Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1912-08-24


est and lowest points in the Unit
ed States.
The highest point in the United
States is Mount Whitney, California,
l4,50l feet above sea level Although
at this great elevation perpetual snow
might be expected to exist, the sum
nit Of the mountain is said to be in
variably swept bare by the winds
Several years ago a survey was made
from Los Angeles direct to the sum-
nit of the peak, and on its top a
special aluminium tablet was placed
The next highest prominent mountain
in the United States is Mount Rain
Ter, Washington, also called Maunt
Tacoma, which is about 1850 feet.
This majestic peak is in large part
vast glacier and as the apex of the
mountain is huge snowbank of I'M
known depth, but estimated to be
from 60 to 70 feet and varying from
season to season, the altitude is not
constant. It's highest rock point
is probably at least 200 feet below
that of Mount Whitney.
By a curious freak of nature one
can stand atop Of Mount Whitney
the highest point in the United States
and look down, through the clear
atmosphere, upon the lowest point
in the United States, oily 92 miles
distant, but 276 feet below sea level,
difference in altitude of 14,777 it.
This lowest point is three miles from
Bennett s Well, which is running
spring CT really good water n Death
Valley California, The v,l is 10
feet above the lowest poiut of the
most desolate and forbdding region
in the country.
Death Valley was once, many thous
ands of years ago, a great handbook
ed lake, and its floor is now encrusted
in many places with deposits or
salt, borax, soda, potash and other
minerals, the most abundant OF which
were concentrated and deposited III
beds when the ancient lake finally
dried up. The famous 20-mule team
borax operators hauled boraX from
these deposits in the old lake BED
for good many years, and. IN TACT
are still mining borax in this desc
late region.
1t is rather a singular fact that
throughout the great Rocky Mount
ain and Sierra Nevada systems in
the United States, while there are
a large number Of very high peaks,
several above IA 600. and very many
nearly $4,000, there is no one peak
which stands out distinctly above all
others. In Mexico, Popocatepetl, and
Orizaba both rise above lIOO0 feet'
and in Alaska, Mount Mckinley is
20 300 feet, while Mount Foraker,
sister peak is 1880 feet high
Either of these Alaskan peaks would
make the highest mountains in the
United States proper, great as they
are, appear small.
In the American Review OF Re
views there is a timely article from
the pen of Senator Bourne OF Ore
gon on "The Growing American Bu-
reaucracy."
The Senator says in part: BelleV-
ing that the people of the United
States are not aware of the tend
encv toward bureaucracy, | deem
if worth while to submit lew OF my
own observations concerning the prac
teal operations of our government
Veto and Legislative Powers eA-
ercised by the Courts.
In order to guard against possiole
unwise action on the part OF the leg
islative branch, the trainers OF the
constitution provided that the Fres'
ident should have a veto power up
on any act of Congress, the eAeroise
Of which power would prevent an
act from becoming effective unless
nri
passed with two thirds maIori''
in zach house. This safeguard was
deemed sufficient. No one understood
that the Constitution vested the ju-
dicial branch with veto power nv
such veto power was claimed OF eA'
ercised by the supreme court un'i'
many wears after the CONSTITUTION
had been in force. Finally, now
ever this power was asserted and eN
ercised and is now exercised WIN
the approval of many and over 'ne
protest of many others.
The courts have not only asserVeu
and exercised the veto power ou'