Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-12-30
THE COUNTRY HOME
THE MUSCLE sHOALS-DUBIOUs END
ING In CONGRESS
BY MRS. w. Fl. FELTON,

THE MUSCLE SHOALS-DUBIOUS END
ING IN CONGRESS
~ HE present congress, which will ex-
pire in a little over two months, by
- legal limitation, has been apparently
confused or lamentably ignorant Gts ma
iority) during the entire two years of It's
existence.
Henry Ford made an offer that appeared
to be simple solution, with profit to the
government, but the people who live In
other states Cor 1 may say, states outside OF
Dixie) controverted the Ford offer, until
Mr.. Ford retired from the bidding and the
whole matter relapsed into gabfest and
apparently with spiteful intent Muscle
Shoals is nearly in a corner, with three
states in close observation-disclosures, Geor-
gia and Tennessee. Anything that would
help Alabama farmers would help the other
two equally-as to transportation facllltles'
Other Dixie states are near enough to reap
whatever Of advantage that nitrate produc-
tion would benefit, and the government
would be prepared, with nitrates near at
hand, in case of INVASION.
The construction of the Muscle Shoals
nroiect by the government is not very far
from danger as regarding the durability OF
what has been done heretofore. An un-
Finished roofess building will go to wreck
and decay long before a house which is
really finished. The unfinished part will
make the remainder worse than useless-as
Muscle Shoals,
will COPY here from speech delivered
In the house of representatives, two days
! ago, the following: The first approprla-
ton (for It's construction) was for twenty
millions of dollars. I voted also for the
presidents (Wilson) suggestion for one hum
bred thousand millions as preparation for
war; Before we knew what we were doing
we had spent eighty millions. 1t has now
reached one hundred and forty millions, and
we are told now that all that expense Will
! be useless, unless we spend sixty millions
more, half the colossal figures spent on
| the Panama canal. There are two propo-
sitions-one is to junk the plant-the other
il to 20 on with it. If we go on with 1T,
under government control, government
operates in managing government property
or lease it and operate 1t In that way. we
had an experience with operating railroads
nv the government-not so long ago either.
! 1t seems to me to be sufficiently conVlnc-
ing to satisfy any man for the balance of
his days"
Already one hundred and forty millions
of taxpayers money gone, with nothing fin
ished for permanent service The farm bloc
combine-with Senator La Toilette as their
Leaders, doing It's level best to continue
government ownership.
The Underwood bill to lease the whole
business to private parties with stated
rental to be paid the government appears
to me to be the safest and the cheapest.
The farm block is operating as 1T operated
all this year-in the senate-W1l be IN evil
dence until the 4th of March, and the re-
membrance Of this alliance between south-
ern senators and western radicals Will De
come a mart Of national history that will be
remembered and it now appears Will be
come odious, in a free government. Inc
moor old south had q chance, but the con-
spirators have blood it.