Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-01-19
MISS POLLY
Tx ABROAD
Republicans and Democrats
playing the Came
Strong in Washing
ton These Days.
U. S. NITRATE PLANT
Amazing Growth of Rail-
road Traffic in United
States.
BY J. E. JONES.

washington, ~. u, Jan. lI.-'llS
the winter before the summer when
they nominate men to be voted for in
the fall. 1t was not because there are
any hungry Democrats in the coun-
try, after these fat seven years under
their party control, that the leaders of
that party chartered two Washington
hotels for their Jackson day dinner.
Be that as it may. the party chieftains
responded to that all-softening, over
,powering knell; the tocsin OF the
soul-the dinner bell" 1t is well
known that Mr.. Bryan was there !;
and there were also present all the
big and little Mr.. FiXits, who brought
mild reservations, or stood pat on the
treaty. Thus history has been enrich
ed by another page under the chapter
called after Jackson. But the story
has not been changed very much, and
the great event in Democratic party
councils reads like seasonable stuff
that has been Embossed many times in
the winter before the summer when
they nominate men to be voted in the
full.
In this season there are red berries
among the green leaves upon the holly
branches. This is TO remind us that
Mathew Henry more than two centur-
les ago warned posterity that many a
dangerous temptation comes to us in
fine gay colours that are but skin
Deep" and while the Democrats have
been eating their red berries at Jack
son day dinners, the Republicans have
been shaking out their green holly
leaves in order that the country might
not for moment be unmindful of the
fact that their political bush is enjoy
ing fine health right now while Repub-
lean Mr.. FiXits are likewise busy with
TIE affairs that come to their atten-
ton III the winter before the summer
when they nominate men to be voted
for in the fall.
That person would deserve to be
called dull who could not see in the
fact that the Two branches OF coil
greSs are Republican, and entirely able
10 lie The Democratic administration
up in bow knots, cause for JOY III fhe
fortunes Of the present, and hope and
faith in the future. for these Republic
can LEADERS, are not wasting much time
coming to Washington to eat dinners,
but from every report, it seems certain
that their counselors are keeping in
close touch with every situation. while
the work i'll the hustings is being done
with fails. augmented by all the
modern contrivances that brains and
invention have achieved.
This comment upon political affairs
is greatly abbreviated, because OF
many necessary COMMISSIONS to make 1T
conform to the agreement between edi-
tors and the correspondent that the
latter remain "nonpartisan and un-
biased" At the same time the writer
in relating these few facts presents
them as observations that may be
called 'seasonable STUFF" Especially
for this season that comes as often as
Leap Year in the winter before the
summer when they nominate men to be
voted for in the fall.
Government Nitrate Plant.
Fear of German propaganda in Chile
and German submarines, together with
the possibility of serious damage to
the Panama Canal, were responsible
for the construction Of the government |
nitrate plant ut Muscle Shoals, and
the beginning Of construction Of plants |
at Toledo and Cincinnati, according to |
Secretary Bakers testimony before the
house committee on war expenditures. |
Secretary Baker revealed the fact
that half of the nitrate capacity of |
Chile was owned by German interests,
and were idle during the war, and that !
the Allies were seriously concerned |
over the efforts Of German agents in
Chile to interfere with production
from the remaining half. At one time
Chile refused to allow the expectation
of nitrate unless this country supplied
her with oil, and III spite of the seri-
Gus shortage OF tanks Ghile's demands
were met, and the export of nitrates
was continued.
Secretary Baker also revealed the
fact that so serious was the need for
men and supplies in Europe following
the German drive in the spring of 1913
that England gave up a large number
OF her grain ships to the transpOrta-
ton of troops from the United States.
He testified that nitrate plant num-
Der two, built by the Air Nitrate Cor
pOration, at Muscle Shoals, with the
finest steam power plant in the world
was producing ammonium nitrate be-
fore the signing of the armistice and
would have met its part of the ammon-
ium nitrate production program had
the war continued into 1919. The war
was planning for 1919 and
1920 hoping by tremendous drive to
finish the job in the latter year.
Adequate and Efficient Railroads.
The amazing growth of the United
States is measured rather accurately
BY the records made by American rail
roads, and Frank II. Fayant furnishes
some enlightening information along
.hese lines. He has ascertained that
the traffic hauled OH American rail
roads is now three times as great as
{ was twenty years ago. In four
months our railroads carry as much
freight and as many passengers as
hey did in twevle months twenty
,ears ago. In the three months of the
I919 harvest movement the traffic
,qualled that of the whole year 1898.
Freight ton miles first passed 100 bill
ions year in 1898. reached 200 bill
ions in 1906, 800 billions in 1913, and I
he 400 billion mark was topped III
91S. In this same twenty years the ]
'utput Of pig iron, which is regarded s
IS an unfailing barometer of prosper K
ty, has also tripled. Assuming that {
this country is going to keep right '
III grQwing.".. Mr: Eayant observes that | I
it is the capacity OF the railroads to
aul raw materials and finished prod
cts that determines the final pr0duc- u