The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1915-10-07
and must react unfavorably upon the

and must react unfavorably upon the
health of the entire community"
But the savagery of warfare has not
wrought the disaster that has come
from individual and civic neglect to
which attention is directed above.
Within most of the great cities OF
Europe the loss of infant lie has so
compelled the attention of civic and
volunteer health officers, nurses, and
humanitarians. that within the last
few years the infant death-rate has
been appreciably lessened. However
this tremendous infant mortality is
an actual condition which a negligent
government, having the temerity to
suggest that it can compete with pri-
vate ENTERPRISE, has not had the for
sight to effectually remedy.
While babies have died by the mil
lions, great accomplishments have
investigations providing cures Cor dis
eases for animals. Likewise, by the
use Of a good grade of cement, and
clean sharp sand, free from loan,
large cavities in the trees can be clos.
cd, and through a splendidly devised
method of tree surgery great bene-
fits are obtained. Every intelligent
American citizen should blush with
shame at the presentation of the fact
that one-half of the children born into
this world that died before they reach
ed the age of one year, might have
been saved. A later report of the
bureau, that for 1914, relates that the
infant mortality in a section of New
England has been reduced to 3S per
1000 births.
We are prone to look upon the af-
fairs of the Indian tribes with indiffer-
ence, but since we have robbed those
people of their lands and driven them
from their hunting grounds, we might
at least give some attention to their
health conditions, particularly since
the government maintains great
agencies on the reservations to act as
guardians and trustees for the red
men. And yet the government re-
ports; The health conditions on In
dian reservations are such as to war
want increased activity to bring about
remedies for existing evils and to
carry forward with greater rapidity
the improvements now being inaugu-
rated. 1t is reported that there are
approximately $4,000 Indians suffer
hospital will accommodate
but a few hundred.
In the 1914 reports there is at least
one cabinet officer who, instead of be-
wailing the ability of his branch of the
service to meet the problems of al
ministration. gives instead a splendid
record of things accomplished. Secre-
tary of the Interior Kane takes great
satisfaction in telling how he excrcis-
ed the power conferred by statute
enabling him to dissolve the Cherokee
Eighty years ago a treaty was
made with these Indians by which
eminent. Mr.. Lane cut the strings,
and gave it to them. He says also that
the delay in acting upon final proofs
on homesteads has been reduced fifty
per cent, and that in the patent office
the methods have been so changed as
enable an applicant to secure a
patent in two-thirds of the time that
formerly was necessary. There are.
in addition, a long list of other i'm
conditions, which bear evil
dence that with the right spirit and
determination there is the best field
In the world for accomplishment of
real work in the government service.
Then, again, since the advent of the
automobile the good roads enthus-
have multiplied, and their vote is
unanimous for macadamized
and asphalt roads. A plan for a pro-
posed Lincoln Highway" from the At
to the Pacific has attracted a
good deal of attention, while there
have been many other projects along
the same line, of a more modest ma
The report of the secretary of