The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-12-04

tion," and divers other methods for
placing new land into harness. And
all this is we'll enough; but it is rare
that one hears the voice Of protest
raised against the neglect of the soil
to such an extent that corn in the
Mississippi valley yields less and less
per acre as the years roll by. Europe
has learned the need of constantly car
ing for it's lands, in this country we
have not
Occasionally the question Of prOvid-
ing against the neglect of our farm
land comes up in congress, and at one
of these times Representative Switzer
of Ohio, made plea favoring the pro-
ducton of all the nitrate possible, in
order to provide cheaper fertilizers.
He doubtless unconsciously put his
finger on the agitation that has been
set in motion attacking the Muscle
Shoals, Alabama, nitrate plant, which
those in Washington who have follow
ed the course of procedure of the
ordnance department and the work
done by the Air Nitrates Corporation,
believe to be as "clean as whistle" !"
The fact referred to, and to which the
congressman called attention, was the
activity Of a nitrate importing company
in New York that in the first instance
insisted that the United States could
not produce nitrate, and then when it
saw that the government was ready
to back enterprises along that line,
bent its efforts to prevent the develop
ment of Muscle Shoals, which it was
compelled to admit would interfere
with their importation from, and trade
with Chile.
Congressman Switzer, like many 9th
er thoughtful men from agricultural
states, recognizes the fact that the sue
cess of agriculture, and the maintain
ing of the value of farm land at sew
eral hundred dollars an acre, demands
an abundance of fertilizers. And by
the way to produce an abundance"
in anything is to make it cheap to the
consumer The achievement at Muscle
Shoals, which has been hitherto de-
scribed in this correspondence is like
ly to help in solving the fertilizer prob
lem for the American farmers, and the
fact that we have become as highly
skilled in the art of taking nitrogen
days when she boasted SO loudly Of
efficiency, Is another case where his
tory has repeated itself, and the Mus
Gle Shoals plant is physical evidence
of the truth that "the people who said
it can't be done have been interrupted
by those who went ahead and did it,"
The habit of following the presi.
dent" has been rudely shattered by
the action of the senate with refer
ence to the treaty. And the manner
in which the government has been dis
appointing soldiers and citizens who
have Topped over onto it in absolute
faith that it would look after all their
affairs, including insurance. farms,
jobs, ETC., has been shocking, indeed.
No matter what has turned up, be it
a lynching in Illinois, attempts to free
lection for stock gamblers in the ex-
changes, the interested parties have all
held the thought" that the govern
ment would do the thing needed to
make worlds affairs exactly accord
ing to their liking. The old problem
of the cost of living has been subject
to many forms of correction, and most
of the branches Of the federal govern
ment have produced men and schemes
for experimenting but there have. been,
as rule, Indifferent results.
Wage labor disputes which were for
merly capable of adjustment between
employers and employees are now all
brought to the capital; and the cabi-
net, the administrators, the prosecu-
tors, the courts, and committees of
congress, all offer their forms of solu-
ton. AS if there were not cooks
enough to spoil the broth, there is oc-
casionally added in lengthy kilograms,
the voluntary advice of ex-treasurer's
and the opinions of other exes Of
lesser Importance. The habit of let
ting Uncle Sam do it all has not been
fruitful of expected results. So many
people have been disappointed in
expectations that they have turned to
the study of Jefferson's observation
that people are governed best who are
governed least.