The Alamance gleaner 1
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VOL. UV. GRAHAM, N, C., THURSDAY JUNE 21, 1*28. HO. 20. M
HAPPENNINGS OF THE WEEK.
? ?
NEWS REVIEW OF
CURRENTEVENTS
Nomination of Hoover by
Republicans Outstanding
Event of the Week.
THE kepubliean national convention
focused the attention of the coun
try for at least five days of the week.
The nomination of Herbert C. Hoover
as the Republican candidate for the
Presidency, a foregone conclusion be
fore the doors of the convention hall
were opened to the delegates, left the
proceedings largely a matter of rou
tine, except for the battle over the
platform.
The outstanding feature of the con
vention, seen in retrospect, was the
Hoover control of the proceedings. It
was supreme, bat it was a mannerly,
orderly control. No rough stuff. Op
ponents of the Hoover majority were
courteously given ample opportunity
to present their side of the questions
at Issue and no restraint was put
upon the delegates when their enthus
iasm burst Into long and noisy dem
onstrations, as it did particularly
when the nominations were made.
The agricultural plank of the plat
form, as expected, launched the big
fight of the convention. A determined
fight on the plank presented by the
majority of the committee was made
by the western farm leaders.
This plank, formulated after two
days and nights of labor In the com
mittee, Ignored any mention of the
controverted equalization fee of the
llcNary.Haugen bill, but pledged ev
ery assistance In the reorganization of
the farmers' marketing machinery. It
proposed the creation of a farm hoard
with power t? set up farmer owned
and controlled corporations to pre
vent and control surpluses through
orderly distribution.
Facing an admittedly losing fight
the farm leaders battled on earnestly
and at great length, submitting only
when the majority of the delegates
voted approval of the committee re
a do less earnest but less time con
suming battle, and also a losing one,
was waged on the prohibition plank
which advocated observance and vig
orous enforcement of the Eighteenth
amendment.
For the first time the radio made
the proceedings of a national political
convention available to people In all
parts of the country. Other conven
tions have been broadcast, but never
before was there a hook-up of broad
casting stations so distributed that
anyone with a receiving set anywhere
In the country could hear the entire
proceedings.
PRESIDENT OOOLIDGE on Monday
night gave his semiannual report
on the business of government as It
has been handled during the last few
years and outlined his policies for
the next six months before a gather
ing of the department heads In Memo
rial hall, Washington.
"It has been my endeavor," he said,
?so to manage the national finances
as to secure the greatest benefit to the
people. 1 have rejoiced in keeping
down the annual budget. In reducing
taxes, and paying off the national debt,
because tlie Influence of such action
is felt In every home In the land."
The people, he said, must fnrnlsb
their own prosperity. It cannot be
handed down to them by the govern
ment And when they have It they
must rise above It In spiritual out
look. '
"Prosperity,'* be said, "la only an
Instrument to be used, not a deity
to be worshiped."
Reviewing the condition of Industry
and trade since 1921, he said:
"Stabilization and a feeling of se
curity have been the primary factors
In the great upward awing of Ameri
can Industry and commerce since
1921."
The tax question, he declared, has
been approached from the angle of. re
quiring no more from the people than
necessary to operate the government
efficiently.
"The revenue acta of 1921. 1921,
1928 and 1928," he said, "when fully
operative will reduce tuxes by approx
imately two billions of dollars 4 year
as compared with what would have
been collected If the act of 1918 had
remained In force.
"It Is Inconceivable that In such a
short space of time the government
could cut Its tax rates to such an
extent Yet that has been done. Mil
lions of Individuals In the lower brack
ets have been entirely stricken from
the tax rolls Personal exemption for
Individuals and heads of families have
been greatly lncrensed.
"Preferential treatment has been
given to earned Income. War tuxes
and nuisance taxes have been re
pealed. Business has been freed of
many hampering and uneconomic re
strictions. The prosperity of toduy
can be attributed -th a large measure
to the lessening of the burden of fed
eral taxes
"The reduction which has been made
In the national debt since July 1, 1921,
has contributed much to the ability
of the government to lessen taxes.
