The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-10-28
merchants have made an awf-, fuss

even though the loss was slight.
Poor little Cuba" has grown so rich
out Of sugar ~profteering during the
doldrums because the consumers OF
sugar in the United States and else.
where have forced down their prices.
One Of the largest Cuban banks has
suspended operations, and the rich
islanders are just now realizing that
their heyday is over. On a less ex-
aggerated scale these same condition
exist in a great many industries
throughout the United States. Never.
theless, it must not be inferred that
the pre-war prices will be restored.
Mr.. Ford, with his fifty or sixty
million dollars profits each year IS
doubtless able to sell "fivers" at the
old price while paying the new rate
of wages to his employees, and he can
still keep out of the poor house. Other
automobile manufacturers may do the
same thing
1t is obvious that the new readjust-
ment is we'll under way, and the fact
is being rapidly accomplished. 1t is
just as clear that it will not be predi-
Gated on the plan which is plausible
for Mr.. Ford and a few manufacturers
like him who had abnormal profits
both before and during the wal period
II has been shown that a great
power system drawing its electricaI
energy from steam and water genera-
ton, would save 10000, 900 tons Of coal
annually, representing $3.50, 600, geo,
the labor of more than 80, 900 miners
and the release of vast railroad carry
ing capacity for other freight. Such
a project stretching from Washington
to Boston and drawing its electrical
energy from steam and water geenra-
ton, is the design of the government,
which is developing plans to meet the
new era in power development which
it is thought will result from the wa
] ter power legislation passed at the
last session of congress. Scientific
men say that it is almost unbelieya-
bic that a progressive people like
those in the United States should
cling to methods that are as antique
as the OK cart, by insisting upon dig.
cling and transporting coal, and rob
bing mother earth of all her natural
mineral resources, when all that is
needed is the development of water
powers on streams which have for
centuries awaited development.
For more than twenty-five years the
people along the Great Lakes have
been ~agitating a waterways through
the St. Lawrence to the ocean. Can
ada is thoroughly in accord with the
project and has made extensive de
velopments of the river to permit its
or more of water. The project has
not been very active in late years
though it Is the subject Of pending
legislation in congress. If opposition
is the life Of endeavor there may be
something doing that will put the
waterways project in the foreground.
A plan has been worked out for a
series of canals to make the lakes-to-
ocean route an exclusively American
project. 1t appears in some quarters
that New York state regards the st.
Lawrence route as inimical to the
Erie canal. Other broad-minded peo-
pie say that eventually the st. Law
renee route and the waterway through
United States territory will both be
developed. From an engineering
standpoint neither scheme is as dif1.
cult as was the building of the Panama
canal. From the head of the Great
Lakes there are coming stories al
this time showing how easy it would
be to transport the grain crops of the
northwest by water, if the routes were
open to the Atlantic seaboard. Inas.
much as there is an admitted lack OF
transportation facilities, this argument
is doubtless having its effect, and may
influence congress in bringing the
l~akes-to-ocean project TO the front at
the coming session of congress.
The agricultural department counts
on a yield Of 3,216, 1872, 900 bushels OF
corn this year, which beats all records
by more than 80, OOO, 900 bushels. Kan
sas, Nebraska and Missouri have the
bumper crops that swell the big total
And while quantity looks fine in print
the farmers are disappointed by the
fact that the price of corn which in
the middle of June was $3.50 pei
bushel has fallen for December de
livery to less than $1.00 a bushel. II
is the first time since February, 1917
that corn in Chicago has sold under
, $1.00 per bushel. The high point was
1886 in August, 1917.
The population Of the United State.
increased 14.9 per cen during thu
past ten years. This was consider
able; nevertheless the ten-year periot
ending in 1910 showed an increase o
, 81 per cent. The director of the cen
, sus has been explaining the slacken