The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-16
FROM OTHER PENS
ELECTRICITY 20

ELECTRICITY FOR RAILROADS
Secretary Fisher of the federal de-
partment of the interior does not over
estimate the Importance of the grant
just made to the Great Falls Power
company in Montana, which is to fur
nlSh electrical current to $50 miles of
tracks of the Chicago, Milwaukee &
Puget Sound railroad. The day of
identification of railroads in wide sec
tions of the country is at hand. In
districts of the west, for example, coal
is dear and electricity is cheap, be-
cause of the great water power de-
velopmentS that have been made or
can be made there. Other western
railroads besides the one mentioned
have begun to prepare for electrifica-
ton. Among them is the Denver &
Rio Grande. The secretary of the in
terror is especially interested in the
demonstration that has been made of
the benefits to come from the law es-
tablishing federal control of water
power development On the public do
main. For mere permission to run a
transmission line over the government
lands the Great Falls Power company
has entered into a contract complying
with the terms of the law. The sec
rotary holds that there is conclusive
proof that those terms are not OPP
pressive, and that while the peoples
interests in their own water power
properties are protected those proper
corporations. The country's water
power ought to be developed at an
early day, since here is an available
source of enormous energy which will
prove an important agency of fuel
conservation and will aid in building
up innumerable industries. The fact
that wise regulation of power proper
ties in the peoples interest is possible
without burdensome restrictions upon
invested capital is therefore a matter
of general qualification. = Chicago
News.
NO CARGOES FOR OUR SHIPS.
The house inquiry into the alleged ex-
is ,tta OF a SHIPPING combine organized
between the United States and South
America struck lead in the testimony
of the first witness that gives promise of
important developments. If the story of
the experience of the Pan-American mail
line is substantiated on further investiga-
ton. the quiz should be pressed with
vigor and persistence. In the present
state of feeling over canal transportation
a sinister getting together of foreign ship
ping interests, If not already. an accom-
plished fact, is, greatly to be apprehended.
Our interests call for a policy of concilia-
ton that would put and keep US at one
with the maritime countries and enter
rrises of the world. We cannot afford al
this time to cherish old animosities or
provoke something new. But if our flaS
in quest of trade is to be subjected to
organized discrimination, full knowledge
of the fact should be ascertained with al.
dispatch and due precautions promptly
taken to correct the situation Foreisn
shipping lines that make use of boycott !
tactics in the South Atlantic will SEND
their agents through the canal into the
Pacific to unite forces against that |
side. An anti-American monopoly of tina. |
character, or any other combination oper- /
Rting in restraint of commerce, is subject |
to our navigation laws and regulations |
upon coming into our waters We have |
denied the canal privileges to all of our |
own trust-tainted ocean carriers. and re |
cent proceedings under our laws encour- |
age the belief that ports can be |
closed against all competitors who are IN |
clined to prevent ships from plying |
between North and South America or |
even terms and equal opportunity. I'VE |
have been compelled to withdraw our /
line because the ships came back empty" |
said a shipowner who had been identified |
with the abandoned Pan-AmeTican line /
He added that strict regulation of steam
ship INES would result in getting Ameri-
can commerce into South America, thus |
overcoming opposition which now finds it |
possible to offset a 80 per cent preferential
duty on American flour. He referred to |
the interests that put his company our
Of business as the European steamship
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Post.