The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1921-08-11
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
BY J. L. Jones.

by d.. T. oHS
The great lakes waterway project
is a logical part Of the program CT
industrial progress incident to devel-
oping the water power of
the nation. The transportation fea-
ture Of this waterways has been agi-
tated since the early nineties, on the
theory that unrestricted commerce
along the great lakes would result
in immeasurable benefits to the north
west, including the wheat fields OF
Minnesota and the DakotaS. But it is
quite evident to those who nave
watched the affairs of water shipments
of the great lakes that there has not
been any great gain in the extent OF
it's during the past quarter
of a century. There appears to be a
disposition on the part of shippers to
use the more convenient methods sup
piled by the railroads, thereby avoid
ing too much loading and unloading
of cargoes. The deep waterways prop
osition would connect the entire north.
ern part of the United States with the
transportation systems of the word,
and it is perfectly reasonable to ex-
pect that a great commerce in grains
and other natural products would de-
velop in a remarkably short space or
time. ?
However, the growth of shipping on
the great lakes has never aroused very
much enthusiasm in the public mind,
and congress has been slow to act, be-
cause of the doubts felt concerning
the expansion Of all schemes for using
our inland waterways. Therefore, it
seems quite likely that the possibilities
for greater power development must
be looked to as the incentive which
will eventually bring the desired de
velopment of the great lakes water
ways. Just as long as congress kept
the water power sources of the coun-
try under lock and key, there was
nothing left to do except to haul coal
and burn it. But now that a more
liberal and san policy has been put
into effect, there is every reason to
believe that a new era In power de-
velopment is at hand. The tremen,
dous schemes necessary for financing
w~aterpower development have taken
pile seems destined to eventually give
way TO the water wheel. In the West,
there have been many evidences show
ing the feasibility of the extension OF
water power in agricultural regions,
In the East the principal concern is
to take care of manufacturing, lighting
and traction enterprises. The whole
thought Is one of supplying more
power. Power has become so extern
sive with the constant use of Goa that
many Of the large industries in the
East are finding the problem more
and more difficult to bear. There has
been an old dream that great super
power projects would utilize the natu
raj resources from the Andrescoggir
to the James river. At the present
time some Of the great fnanciers OF
the country are interesting themselves
in this project, or rather series OF
projects.
OF course, everyone knows that Nj
agara falls and the Niagara river have
furnished great sources of power tc
the territory they have been able Il
reach. But whenever there has beer
any attempt to increase the use of this
power a perfect howl Of protest has
gone up throughout the countr!
against "despoiling the scenic beauty.
Doubtless ninety-nine per cent, OF al
these projects are pure fiction, bu
they serve to show that the Niagar'