army
posts has demoralized the soldiers and been
/ only a means of HARM" said Miss Cousins
! to a Washington Post reporter 1T has
made them patronze low dives and resorts
which would have little attraction II the
canteen were restored As for the old sol
diers, think it was ridiculous to deprive
them of their beer. which they enjoyed as
they sat about their tables in the evening
| II relieved their loneliness.
IT most emDhaucally dc not believe T..
prohibition. Recently I lived in Wilson.
Kan, which is near the Colorado line and
had an opportunity to watch the workings
Of the law against drink. l never saw such
a farce. AS the law allows liquor TO he
sold at the drug stores to sick persons, the
clerk of the hotel where l was stopping
every evening went to the nearest apothc-
cary shop and committed perjury dozen
times Tor the sake of different guests, who
ostensibly needed the stimulants for con-
sumption, Bright's disease and various other
ailments. The express companies carried IL
into the state In huge quantities. At one
place hooks We're given to patrons and
they pulled up panks in the floor and took
out bottles And so, wherever there is q
prohibition law, 1t is farce. 1t was a
farce in Alaska where they used to inport
pianos in suspicious quantities, and it is a
farce in Maine. The abolition of the can
teen has likewise wrought no good pur-
pose. and has only made men drink IN
places which they would otherwise not be
so apt to frequent"