The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1918-02-13
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Minot, N. D., Feb. Commenting
editorially on the favorable fuel sit
uation in North Dakota, as compared
with the other, less fortunate sections
Of the country, The Minot News says:
why should we not advertise at
this time the fact that North Dakota
is perhaps the only state in che Union
where coal can be had for little more
than the expenses Of digging? There
is more need Of this output being cur
tailed than there is Of stopping the
flow Of the Missouri. The output Is
limited only by the number Of miners
at work, and should always exceed the
demand, for very little is shipped out
of the state. Then why should the
consumption be governed in any way?
''eOur billiards. are never overlooked
by the knockers. Of this state. Why
not emphasize the fact thai we have
abundance of cheap coal as a boost at
this time?"
"The suggestion opens a wide field
of thought as to the possibilities OF the
immediate and future use of North
Dakota Ignite" comments The News.
.Dean E. J. Babcock of the school Of
mines Of the University Of North Da-
kota, the best informed man in the
United States on the subject, once
said that there was enough Ignite in
North Dakota to supply all the fuel OF
the United States for a thousand
years. He knew what he was talking
about. Yet, in spite Of this fact, the
people Of the state are required to
comply fully with the national fuel
administrators regulations in order, to
ret a sufficient supply Of Pennsylvan-
ia. or Indiana Of Ohio coal to keep
them from freezing. We are not crit
icising the compliance with the order
that was proper. It is to be COM
mended. But The conditions which
have forcedzthe people to do SO while y
unlimited supplies lies at y doors 's
absurdly silly. It is the fault Of the
economic conditions which have ex-
listed in the past"
The Minot News proceeds to lay the
blame for these conditions on the rail-
roads, which is MOI altogether just.
There never has been a time in recent
years when the people Of North Dako-
IA could not have had Ignite, had they
risen up and demanded it. It is true
that local dealers, so long as the prin-
cipal demand was for the more expen-
sive eastern bituminous and anthra-
cite Goals preferred to handle those
fuels, for there was a larger margin
of profit. But the dealers will pc
found very responsive to the demands
of the consumer, and if the consumer
asks for Ignite, he will get it. Re
fusal Of any dealer to supply native
Ignite, when it is. within his. power to
do SO and when The local demand is OF
sufficient magnitude to warrant his
laying in a stock of the native fuel
should at once he reported to the Of
flee of the state fuel administration al
Bismarck.
The state fuel administration is do.
ing everything within it's power to en-.
courage the use Of Ignite, and espec-
tally it's substitution for the expensive
eastern Goals which may be had now
only in limited quantities and which
could be used to such, excellent advan.
tage east Of the Mississippi. The state
fuel administration, however, cannot
encourage or countenance the extra
vagent use of our native fuel simply
because it is abundant. To reason that
we may waste Ignite because we have
anunlimited supply would be to argue
that North Dakota, because it normal.
" produces about one-sixth Of all The
spring wheat of the nation need not
observe wheatless days; or thai, be.
cause it has tens of thousands Of
beeves on it's ranges and pork in plen.
ty, it need not observe meatless days
Such an argument is not in keeping
with the spirit o ftthe day. The wal
is teaching everyone to conserve ane
economic, and we Of North Dakots
must accept u share of the sacri.
fee, no matter how needless it may
appear to us now.
VEGETABLE GARDEN