The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-09-25
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

1&1f& 49,
The high cost of living Is worrying ev-
erybody and particularly those who
have not shared in the war prosperity.
Prices have continued to soar, and gov
eminent officials, those In The agricUl-
tural department whose business Ii is
to look after such matters, have been
unable to suggest a method which viii
relieve a really distressing condition.
The simple reason Is that the country
Is not producing enough for the de
mands.
The scarcity of beef is due largely
TO the fact hat grazing lands have
been turned into farm lands. Grass Is
necessary for neal The big plains
have become farms and raise other
products more profitable than cattle.
sheep and hogs. Before the wal we
had begun to import meat from Ar
gentina.
May Affect the Election.
There is some uneasiness In admin
istration circles about the run of high
prices on account of the possible effect
upon the elections. In 1910 and In
1912 much was made by the Demo
Gratis Of the high cost of living. Prices
have steadily increased since that
time, and 1t may be that the Republic
ans will be the gamers when the votes
are counted. But 1t may cut both
ways. The farmers are no doubt enjoy
ing these high prices for farm prod
ucts-that is, where they. instead OF
the middlemen, are the beneficiaries.
Needs of the Navy.
We are told by naval experts that
greater ieets-one In the Atlantic and
the other I'm the Paci1c-are needed or
there Is a necessity for a sea level
canal at Nicaragua. That means the
present Panama canal is considered In
sufficient for naval needs. In fact, II
Is pointed out by these same experts
that, In spite OF the large army and the
costly Notifications. the canal could
be rendered useless almost any time
by a bomb dropped by an air man:
hence the need OF a sea level canal or
fleets large enough to insure protection
for both the Atlantic and Pacific.
Sea Level and Panama Canal.
A majority of the board of engineers
appointed by President Roosevelt to re
port upon the type of canal were In
favor OF a sea level canal at Panama.
Roosevelt rejected the majority report
and accepted the minority recommen-
dations. 1t is yet a doubtful question
whether a sea level would have been
effective, for the slides would have
been much worse IL the depth had
been 100 feet greater in those cuts.
l recollect that one lone man In con-
gress stood out for a sea level canal
and wanted 1t at Darien. where II
would have been cut through almost
solid rock, but the sides would have
held against slides. He was Senator
Scott of West Virginia.
Here Is More dope"
A man came TO town and had
Hughes elected by four majority In the
electoral college. This Is the way he
did 1t: He took the vote of 1914 and
computed the majorities for the Re
publican candidates that year. Then
he took such states as give the Repub-
licans 10000 or more majority and de-
clared that they were certain to east
Republican majorities this year. These
states gave Hughes a majority of four
In the electoral college.
Easements Followers.
Quite a little stir was made by
Senator MARITIME of New Jersey during
the closing days OF congress on ac-
count of the execution of Sir Roger
Easement for treason Recent visitors
from Ireland say that many Irish peo-
pie did not care very much about Case
ment-be was unknown to most of
them-but they did have deep feeling
over the execution OF so many OF his
followers. These poor victims of the
movement for Irish freedom had
friends who deeply deplore their
deaths.
Find Unpleasant Comment.
The British censors who open the
mail OF naval officers which Is trans
mitted to this country from the orient
will often find comments upon Brit
aims representatives In that country
and British policies which are not at
all palatab BILE. Our naval officers In the
orient do not like the British and are
r~esentful Of the methods of the Brit
ishers In respect to this country.
Can't Be Delivered.
The Republicans assert that It Is
not going to be possible for the labor
leaders to deliver the labor vote of this
country. They say they have assur
ances that many workingmen will vote
for the Republican nominees regardless
Of the advice OF the leaders.
Franked Literature.
Tons OF ranked literature are being
shipped Il of Washington these days.
Although most of the senators and
congressman are In the campaign. the
army of clerks Is here and Is push
Ing out the speeches and documents.