The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-06-01
TIE NATIONAL CAPITAL
Try / e .Innesl

ID - T.. OUeS
Brookings Register Bureau, Washington, DC.
"Pork-BarreI Legislation" VS.. War
Senator Tillman has won the first
applause that has come to him through
anything that he has done in the Sen.
ate since the days when he welded a
pitch-fOrk, or had a paralytic stroke.
He has made q vigorous attack upon
the usual appropriation of $4,000, 600
for interior improvements, because he
and others who are running away with
the idea furnished by Militarists, can
not understand how there is any public
money that can be spared for anything
except ammunition, battle ships and
the like. According to their idea the
United States is entirely able to pay
$500, 600, 900 for preparedness" but
too poor to spend money legitimateIy
for dredging harbors, or public build
ings. Because of some of the ancient
attempts to graft upon the river and
harbor bills, or the bill for public build
ings, a %hullabaloo has been raised in
an effort to cast ~opprobrium upon this
very essential class of legislation. The
retort is to the effect that practically
all of the large appropriations made for
the army and navy, represent nothing
but waste-and it is pointed out that
sixty-two cents is spent Out of every
dollar that is raised by the government
is either for war, or its results. The
remaining thirty-eight cents of each
dollar of public money, goes to perma-
tent improvements, or into legitimate
expenses of maintaining the govern
ment. The so-called pork barrel
really itends that our large commune
ties may have better public buidil IS,
and the government in such cases be-
comes enriched through its real estate
holdings, instead of continuing as a
rent payer. 1t means increased facili-
ties for navigation in sea ports like
New York, Boston, San Franrislo, Gal
weston, New Orleans
Alaska the Neglected
Alaska, the great store house OF the
world, which has at times produced as
high as twenty million dollars in gold
in a year, and where the numerous sal.
mon canneries along the coast yield an
annual sum of fifteen million dollars, is
the subject Of a bulletin appearing this
week from the Department of Agricul.
ture. While it is declared that Alaska
is a land in which farming may be car,
ried n yet, statements by the Gov.
eminent are very carefully guarded. 1t
is asserted that lin general terms it
can be said that most of the cultivated
grasses and all of the cultivated root
crops can be successfully grown in
Alaska, that is to say, they can be
grown in certain regions" A great
many people believe that because OF
Uncle Sans new railroad enterprises,
that Alaska is a land of enormous pros.
perity. However the bulletin indicates
that in most places where labor is EN-.
ployed there are more men who want
jobs than there are jobs to be had. AT
the present time most of the labor EN-
ployed in Alaska is engaged in mining
The population of this wonderful coun
try has increased slightly since the cen
sus of 1910. when, the count showed
64,356 people, of which 36,347 were
whites and 28,009 were Indians and
others.
Native Citizens
There is a good deal of discussion in
Washington over the order by Secre.
tary Baker dismissing without delay all
members of the crews of certain gov.
eminent vessels. who are not native
born American citizens. Representa-