The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-11-04

etc. Therefore when a noisy indi.
vidual like Williams tries 10 put over
a sensational charge. he is promptly
asked by the bankers Of the county
whether the fact that money is being
loaned for the most part at from 6
to ~ per cent does not in itself
practically refute his claims.
Bankers are wise men, and they
know what the folks back home are
thinking. Perhaps they direct most
of the Industrial and economic thought
of their communities more than any
other class Of people, unless it may
be The newspaper editors. 1t is GER
tain that the bankers who visited
Washington knew most Of the defects
in the federal system of taxation, and
they did no hesitate to point them
out. Some Of the foremost members
OF the association went so far as TO
suggest that there should be more
business in government and less gov
eminent in business. This popular
belief is doubtless p~redicated upon the
mistakes that are made in government
policies. The federal government is
in such close working unison with the
bankers of the country that the latter
have become thoroughly familiar with
the financial policies of the govern
ment. II therefore developed that
Secretary Of the Treasury Houston
found a receptive audience when he
acknowledged the gross defects Of the
existing tax laws.
Philip H. Gadsden, chairman of the
emergency committee of the Ameri-
can Gas association, says that many
gas companies are unable to obtain
contracts for oil even at the prevail
ing high prices. 1t appears that the
~automotive industry is getting the
lions share of the available oil sup
ply in the way of gasoline. Mr.. Gads-
den expresses the belief that freedom
from too rigid legislation, both as to
standards and to rates is the chief
need of the gas interests. BY giving
the companies freedom to regulate
their own prices in accordance with
their costs, will. he believes, enable
them TO buy oil and the other neces-
sary supplies for manufacturing their
product on an Independent basis, with.
out asking unnecessary favors from
any body. This would enable the gas
companies to sell their products 10
the public at the same reasonable mar
gin Of profit that is required in every
other industry.
The Midnight Ride Of Paul Revere"
had nothing on a couple Of representa-
tive business men who had a brief
but exciting adventure in Washing
on a moonlight night. These men,
visitors in the capital. hired a big tour
ing car at midnight, and started out
to e the town. Espying a couple Of
attractive women walking on Pennsyl-
avenue, they ordered the driver
to stop, and invited the women to
Join them. The invitation was readily
accepted, and one Of the m as
soon as she was in the car, ordered
the driver to "go to the first pre-
A few minutes later the party
was landed at a police station, and the
business men found to their consterna-
ton that their companions were none
than the superintendent OF the
police and her assistant. They
were charged with MASKING and
"disorderly conduct" Bail was fixed
at twenty-five dollars apiece, by the
desk sergeant. The u~nfortunates gave
names, and then failed to
appear in the police court the next
morning.
Until Colonel Roosevelt's objected"
and showed the country otherwise, the
ex-presidents were usually has
beens." The question Of what to do
with them has been debated since
Washington retired to Mount
Vernon. almost crushed in spirit be-
cause Of the ~ingratitude and abuse of
a large part Of his fellow-countrymen.
Washington. as an ex-president was
about as popular as a wet night among
campers in the Adirondacks.
The long line of presidents who fol-
lowed him returned to private life
and permitted themselves to be tucked
away in comparative oblivion. But
Colonel Roosevelt set a new style, and