That reduction at the end of this fiscal
year will amount to approximately
86,327,000,000. The total debt will then
be 817,650,000,000. It Is one-third paid.
The total saving In Interest over all
that period will amount approximately
to 8950,000,000. The reductions In the
debt required by law for the same per
iod total 88.296.000,000.
"By the end of this fiscal year we
will -actually have applied to debt re
duction 83,031,000.000 more than re
quired by law. That represents what
was saved from national revenue.
These, together with refunding opera
tions which converted securities bear
ing high rates of Interest Into securi
ties having lower rates, represent a
perpetual saving In Interest of 8274,
000,000 a year.
For the current fiscal year, which
closes In a few weeks, the President
said there would be a surplus In excess
of four hundred million. Estimates
are being prepared for 1929 and 1930.
On this he said:
"Taking Into consideration the leg
islation enacted during the last ses
sion of congress, we find that for 1929
our receipts will be about 88,707.000,
- 000 "and ovtt estimated expenditures
83,801,000.000. These estimates might
seem to forecast a deficit We must
not have a deficit
"The coat of government In the
United States, federal, state and mu
nicipal, In 1921 was *9.500.000,000. In
192S It had Increased to *11,124,000,
000. During that period the national
government bad reduced Its expendi
ture by two billions.
"The necessity of keeping expendi
tures within receipts, the Importance
of continuing our pay-ns-we-go policy,
cannot be overemphasized. This pri
mary limitation on estimates Is the
first step toward the continuation of
that policy In 1930. It means that
there will be no latitude for expan
sion wbere expansion Is not made
compulsory by new law or by condi
tions that leave no choice. In pre
paring your preliminary estimates far
1930, which you will submit to the
budget bureau by July IS next you
must keep this In mind."
ELL, he ought not to be so
v v hard to beat" was the only
comment of Gov, AL Smith when in
formed of Hoover's nomination as the
Republican candidate far President
EARL KLINCK, farmer right-band
man of the klan dragon, D. C.
Stephenson, was convicted by a Jury
In the criminal court at Indianapolis
of being accessory In attesting a false
affidavit Conviction carries a one to
? three-year prison term. Klinck ap
. pealed.
KJInck. once a policeman at Evans
vllle, was Stephenson's personal body
guard. His present predicament fol
lowed an attempt to have Indictments
returned against Tom Adams crusad
ing anti-klan publisher at Vlncennes.
and Boyd Gurley, Pulitzer prize edi
tor of Indianapolis, following presen
tation of a forged affidavit to the fed
eral grand Jury at Indianapolis last
fan.
UNITED States District Judge
Thomas B. Thatcher of NewTork.
dismissed the federal suit In equity
against the Standard Aircraft cor
poration to recover (2Jt94.438.48, which
It alleged had been Illegally paid In
settlement of war air contracts. A
counter claim of the defendant for hn
additional payment of $142,000 alao
was dismissed.
The ease included testimony from
former War department officials and
officers of the airplane company,
which daring the war bad held con
tracts for aircraft for the government
totaling abont $11,000,000.
"pHK elimination of President Cool
* Idge as a candidate to succeed him
self caused a tremendous crash on
the New York stock market Monday.
Prices broke from 2 to 25 points. Not
since the hectic record-breaking ses
sion of March, 1020, has the exchange
experienced such wild selling. Marked
recovery in prices was shown later
In the, week.
PRESIDENT AND MRS. OOOUDGE
have settled down for the season
at the summer White House on the
,, Brule river In Wisconsin. After a two
days' delay In vacation departure, due
to the Illness of Mrs. Coolldge, the
Presidential party left Washington
Wednesday night Mrs. Coolldge had
Improved greatly, was cheerful and
anxious to get started on the journey.
The offices of the White House staff
have been established at Superior and
the President Is expected to motor to
that city when business requires his
attention.
, The President Is being guarded by
regular troops from Fort Snelling,
Minn., who are ramped about a quar
ter of a mile from the lodge.
THE price of educating a public
school pupil has more than dou
bled In the last 15 years. It Is shown
by figures compiled by the federal
bureau of education. In 1913 the cost
was $38.31. and the present figure^ Is
$102.50.
Expenditures for public schoolbulld
lugs have almost doubled since 1920,
wltb the peak being reached In 1923
i when $433,000,000 was spent tor new
buildings. In 1926, however, the an
nual expenditure for public school
buildings decreased $22,000,000. Indi
cating, the bureau said, that construc
tion had overtaken the shortage
caused hy the World war.
The bureau attributed the Increase
In school expending* to the de
creased purchasing power of the dol
lar and the general Improved school
| facilities.
THE Baltic bitterness, resulting
from the unsettled dispute be
tween Lithuania and Poland, remains
as the only danger IS) European pence,
was the opinion expressed generally
as the council of the league of Na
tions ended Its fiftieth session at
Geneva.
Council members made no attempt
to conceal their chagrin that the body
had found Itself unable to liquidate
this quarrel. The basis of the dispute
Is the Polish possession afthe city of
Tllna. former capital of Lithuania, and
recently named anew. In the consti
tution of that country, as'the sent of
Its government.
Members of the council separated
with the feeling that the Baltic situ
ation will be either better or worse
hy September. If the latter proves to
be the case, the whole controversy la
likely to be thrashed out before the
general assembly of the league.
Robert W. 8tewart. chairman
of the Standard Oil company of
Indiana, was acquitted hy a Jury In
the District of Columbia Supreme
Cpurt In Washington on a charge of
refusing to answer questions of the
senate Investigating committee regard
ing Continental Oil company bonds.
Stewart specifically was accused of
violating section 102 of the criminal
code, which makes It mandatory that
witnesses before congressional com
mittees answer questions pertinent to
the subject of Inquiry.
ONE of the most picturesque fig
ures In the woman suffrage move
ment. Mrs Emmellne Pankhurst, died
In a nursing home In Ltqidoo, England,
at the age sf sixty-nine. Death came
after a comparatively short Illness.
Mrs. Pankhurst was tlie first mili
tant suffragist In efforts to obtain the
rote for women, millions of whom are
oow enjoying the privilege of casting
their ballots at parliamentary elec
tions as a result of the work of her
and her supporters This early work
was often done at great personal risk.
Now la Right Time
? to Balk Hay Fever
. "Now Is the time to start your bot
tle to prevent hay fever rather than
In August when the disease Is tinker
way," says n bulletin Issued by the
Indiana State Medical association. In
which people, subject to the fever,
are urged to take preventive mess
ores. ,
\ "It la generally khown that season
al hay fever Is caused, as a rule, by
Inhaling the pollen of plants that ore
blooming at the time," says the bul
letin, "but nitny details of the proc
e?* are not'fully appreciated. It la
impossible to set the disease unless
the particular pollen to which the
patient Is susceptible is floating in the
air which he breathes.
"The hay fever subject should first
find out to what plants he Is suscepti
ble. Any physician can make this test
for you providing he Is supplied with
the dried pollens of the suspected
plants, or bas extracts of them."
Pffereotire treatment recommend
I
?d kr the bolletln consist* of fifteen
hypodermic Injection* given hy a phy
sician af Interval* which be will de
termine.
"The (treat majority of the case*
appealing In the spring nre due to
the grasses, particularly timothy, and
since grasses are all quite closely re
lated. treatment with this one extract
usually suffices to Immunize against
all grass susceptibilities. Likewise
the fall type of the disease Is almost
always dqa to ragweeds," the bulletin
nay*.
"hit " ' ? IM v? ><_?.. '.'-i- \fc. v.'ifckL- ..
F^^ncuT^
I ANDY'S I
f WAY |
<? M D. J. Walsh.)
li I y "f EAVEN,'" quoted Uncle
I?I Andy thoughtfully, "la
1 for him that overcometb
?not blm that la pushed
there In a wheel-chair.'"
"I'm afraid then," bis niece Mary
said lugubriously, "that I'll never get
there 1 Want me to plump your pil
low up for you again?"
"Who's wlieelln' you to heaven,
Mary?" Inquired the sick man.
"Nobody?It's the overcoming part
of It Uncle Andy. If you can't over
come little things, bow are *you to
overcome as big a thing as Satan?"
"Satan, at bis deadliest la some
times In the form of little things,
Mary."
"I'd as soon fight Satan as somq of
tbem I've met up with," said Mary.
"Take this notion I've always bad to
fix np my beds?you know what nice
beds my mother bad. Uncle Andy. But
since I've been a married woman I've
not bad a decent sheet?nor pair of
blankets- -not even a spread that 1
wasn't ashamed of?to say nothing of
the bedsteads and the old cheap mat
tresses that won't bold their shape.
Henry says nobody sees tbem back In
the bedrooms, so why should I worry?
But 1 tell blm we spend one-third of
our lives lying In them?"
"Henry spends a good deal more'n
a third?"
oui nenry e noi lazy, uncie Anuy i
"No? Who laid be was?"
"Of course, I know that 1 wouldn't
want Tlqen sheets and all-wool blank
ets?and everything like that. Poor
people like us don't expect them. But
it's, that longing for them?to feel
them, to Iron the sheets; to fold the
lovely, soft, woolen plaid blankets; to
look at the snowy spreads?I remember
bow mother would turn her bead to
one side in pride and satisfaction
when she made her bedsl Motbei
came to see me once and went back
home and sold the last lot she had
left In Grandvlew and sent me money
to Qx up my beds with, but Henry
took It?I mean we got a good second
hand car with It"
"The one you never would ride In?"
"1 guess I did act hateful about It?
but 1 bated for mother to know we'd
do such a thing. And once 1 remem
ber Henry told me that f could have
the egg money to buy my clothes with,
so he'd never have to bear me com
plaining when we started to go some
where of not having anything to wear.
Well, I stayed at home for two years
and saved that money to buy blankets
with. There was a big August blanket
sale going on In Bradley and on the
very day I'd planned to go, Henry's
brother came In from one of bis wUd
goose chases and be was broke They
bad three children to get ready for
school In less than a month?ro I bad
to get busy and buy up their clothes
with the egg money."
"1 suppose yon were food sod dis
couraged by thenl" snorted Uncle
Andy. Jerking tbe covers angrily.
"Yes, 1 was discouraged; tint J
didn't give op, I bad (o save tbe egg
money again tor my dothea?for after
doing without two or three years J
was sorely In need of them. Bnt J
i truck upon another p|an. I started
in sewing for people. And In one win
ter 1 saved op a surprising little sum
Bnt when spring came the Thompsons,
who live there by us, painted their
boose. Henry said It made oars look
worse than mnd and If I'd take my
?ewlng money and paint ours It wonld
save the surface, you know. Does yonr
bead ache worse. Dncle Andy? May
be I'm talking too much?
"No? Well, as I was saying Henry
always told me I was lucky?a ad may
be I am. Anyway, tbe fair associa
tion offered a prise of <290 for the
best collection of farm products and
canned, preserved and pickled staff,
yon know. Well, Henry decided we'd
try for 1L He didn't have time to
help, though, for bla pa was feeble
that year and he had to stay down
there a lot But 1 thought of all that
$200 wonld bay for those beds and
I got up the collection. I was mighty'
nigh tuckered out afterward. Bnt we
got that prise 1"
"Bnt the beds?did yon get tbe
beds?" demanded Uncle Andy peev
ishly.
"No, I didn't Henry decided that
aa the money- bad been produced by
tbe farm It was nothing bnt right that
It sbonld be used on tbe farm. Be
needed new sets of harness for the
teams?be got tbe nicest looking ones
with stars and tassels?and tbe barn
needed painting that year, and the
pnmp bad to be repaired for tbe barn
well. Hadn't yon better take one of
those quieting tablets. Uncle Andy?"
"Did yon try again?" asked Uncle
Andy unmindful of Usry's query.
"Oh. yes I Almost tbe hardest I
ever worked was when the dally news
paper there la Bradley pot on a aU
weeks' subscription campaign. I gut
a lovely string of pearls for my work.
But Just as I was going to sell tbein
to Old Uao Brlggs tor Etta Mae's
graduating present?ba offered me a
One price tor them?Henry decided
that Christine, bis sister, you know,
would feel hurt, knowing I bad them.
If I didn't give them to her?she grad
uated, too, that year.
"But do you know Uncle Andy, I
still have a chance at some money,
and It 1 should happen to get It I'm
going to use It myself this time. The
Hastings confectionery In Bradley?
there on the corner by Green's House
Furnishing company?bits offered a
prize for the best name for their new
candy and a slogan to use In adver
tislng IL Henry says as I've always
been kind of mushy and sentimental,
my suggestion ought to win it?my
goodness, there's the postman?I
didn't know It was that late I
"Here's a letter from Henry?and
a check I Surely the check's not from
Henry. It's rlgned by John Hastings
?why. Uncle Andy, 1 did win the
candy-store prize I Let's see what
Henry says about It?he's sending it
to me to Indorse?they wouldn't cash
It at the bank without my name oo It
And he's got a chance to trade his old
car In on another with a little to boot
?a good one that he'll not have to
spend all his time working on. He
says It Isn't as If I bad to work bard
for this money (but 1 did wrack my
brain for a week, Uncle Andy!) and
he bopes you are better by now so
that I can come on home?all the
dishes on the place are dirty apd he's
run out of clean shirts. And If 1 can't
come, be sure to send the Indorsed
check back by return mall?"
."But Mary, listen here?"
"Ob, 1 koon what you're going to
say, Uncle Andyl That's why 1 said
I was afraid I'd never get there?to
heaven, yon know 1 For If I can't over
come?"
"Listen here, Mary! I'm In need of
a little money myself. As you've got
this here bandy yon wouldn't mind
lending It to me to help me out, would
you? I'll pay you back, Mary, as soon
as?"
"Of course, you will. Uncle Andyl
But Henry wonld be mad?what on
earth would 1 tell Henry?"
"Tell him you couldn't refuse your
old sick uncle the loan of a few dol
lars that would probably mean the
saving of his life?"
"Why, Uncle Andyl Of course you
may have It If It means all that I"
Mary Stephens found herself ex
tremely despondent on ber way home.
She had grown accustomed to Henry's
'"borrowing"?but she's not expected
It of Uncle Andyl She had felt hope
less enoogh combating with Henry In
this cherished longing of ber domestic
bomemaklng heart?but now that
Uncle Andy bad Joined forces with
him?tears swam In Mary's eyes, the
sting of them suddenly arousing ber.
Grasping ber handkerchief, she sopped
her eyes determinedly.
"1 won't give up!" she vowed. "1
won't 1 I'll work my Angers off, Arst I
Not that I care so much after all
these years?only for the principle of
It?for I won't He In defeat on those
old beds the rest of my Ufet I'll And
a way somehow?I will I 1 will I I
will I"
A week later Alary, leaving the tele
phone, exclaimed excitedly:
"It wax Green's Bouse rnrnlshlng
company In Bradley, Henry I Tbey
said tbey bad just received a large
check from Andy Miller, tbe amount
to be taken up by Mary Stephens In
beds and bed furnishings only . . .
What's that you have HenryT . . .
letter from Uncle Andy I Let's see
what he bas to say?''
"Borrowing your money," Mary read,
"saved my life?for If you bad turned
It over to Henry as you have always
done, I would have been to bury. I
tried to add enough to It to repay you
for nursing me through my sick .spell.
Xou know my motto, 'Heaven Is for
blm that overeometb?not blm that
la pushed there In a wbeel chair,'?
hot I've discovered that some folks
have so durn much to overcome that
they deserve a little wheeling op tbe
last hill?80 I don't begrudge giving
you a little lift by helping yon to over
come Henry Stephens Give Henry
my regards, and tell him I hope be en
joys sleeping Ip a real bed?and that
he must take his medicine like a good
little boy. With love. Code Andy."
fatsimtini Relics
A London woman says she bas In
her possssslon the Brat pair of rubber
galoshes ever made In that country
They could never have been worn by
anyone, however, for each shoe Is
only two Inches long. Tbey were
made for tbe great exhibition of 1851
to sbow the possibilities of rubber as
a waterproof material.
Astronomical
The Naval observatory says tbat ac
cording to the parallaxes adopted In
our latest star catalogues, the distance
between the two stars forming tbe bot
tom of the bowl of tbe Dipper In Ursa
Major Is about ABO trillion miles. Ibis
should be regarded as only n rongb
approximation. ?
... ...J - -,i? 1
Freight Barges an the Nil#.
(Prepared by the National (Jeocrmphle
Society. Wanhlnvtoo. D. C.)
EGl'PT, Id a d lip lit e with England,
bus been once more at the focus
of world attention, aa abe baa
been roan; tlroea In the alxt;
centurlea that make op moat of known
history.
Americana who visit Egypt,know the
country chiefly from the city stand
point Tbey see through the eyes "f
the extremely polite dragon.cn who
eacorta them about the afreets of Cairo
or Alexandria. Tbe roan who. sweats
In the suu on hia tiny farm is an en
tirely different creature. Bio scale of
Hying la of the meanest
Tbe peasant population huddle in
Tillages within the confines of four
mad walla, homes whicb literally do
not furnlah them with a roof over their
beads?wretched cabins Improvised
out of Nile mud. wlndowless as well
as roofless. No modern pots and
pans, none of the contrlvuhces and
shifts of modern times that go to
ward rendering life easy and comfort
able, and which enable the foreman of
a section gang on an American rall
roao to be better warmed, lighted,
and served with news than was Queen
Elizabeth of England.
Vie are accustomed to think of
Egypt In terms of symbols?the
Sphinx, Osiris, tbe Pyramids. The
country has been a bappy .bunting
ground for the arcbeolnglsts, and
their revelations turn as back through
the abysms of time to the contempla
tion of mysterious figures of the past,
whether a sacred bull or King Tut
ankhamen.
A country of wonders, no doubt;
but tbe wonder of wonders Is not the
ancient relics dug from the earth, nor
tbe mighty works of men's hands
erected upon Its surface, but the soil
itself?thut longisli strip of green
fringing the River Nile for the better
part of one thousand miles.
Nature has dealt In niggardly fash
ion with the land of Egypt. Tbe coun
' try possesses no copper, no Iron ore,
oo forests, no precious minerals, and
no good steam coal. It Is fulrly exact
to remark that the country lacks all
the prime prerequisites of modern In
dustriailsm. Agriculture Is virtually
tbe sole source of national wealth
But even In this field the country Is
extremely limited.
AhIw ? Atrln a# Uskllskl. i
Egypt >i practically raining ami
only one-Iwenty-Bfth of the lam) I*
capable of cultivation. Tbeee fertile
regions are sandwiched In between the
Arabian and Libyan deserts. While tne
urea of Egypt, not Including the Hn
dan, la 350.000 square miles. or about
eight Umn the size of the state of
Pennsylvania, only a little more than
12,000 square miles are capable of
cultivation.
Over this relatively small strip of
habitable land the population swarms
some 1,100 to the sqnare mile, whereas
the population of Belgium, the dene
est In Europe, ts 652 to tbe square
mile. Tet, dnplte all this. Egypt la
probably tbe most perfect and exten
sive farming laboratory that tbe world
has yet seen.
from an agricultural standpoint,
the country presents a spectacle of
three uniformities?climate, soil,
moisture. Except for the region near
the north coast, tbe country Is nla
tsaa and frosts are unknown. The
soil la the same, formed by the sedi
ment from Nile water.
Now, uniformity Is precisely the
thing which the American farmer
lacks. The main factor in crop yields
la the weather, and tbe weatbei la
always tbe unknown quantity. The
Egyptian solves his farming equation
by knowing the value of It before be
starts.
