The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1921-07-14

macy than we are. Anyone who wants
to argue the point will find himself
confronted with SO many matters con-
corning the conduct Of the war and its
financing, that he will do well II he
holds the field.
Evidently Senator Borah and some
of his fellow "irreconcilables" are 60
ing to again attempt to upset the ar
rangement with reference to traffic
through the Panama canal. They will
have to meet the old objection that
obtained eight years ago when o
gress declared that the United States
would carry out it's bargains. even
though they might be bad bargains.
Two hundred and thirty applications
for permits to construct projects under
the federal water power act have been
filed with the commission. AS only
about a year has elapsed since the
water power act went into effect it
seems certain that all Of the available
water power Of the country will
eventually be utilized.
A plan to connect all the power IA
cilities from the Androscoggin to the
James is actually occupying the atten-
ton of some of the greatest engineers
Of the country and most of the promi-
nent financiers. This project was cOn
sidered among the dreams Of the ideal.
list less than a half dozen years ago,
but today practical men Of affairs are
devoting their attention to the mo-
mentous task hat will involve billions
of dollars. Waste energy in transport
is being looked upon as nothing less
than an economic evil; and central sta
tions capable of transmitting power
over vast areas are regarded as the
inevitable answer to the constantly IN
creasing difficulties growing out of the
fuel situation and transportation.
Unfortunately the federal power com.
mission Is working under very low
pressure, since the legislation enacting
it provides for government inspection
and surveys of the different projects,
but the legislation minus Of appropria.
lions for carrying on the work. This
has not prevented the interests that
desire to ecure these water power
sites from going ahead with their
plans. In a great many instances the
proposed projects only await the o. X.
Of the government for the commence.
ment of work. The government has
sctarted q good thing going, but is
slow in carrying into effect the pur.
poses of the legislation It has created,
The passage OF the Dowell bill in the
house and the Phipps bill in the sen.
ate insures federal highway legislation
at this session Of congress. The two
bills will be threshed out in conference
and as their terms are not vitality con
ficting an early agreement on this leg
islation may be looked for. Federal aid
to states in the construction OF high
ways will be continued and in all prob
ability the recommendations Of the
state highway commissioners ~favorine
the selection Of roads at the hands OF
the federal government rather than by
the state will obtain. There has crept
into the road discussions before con.
gress some feeling between the auto
mobilists and the farmers and pro.
ducers. In one of the reports on road
legislation this subject is touched upon
and the statement is made that while
the farm class has no grievance against
the automobiles, yet they believe that
roads should be built and maintained
for all the people and not for a ia.