The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1915-09-09
iNEFFlcIENcY IN GOVERNMENT
(By J. e. Jones)
CHAPTER III.

AZ e"N aNo
ments in private enterprise, the result
is an i~rrefutable argument against the
enlargement of the functions of public
institutions TO include the direct man.
asement Of public service enterprises.
That ours is a superior government to
monarchical and semi-feudal govern
ments of the old world Is in
controvertible. Some Of the European
countries have, in their endeavors to
show that they are really progressive.
INDUCED in government ownership of
railroads and electrical means of COM
munication, with results that have
multiplied their former troubles.
1t is interesting to note the progress
made in government supervision as
evidenced by the far-reaching investi-
cations and decisions Of the Inter
state Commerce Commission, notable
among which are the findings in con-
~nection with the New Haven railroad.
The department of justice has also
lent powerful aid to more effective gov
eminent control of illegal trusts, while
other branches Of the government, in
Guiding the Bureau of Corporations,
have taken important steps, which
have been shown principally in the re-
ports submitted by former commission
er Herbert Knox Smith, concerning
water power development, and more
recently by Commissioner Joseph Il.
Davies, covering the lumber industry.
In an address before the senate, Mr..
Burton, who represented Ohio for twen-
ty years, and is acknowledged as one
Of the ablest men in public life, made
this startling statement: 81 some
time question whether there is any
strong disposition for economy in gov
ernmental, state and municipal affairs.
Sentiment in it's favor is vague and I'M
organized" In the report by Commits
sioner Davies in 1914, he lays particu-
lar emphasis upon the concentration of
private ownership control.
In the case of w~ater-power develop
ment, Commissioner Smith declared
that from a single source it is now
possible to spread power over an area
Of 100, 900 square miles, and he COM
ments that whereas at one time water
power was strictly local, it has con-
stantly been brought within sweep of
government statistics brought down to
1912. it was estimated that the total
water power in the United States ex-
ceeded 10000, 900 horsepower, and the
development at the time was comput-
ed 1t 5000, 900 horsepower. Thus
only one-ffth of our available natural
power was in harness. But not with
standing this fact the water-power now
in use saves at least 5000, 900 tons
of coal annually. That the govern
ment itself has not shown any particu-
lar enterprise in the matter is clearly
indicated by the foregoing statement
Of fact.
Congress has been urged to take
part in this great development, and
how well it has performed its task is
illustrated in the case of the Potomac
river. George Washington saw the
necessity of utilizing the power of
this great stream, and was directly in
terested in developing the water power
Of Great Falls, seventeen miles above
Washington. At this point on the
river there is an eighty foot fall, and
an official of the geological survey re-
Gently declared in an off-hand nj
that -four hundred or five hundred
tons of coal are floating past Wash
ington daily" The reference was to
the horse power that existed at Great
Falls. The congress Of the United
States has beer considering transmits
sion of this power to the Capital at
Washington ever since the first cleo
trio power plant was built, but they
are as far as ever from arriving at any
definite plan of action.
Commissioner Smith called atten-
ton to the fact that the General Elec-
trio and Stone-Webster interests have
gained control Of practically 3,270,000
horsepower, and since 1912 these
holdings have been increased. There
is a further concentration in Califor-
MIA, which Mr.. Smith estimated at 374,-
683 horsepower, as well as other large
holdings elsewhere.
"a peculiar circumstance" says
Commissioner Smith, (which goes to
accelerate the concentration Of water
power ownership. is found in the com
mercial customs prevailing among
manufacturers of machinery and sup
plies of generation of electricity" He
asserts that there is a demand for
"ripid s~uppryisiOn. either federal or