The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-09-21

TN the marvellous material progress
made by civilization during the last
century the greatest single factor
has been the substitution Of mechan'
ical energy for human labor. In pro-
portion to the degree In which man is
relieved from the necessity for devot.
ing himself to the mere struggle for
material existence, there has been and
will be measured the advance Of arts,
science and philosophy, literature and
the better things which make for the
higher and nobler life Of a nation or of
the world.
We are living today In the dawn of
an age in which power is the basis for
our material progress. The productive
abilities Of our 100,OOO,0 600 people are
Increased by the use Of probably 125,-
100000 horse power Of mechanical en-
ergy, not including the animal power
furnished by 100000 horses and
mules. Most of the mechanical ener-
gy IS used In the form of electrical
current. When applied to industrial
uses n electrical horse power does
the work of ten men without firing.
Increasing Mans Productivity.
Conservation Of human labor goes
hand in hand with utilization of me-
chaniCal energy, and utilization Of that
form Of energy most cheaply and least
wastefully developed accomplishes the
maximum in freeing man from muscu-
lar toll and increasing his productive
ty. In the last decade we have har-
messed for u utilities and industrial
needs something like 100000 horse
power of water.
This accomplishment stands for real
progress, but, as compared with our
possibilities, 1t is not such progress as
we should have obtained. Although we
are utilizing today 10000 horse
power OF water, we are annually, daily
neglecting and wasting ten times that
amount, largely because Of our map
plicable laws, since most of the water
powers not in use are under govern.
ment control, and the present laws do
not adequately make provision for
their fullest development and use.
There IS in nonuse in the United States
enough water power to equal, if har-
messed to the wheels of industry and
used continuously, the daily labor Of
1,SOO, 100000 men. or thirty times orr
present adult population.
This nonuse Of our water powers IS
a significant illustration OF the oppor-
OF America. 1t is equally significant
of the lack of intelligent development
Of resources, employment Of oppOrtuni-
ty, and coordination Of effort which
has, to the present time, marked our
political and industrial growth.
Only the Surface Touched.
We have 5000, 900, 100000 Of accumu-
lated wealth, but we have mined only
the surface Of our natural resources.
Many times two hundred billions of
wealth lie beneath this carelessly
scratched surface awaiting only the CO.
ordination Of capital, labor and states
manship for its realization.
And in this development and utiliza.
tion of natural resources, particularly
Of water powers, we have, for some
good reasons and some not SC good,
fallen behind the rest OF the world.
While we are pickering over terms of
legislation to make u water powers
available. other countries have devel-
oped their powers and with them Gre
ated vast new industries based upon
scientific discovery and invention. of
which we have none.
We are depicting our fuel supply in
the manufacturing sections Of the East
and Middle West. while in the far
West are mountains of undeveloped
raw materials adjacent to unused wa
ter powers whose development would
mean the establishment Of great new
industries in new manufacturing GEN.
tiers.
We are robbing our farm lands Of
fertility and failing to realize the ut
most Of u agricultural opportunities
because OF our dependence upon for
eign sources of high priced supplies for
chemical plant foods or fertilizers,
while mountains Of phosphate rock.
lime and Ignite in the West await
only the magic touch of atmospheric
nitrogen extracted and fixed with the
aid Of cheap hydro-electricity to fur
nish a low-priced and plentiful supply
Of fertilizing elements.
Millions Of acres Of lands rich In
plant foods lie arid and waste In the
western country which can be convert
ed into fertile and productive farms.
gardens and orchards merely by pump
ing onto them the waters OF the
streams flowing through them. This
miracle of making the desert bloom
awaits for accomplishment only the
laws which will permit capital and en-
terprise to engage In the Harvesting OF
these streams so that they can pump
themselves onto the thirsty soil.
Complete Preparedness.
Behind q complete preparedness,
whether Industrial or military, must be
the complete machinery of an indus