The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-07-10
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
BY j. +. Jones.

NOW Cndt NeTIlldHy HAS SlSuCu uP
and the President has broken away
from Paris, isn't it high time to cut
out good deal of this Over-indul-
gence of fear concerning unemploy-
ment, the high cost of living. Boil
shevism, l. w. WIS, and other ter
rors that try to camouflage their law
lessness-and make this business or
reconstruction hum?
There is no minimizing the worth
of the achievements In our national
affairs, and those of the world; but
the human mind cannot forever dwell
upon the tragedies that cost ten
million lives in battle, thirty million
injured, and thousands made blind or
insane-and others made poor, and
some made rich.
How about tomorrow. as well as yes
terday? Industrial facts are worthy
Of and must be considered. There
are practically no business failures
occurring in the country; the bank
clearings are running about seventeen
per cent over last years highest to-
tails. Even If prices are high the cost
of labor and the prices of foodstuffs
furnish firm foundation for the con-
dition. Cotton is no longer in the
dumps, and it like wool, is in the ac-
tive class. Steel slumped and sur
fered a real bump after the war, but
the human members of that indus
try, including the" men on the job,
ought to be able to take protracted
vacations for a time as the result OF
their era of prosperity. The railroads
are tagging in making the purchases
of steel, and the. director general is
following the footpaths of his prede-
cessor in having arranged Tor TWO
| thirds of a billion dollars from Uncle
Sam to take up the deficit, or slack OF
wears operations, and to provide for
essentials in betterments and replace
ments of the properties. But some
day this muddlesOme muddle occa-
stoned by government operation viii
end and it will be a gala day for the
nation when private owners OF rail-
roads resume charge, and restore oe-
crenit roadbeds and rolling stock, and
get the great steel highways back
to normal condition. But while the
railroads are down in low speed, the
automobile business is on high, ana
the steel men are finding pretty
good output for their goods in that
direction Even building is on
the gain, and unemployment Is not
half az serious as some agencies would
have one btlieve. Our conditions con
trasted with those that exist abroad
should produce optimism OF the Keen
oct kind Raw materials and machln-
erv are lacking in the war zone. ana
millions of men are idle in conse-
ouence. while the discomfort that
RACES is causing further industrial
stagnation because workmen are ue-
manding new systems in industry, tha'
will furnish them a little taste OF
the democracy that they have peeh
dying for.
We Gods, we are a lucky race, ana
our debts and debtors can easily De
forgiven. for the United States Is
richer than it was before the war; It's
manhood and womanhood have oeeh
reiuyenated through the short season
of struggles that they have endured
There are no longer British syndlcates
owning our -four mills or German syn
dicates owning our brewieries, or Brit
;sh and German syndicates financing
our railroads as in the olden days
Uncle Sam is now the chief banker
of the world; and all civilized nations
take off their hats to us.
IT is time to feel little cocky over
our position in the affairs OF the UNI
verse. incidentally every community
that whoops it up in giving their re,
turning soldiers a big welcome, ana
then goes on the way, battling lot
the peaceful conquests OF the future
and forgetting the sob-stuff, will make
progress towards the realization OF
world free for democracy's sake
The combined value OF the comes
tic and Cuban sugar crops for the
Icrop season of 1918-1S19 Is in excess
of $3.50 900 900. which judged by a
monetary standard no previous crop
has approached in actual value or re-
! turns to producers And yet. no one
l ooo,vod onv intisnation that the