Our American Cousins | Fed oh Misinformation Wm Vie With £hglancF* Beit American Farm Journal Gives Extraordinary Editorial Which Invites Comment From Our Hydro Electric Province THE FACTS FOR OUR READERS Under a prominent heading an American farm journal ("Successful Farming") glres Its readers some strange information. The article is headed as follows: ONE-THIRD OF FARMS ARK MODERNIZED Then comes the bald statement: One out of every three New York State farm* uses electricity. It Is also shown that each home has an average of 23 outlets, 12 tor each tenant home and 9 for the barn. The editorial continues: "There were 860 motors on 1,181 farms, near- ly 30 per cent, of which were of quar- ter horsepower and the great majority were of one horsepower or less, used mostly tor milking machines, pump- ing, cream separating, sbo{)work, etc. "Aside from lighting, electricity is most used In these New York homes for irons, vacuum cleaners and wash- ing machines. And in decreasing number used for toasting, battery charging, curling Irons, heaters, per- colators and sewing machines. Less frequent use Is made of electric pads, stoves, grills, tans, waffle Irons, hat plates, ranges and refrigerators. "It would seem that these New Yorkers have stuck pretty closely to the cheaper equipment and the uses that most relieved the workers from drudgery. If It were not for this fac- tor, refrigerators should stand well at the head of the list, and fans have a very important place. Only about a fifth of them are pumping water by this efficient method. "In other states or localities the equipment will vary according to the way In which equipment has been made popular by salesmanship or demonstration, or perhaps buying ability." Worthy of Comment If thi.s journal did not have any Canadian circulation one might simply pats the article by with a shrug and a smile, but many Canadians will see it, and the editor of this page cannot retrain from comment. U.S. Authority (?) Quoted A certain Professor A. E. Stewart o( the United States has recently been in the public eye owing to the publi- cation of a pamphlet striving to point out how much better privately oper- ated electrical production plants are than publicly-owned projects. In this pamphlet he failed adequately to bring out the accomplishments of the Ontario electrical undertaking, effect- ing certain comparisons, on the basts of percentage of farms served, be- (\.t'en Ontario and some of the States of the Union. Doesn't Mention N.Y. State Of the States cited by this writer, the State showing the greatest per- centage of farms using electricity was rialifornia, where the extensive use of electric power for Irrigation pumping has simplified the difficulties of rural ♦electrification. Even in the case of California, however, only 23 per cent, ot the farms were reported as using •"loclricity. In the other States men- tioned, llie percentages ranged from 7 per cent, to 2 per cent. The per cent, of farms • using electricity in New Yorlc State was not even mentioned, and it :?oems certain that if the figure had been 33 per cent., or even one- tenth of that amount, it would not have been omitted by Professor Stew- art. For the whole of the United States. Professor Stewart estimated that about 2.6 per cent, of the farms were electrified, and as this includes California and the other selected States, it seems clear that the per cent, of farms receiving electrical service in New York State must have been very small indeed. The^ New York State Public Serv- ice Commission has jurisdiction over ail electrical utilities serving con- sumers in the State, but. In the ex- tensive statistical reports published by it, rural consumers -are not re- garded as being sufficiently numerous to justify separate classlllcatlon. Ontario's Rural Service The rapid extension of facilities for electrical service In rural Ontario Is a noteworthy source of satisfaction to all who have at heart the best in- terests of the Province as a whole, and agricultural Industry In particu- lar. Every since, in 1910, the Hydro- Electric Power Commission of On- tario began to transmit power from Niagara Falls over the first sections ot Its transmission lines, the problem ot providing electrical service in rural districts has been studied. Various means of overcoming the handicap ot high cost ot service which la inherent in territory where consumers are so much more widely separated than in the cities and towns, were investi- gated, and the first rural lines were constructed in 1912. It was not, how- ever, until some years later that the co-operation of the nirmers and of the Provincial Government had been en- listed to such an extent that a really rapid expansion ot the service was possible. Some Startling Figures The activity that has been in evi- dence in recent years may be illus- trated from figures taken from the Annual Report ot the Commission for 1927. To the end of that year, rural primary lines totalling 3,100 miles in length, and costing over |8,600,OO« had been approved tor construction. Ot these, over 2,900 miles were in actual operation, «ervlng 25,000 consumeri, distributed over an area of about 12,- 000 square miles In 211 townships. It 1b planned to construct, in 1928, and probably In subsequent years, addi- tional- rural lines at the rate ot about 1,000 miles per year. Extensions can be made from the power lines that traverse the Province wherever there are thre farm consumers or the equiv- alent for each mile ot line needed to distribute the electrical energy. The Cost of Power As in the case of the towns and cities, service is given at cost, with the additional advantage In the case of rural power districts, that the Pro- vincial Oovernment, aa part of its pol- icy of assisting agriculture in various ways, makes a grant towards a part ot the original cost ot constructing the lines, which reduces the Interest an dsinking fund payable by the farm- era. The average charge for rural consumers in 1927 amounted to about |4 per month. Considering that the service, in a large portion of cases, Included lighting ot barns aa well as houses, the operation ot motors tor such farm work as feed-chopping, milking, separating, sUo-fllling and water pumping, and also In many cases, an electric range, and other household appliances, the average charge ot %i is remarkably reasonable. Out ot the revenue derived at these rates, however, the Hydro-Electrlo Power Commission pays all expenses of producing and delivering the power, pays off a part ot the original cost of all the equipment used, from the generating station to the last distri- bution transformer, and has a sub- stantial surplus In hand that can be returned to the consumers. Last year, there was returned in cash about $230.- 000, from the surplus of previous years. Users Benefit It is found that, when a rural power district la first built, some of the farm- era are hesitant about taking the serv- ice, and others do not make full use consumers enter Into contract with ot it. In a short time, however, more the Commission, and all soon find it profitable to extend their use ot elec- tricity. Under service at coat, the effect is to reduce the charges, as is clearly seen from the figures in the report. While the "service charges" tor farmers in the "light farm service" class, for example, may be as high as $4.55 a month in some ot the newer districts, yet in the older districts the "service charge" may be as low as $2.50 per month for the same classifi- cation. It Is anticipated that this ten- dency to increase the use of this bene- ficial service, as well as to reduce the cost, will characterize future opera- tions In the field ot rural electrical development In the Province ot Ontario. So, on the whole, Ontario conH)ares not so badly with any State In the Union to the South. The Canada Year Book, 1927-28 Th« publication of the Canada Tear Book. 1927-2S, is announced by the Qeneral Statistic* Branch ot the Do- minion Bureau o< Statlstlca. ThiM comprehensive voluma, which Is now ready for publlo distribution, ia the olBoial statistical annual deallnc with the resources, history, Inatltntlona tlon, dealing with general education, technical and higher education; (H) Public Health and Donevoloace; (13) Administration, Including subse<y tlona dealing with the admlnstratloa of publlo lands, national defence, pnbllo works. Indian affairs, soldiers' olTll re-eatabllsbment end mlscellane* oug administration; (14) