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Show FOR THE RESCUE OF NIAGARA FALLS. Great Britain Will Be Asked to Enter Into Negotiations Negotia-tions to Stay Industrial Vandalism. Niagara falls is to be preserved as one of the seven wonders of the world under formal agreement agree-ment between the United States and Great Britain. The hand of industry, which has been diverting the waters from this stupendous cataract, is to be staid. In accordance with instructions given by the president, Secretary Root will initiate negotiations nego-tiations with Sir Mortimer Durand, British ambassador, am-bassador, for the purpose of limiting- the use of the waters of Xiagara river for industrial purposes. The prospect of the destruction of Niagara falls as one of nature's scenic wonders was called to the attention of the president some weeks ago by a civic association of Kew York. This organization expressed deep concern over the encroachments upon up-on the flow of water and predicted that as a result of the operations of the electric development plants erected on the American and Canadian sides of the stream the volume of water would be decreased and the natural beauty of the falls would be impaired. ' Oiie Canadiau power company, for instance, has in course of construction a massive concrete gathering gath-ering dam which extends out from the river bank TOO feet into the deep and torrential waters of the rapids. This work has revealed the unsightly river bottom. From the point of view of persons interested in the preservation of the falls, however, there exists a graver disadvantage in that a considerable volume vol-ume of water is diverted, and, passing, through the , tunnels, is returned to the river below the falls. I The president referred the communication to the j attorney general for an opinion as to what action j the United States should take. The association referred re-ferred to the law which authorizes the government to prevent any impairment of the navigability of streams or of other waterways between the St. Lawrence and Mississippi rivers. Secretary Moody rendered an opiirfon stating; that this law cannot be invoked because there' by j no question of navigability involved. . The power plants take the water they need from the river at' ! a point below which navigation ceases and return j i it at a point above which navigation. begin?., In connection with, the negotiation, 'it "will be ! necessary for the two governments to consider the 1 effect upon the industries already established, cm both, sides of the stream. At the present time there are in operation, or under construction, on the banks of the Niagara, river electrical power plants of a combined 00.000 horse power.' . In addition to this amount the projected inv-, I provenientf, antiy tha plants to.be, .erected, .under 'chartersTgiven by" the state of 'New York and, the Ontario government will increase the. horse power developed to 900,000. The principal scene of ac-, ac-, tivity at the present time is on the Canadian side, beginning at the commencement of the upper rapids rap-ids and ending at a point between the falls and the new steel arch bridge. ,. ' - Engineering experts of the government do not believe the plants erected 'and now in course of con-, struction will affect the volume of water passing i over the falls, but the sentiment is growing . so strong throughout the country in favor of the adoption of international and governmental measures meas-ures to insure the preservation of the cataract that they are unanimously of the opinion that something should be done. ' ; It is a fact often noted'by observers that outside of the biographies of a few great Irishmen and an occasional dip into a history .-of Ireland, there is little attempt of the Irish-American to read books that will enlighten him on the history and prospects of Ireland. He peruses the newspapers with some degree of attention, but the historical background that he needs to give life and reality to the fragmentary frag-mentary accounts i- the daily press he knows little , of. This toakes it almost impossible that his view-as view-as to Ireland's present situation and hopes for the future should have very great value. If the best works were constdted and an earnest effort made to master the dominant impulses in Irish character, as revealed in Irish histoiy, not only would the educational edu-cational results be great, but the cause of Ireland would have a defense that would be full of informed knowledge and a grasp of general principle that would yield an excellent harvest." Martin I. J. Griffin frequently complains that his admirable publication, "American Catholic Historical His-torical Researches,"' is not read by Irishmen as it should be. His ''Life of Barry" also failed to win a large number of readers, although it is a book that no man who can trace Irish ancestry should be without. with-out. These facts cannot be gainsaid, and they reveal re-veal a situation that calls for remedy. This is not as it should be. The Irish-American should be in touch not only with Griffin's researches, but the broad stream of Irish scholarship and literature that is fertilizing vast reaches of mental territory. Especially is it deplorable that little interest is taken in Irish history and literature. The Re-public. Re-public. Boston. -- -- - - ' |
