The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-12-30

ever before has created a demand LOT
competent labor, which in turn de-
mands salaries and wages common
surate with the service that it rem
ders. You have in these facts a basic
condition which the American public
not only accepts, but which it has
made, and insists upon keeping. In
these firmly established relations there
are found reasons which every one has
recognized, as we'll as various reasons
why prices of all kinds must remain
higher than in past years.
A number of different states are
endeavoring to perpetuate cheap rail-
road fare. The administrative and
legal authorities of all states know
that congress assumed government
control of the railroads in passing the
transportation act by which the roads
were returned to private ownership.
There is no question that congress
had this right, and it was a step that
was taken after a dozen years of VIC
lent discussion. In order to carry out
this policy the Interstate Commerce
Commission was clothed with admin
istrative powers to fix intrastate rates.
This power was conferred in such a
name as to meet all the obstructive
objections that had been urged in the
past by different states. Therefore
the attempts Of a number of states
to perpetuate a cheaper rate within
their borders than rates in effect in
adjoining states is merely the resur-
rection of an effort that was made
defunct when the present railroad law
was enacted. These efforts to secure
tavoritism do not contain any ele-
ment that is new, and the courts
passed upon these questions so long
ago hat congress had no difficulty
whatever in thoroughly fastening the
loose buttons when federal control
was made a fact. The theory of the
relations between the government
n the railroads is simple enough,
since it merely contemplates an alb
~solutely equal basis Of rates for all
people in all states, with favors for
none, so arranged that the net re-
turns will pay to stockholders of the
American railroads a percentage upon
their investments equal, and not
greater, than that which big and little
industries and mercantile establish
ments demand as their compensation
for doing business.
The report of Postmaster General
Burleson for the fiscal year 1920 shows
a deficit of $17,27O,4S2, the second
largest deficit Yer known in the post
office department. Mr.. B~urleson
blames the deficit upon congress-,
claiming that il was due to the war
bonus paid to postal employees under
congressional order. In effect, Bur
lesson wanted the postoffice employees
of the country to work for wages that
meant starvation, and when congress
had the good sense to rule otherwise.
Burleson lacked the gray matter nee
essary to put his house in order to
meet the new conditions.
1t seems quite useless to discuss
Mr.. Burleson. 1t is better worth while
to congratulate the country upon the
fact that the postofice department has
succeeded in spite Of him. 1t is a
further source Of qualification that he
will take his umbrella and rubbers
and his old-fashioned victoria and re-
move himself from the realms of post
office life within q few short weeks.
Congress is clamping the lid down
on indiscriminate immigration, and
the food Of foreigners who have been
rushing to our shores is t be checked
for at least a year. The immigrants
to be admitted will come here under
very stringent regulations, the chief
Of which will be that they will join
relatives who are already American
citizens. Here We have a condition
where our own citizens stand as spon-
sors for foreigners who are permitted
to land upon our shores. Obviously
the proper thing to do is to close the
ports Of the United States to immi-
garnts until conditions in this coun-
try have resumed a normal status.
Then they can be opened upon terms
which will insure the admission of only
those foreigners who come with a high
respect for the American government
and its institutions and with a desire
to become American citizens.
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