The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-12-24
Established 1874. $500 the Year. Tri-Weekly.
May Not Finish
Nitrate Plant
Ten Million Dollars Needed to Com
plete-House Members May Yet
Seek to Restore Measure
Despite Action.

! Despite Rcsion.
Washington, Dec. 23.-The SUBJ
committee of the appropriations COM
mittee of the house this afternoon re-
jected the petition of the board OF
engineers that $10,OO0,O00 be appro-
priated for the completion of the
SlO0, 900, 900 project at Muscle shoals
in northern Alabama. Last night
the subcommittee tentatively agreed
to recommend the appropriation, but
during the day Republican leaders
interfered with the result that the
tentative agreement was hurled into
the discard. Unless the house acts
favorably despite the action of the
subcommittee, it is feared that the
nitrate bill in charge of Senator
Smith of South Carolina, under the
provisions of which the Muscle
shoals plants would |be operated for
the production of fertilizer, will be
seriously jeopardized.
The fertilizer trust has entered
actively on the warpath against the
nitrate bill with the plea that its en-
actment would destroy its business.
Senator and representative from al!
states were inundated today by tele-
grams from constituents engaged IN
retailing fertilizer, urging that they
vote against the bill. The tide was
especially strong from Georgia and
South Carolina, the four senators
from which states are committed in
favor of the bill.
Dial Acts Quickly.
Senator Dial, of South Carolina
promptly answered his kilograms
with the explanation that while ne
objected as rule to the government
engaging in any business, the Muscle
shoals proposition meant such per-
manent benefits to the agricultural
classes of the country that ne felt
impelled to support necessary legis-
lation in it's favor.
The Republicans, in desiring that
the stupendous construction be stop
ped before completion and after
sum as great as $90,O0O,O00 has been
spent, entertain the idea that the
government should dispose of the
plants to private corporations. In
asmuch, however, as consumers
woull not profit from fertilizer sold
by private corporations, farmers op-
pose the Republican suggestion. The
plight of the project is indicated by
absentees being recalled to Washing
ton prior to the conclusion of the
holiday period.
At Muscle shoals on the Tennessee
river the government, during the
war, undertook to construct plants,
for the filtration of atmospheric nj
trogen to form the basis of explo-
sives and thus make this country in
dependent, in the event Of another
war, of the Chilean nitrate beds. 1t
was a part of the general scheme to
construct dam across the shoals
capable of generating more water
power than can be generated at any
other point wholly within the United
States. That which put the necessary
legislation through congress was the
knowledge that in time Of peace
these plants would be capable of pro-
ducing the highest grade Of fertilizer
which could be obtained by farmers
at most reasonable charges.
The plants are constructed. The
dam is nearing completion. The cost
has Appropriated $1oo,Ooo,ooo. And
now the Republicans would abandon
the project because it's completion
will entail additional expenditure OF
money.