The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1922-05-11

but never would have been permitted
to pass the threshold" The severest
critics OF the primary system declare
II was secured under the preteXt that
1t would put the Government back
into the hands OF the people" but that
IN operation it has replaced the real
statesmen at Washington with com
monplace men. When the primary
method was accepted in Pennsylvania,
its supporters declared that il would
be t end Of Penrose.' But after
the first election the great leader in
Keystone State politics said that 1T
Is so easy to handle that | wonder
why we ever opposed it," Senator
Penrose secured his most triumphant
victories under the direct primaries.
IL is very clear that most States will
soon face the question of returning TO
the old convention system. New York
state is leading the way and even
tually the issue is sure to become a
live topic in most parts of the country.
Evidently the delegates to the
Genoa conference adopted the Yankee
custom of taking along their pocket
knives so that they could white and
visit and wait. The leisurely n
Of their procedure indicates that their
principal concern is to coax, cajole or
reason the United States into com
ing across 1t seems to be somewhat
in a question as to how long the
Genoa proceedings will be prolonged
in the hopes that America will relent
Of its position Of non-participation in
European economic affairs. While
President Harding and Secretary
Hughes are apparently adamant to the
suggestions Of joining the Genoa pow
to observers in Washington that the
Administration Is following the re-
awakening Of the new German and the
new Russia with a great deal If in
terest. Russia is negotiating with the
European nations, and the soviets are
establishing certain trade relations.
These new ties may prove immensely
advantageou to the European ma
tons and the United States may lose
the Russian advantages unless our
country gets into the game. These
are the reasons why Secretary Hughes
is so profound whenever Russia is
mentioned in his presence.
When General Wood went out to
the Philippines to writeup his we'll
known convictions against early in
dependence for the Filipinos in the
form Of a subsequent investigation"
of conditions, he delayed the day of
settlement Of our relations with more
than 10000, 600 people. But it is
doubtful whether he succeeded in con-
vincing anyone to his long established
forms of belief. While General Wood
has gotten along very well with
Filipinos-it has been principally be-
cause the people of the islands are so
confident in the justice of the Ameri-
can people, that they are not inclined
to quarrel with any propositions put
up by the governor-generals we send
them.
But the Filipinos are determined to
pun General Woods Monkey-wrench
out of their Independent machine. In
consequence there is a big and strong
delegation OF the most prominent men
or n Philippines on the way to Wash
ington. 1t is announced that when
they arrive they will ask for "immedi-
ate and absolute independence" The
Mission is headed by Senate President
Quezon and Speaker Osmena Of the
house. The mission will arrive in
Washington about the middle Of June.
Naturally the man who is making a
speech regards it as important that
the audience should be large and at
tentive. Even United States senators
are addicted TO this standardized form
OF conceit. How is one to interpret the
complaint Of Senator Harrison of Mis-.
sissippi, who paused in the course of
his tariff speech to survey the empty
seats and to OBSERVE: almost every
day in the tariff bill debate the ser
geant at arms has to go out and arrest
senator's in order to have a quorum
1t Is true that it has been necessary
to repeatedly roundup" the senators
and compel their attendance during
the debate. The use Of the word "ar
rest" merely indicates the degree o.
resentment Of an Grating senator be
cause Of the apparent lack of attention
given by his colleagues to his speech
, But aggrieved memory is a tickle bird
and it is not unlikely that Senator
Harrison may be arrested to compe
his attendance at speeches delivered
by other senators. After all, someone
really has to make tariff speeches
and that entails the necessity of some
one else listening to what it being said
Railway executives have recently is
sued a bulletin disclaiming 'the blam,
for economic conditions" and one o
their spokesman observes: "All of thu
/ economic distress in the world can
not be laid at the door of the rail
: roads," following which explosion h,
asserts that the break in prices, tn,
, decentralization Of markets, the begin
, ninp Of liuuidatiOns the advent of I'm