With the American fanner, agricul
ture la more or less of a gamble with
nature, whereas the Egyptian farmer
bets on a certainty. Farming, there
fore, In Egypt cornea nearer to being
ao exact science than In any other
Important coontry In the world.
Where Man Surpassed Nature
Is ordinary speech, there Is always
a tendency to personify nature, to
observe that, nature oca this or that
or works according to some welt
or**r,a
thought Is oot exact, we can with J
aome measure of troth apeak of as
ture's intentlona about this planet and
the life which Sonrlabes a poo Its / S,
surface. For example, we may ab- . \ j
serve with truth that nature never --V
Intended Egypt, a comparatively
sterile ond drought-beset country, to
support from Itp soil Its present pop*-'
latlon of nearly 14,000,000 people.
The Ingenuity of man, however, baa ?
contrived by art to supplement the
gifts of nature. Mature ordained that
the Mile should overflow once a year
and flood the agricultural plains of Ha
valley, bestowing at once the *twte ?
gifts of moisture and fertility. When ?
the flood has passed and the water ,<
haa subsided, the farmer sows "5.
seed and grows his annual crop. Tra
ditioually and historically. U la either
a feasf or afamlne In Egypt. For a ,
brief season the abounding flood, to ho
succeeded for the balance of the year
by blexlng suds and killing droughts.
The ingenuity of man has harnessed >
the great river by holding back the
flood of waters daring the freshet
season and doling out these haa- J
banded supplies during the leaa
months of the year. Through tMs
device, streams of living water eaa
be carried every month of the year
to the roots of growing plants. 1
The great stone flam at Aswan Is Or ?
reality the keystone of modern Egypt
This bnge rampurt of masonry, which
retains a 00 foot bead of wator.
weighing 2340,000 tons, la pierced at
Its foot by 180 sluice-gates. Then
gates, kept wide open when the an
nual flood la coming down, lata In tha
summer, are gradually closed when
the crest of the flood haa passed. By
January the reservoir Is full and re
mains so during February and March.
When the supply of water begins
to fall. In the late "spring and early
summer, sluices are opened and stored
water added to the normal dlscntrgw.
Great barrages are thrown a cross
the Mile farther downstream. Then
are masonry obstacles laid across thai
river's course to raise the water la
the stream to the level of the Irriga
tion canals. The Nile barrage, a font
miles below Cairo, Is capable of rais
ing the water level for the Irrigation
I of the entire delta by ai much as IB
IWL,
Crop* Require Lot* el Water.
Perennial Irrigation, aa baa been ex
plained, means an all-Tear supply of .
water to Uie Egyptian farmer. Tb?
huge volume of water required for
Irrigating tbe porous soils of the delta
under (be blazing semltropical saa
may be put at about 20 tons per sera
per duy aa a minimum. Cotton-grew
Ing requires about 20 tons of water
dolly, while rice culture requires <0
tona
Man and bla works In Egypt bare
existed only by grace of the tires
There has always been something
mysterious about tbe annaal rise of
tbe Nile. Such a seemingly slight
thing as a reversal of tbe-winds (hat
sweep In summer across equatorial
Africa from the Atlantic would cut
off the annaal flood and lay waste
the richest agricultural valley la thg
world.
But while the annual floods have,
varied from time to time In volume
they have never In recorded history
been entirely cut off. Tbe apparition *
of the annual rise of tbe Nile Is one
of nature's certitudes, as well estab
lished and as universally accepted ae
the rising and setting of the sob
The ancient Egyptians wets con
tinually casting about for an explana
tion of tbe annual flood, but they
never succeeded la penetrating* to the
heart of tbe mystery. There la as
longer tbe slightest mystery about aj
subject that baffled the Intelligence
of tbe ancient world. The Whits had.
tbe Blue Mle, meeting at Khartum,'
form the great Blver Nile. The sources
of the Nile are, there loco, dual?th^ ?)
one constant, the other variable- > \\J[
The White Nile finds a catchment <
basin In a series ef I thee, of which
the graattat Is Victoria, la neelirthd^. ^