The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1921-08-11

development has about reached its
maximum.
The annual jaunt of Thomas E. Edi-
son, Henry Ford and Harvey S. Fire
stone has been a matter of interest to
the country, due to the fact that
President Harding Joined the group in
Maryland. Incidentally, Mr.. Ford and
Mr.. Edison may have talked water
power development to the president.
1t will be recalled that these men dis
cussed in public press the possibility
of small waterpowers on Pennsylvania
farms for light manufacturing pur-
poses. They gave it out as their opin-
ion that farmers might make parts for
different manufacturers DUNG the
winter months and by use of their
waterpowers promote small manufac-
turing ventures as the source of addi-
tional profit. Henry Ford had a good
deal to say along this line at one
time, and of Fords can have
visions of special nut factories on
Pennsylvania farms supplying their
products to the Detroit institution.
1t was quite like President Harding
to find himself very much at home
with these distinguished campers, be-
cause he loves good plain folks, and
life under the open skies. President
Harding has adopted a good many
people whose position in the social
and political world has been very
much in doubt during the recent years.
The most notable acquisitions to this
circle We're the militant suffragists.
The women who made life miserable
for President Wilson by picketing the
White House, are in high standing with
the present administration. Colonel
Harvey, American minister to Court
Of st. James. has been m Of the
most spectacular as well as unpopu-
lar, of the additions to the presidents
favored groups.
Immense grain shipments have been
going down the Great Lakes for years.
The process is to take on the cargoes
at Superior or Duluth consigned to
Buffalo, a distance of $50 miles. AT
Buffalo these cargoes are sent 450
miles by rail or barge canal to New
York where they are again handled
and the overseas shipments are un.
loaded at New York and sent to Liver
pool 5000 miles away. Thus the
transportation cost on grain is fifty
cents per bushel. Those who have
studied the question say that the IA
ings in grain shipments by an all-water
route wound amount to nearly SIS,
000, 900 a year. The residents Of the
Great Lakes assert that this entire
saving would go into the pockets OF
the farmers. Herbert Hoover who is
perhaps the greatest authority on eco.
nOmic matters in the country, and an
expert upon all matters which require
the training of an engineering mind
says that the creation Of a waterway
all the way from the Great Lakes tc
the sea by way of the St. Lawrence
river, would involve a lesser expense
than would be required in increasing
our railroad facilities to care AIDE.
quately for our marketing. The ex
pense of a deep waterways that would
connect the Great Lakes with the
ocean would be about one-half the cost
Of the Panama canal.
The most vital feature Of the pro.
posed deep waterway project connect
ing the Great Lakes with the ocean
has apparently made the least impress
sion on the general public. 1t concerns
the development of power. 1t has beer
estimated that the total developablt
water power Of the Great Lakes drain
age basin is 5000, 900 horse power
The power already developed within
this are is roughly calculated a
100000 horsepower in the United
States and 100000 horsepower II
Canada. The question of development
Of our natural waterpowers is con
nected with the possibilities of the ex
tension Of hydro-electric systems there
by utilizing the tremendous poweI
waiting for its harness. The fact tina
over $50 projects have been filed will
the federal power commission ind
Gates that the time has arrived whel
the development of these resources
is to be pushed.
1nasmuch as the railroads of tn,
country are spending nearly one-hal
their energies in the handling AM
transporting coal, it seems high tim
that such a great economic waste
should be checked. Hydro-electri
nnmor nan ho rnnrnni4tnl nrn.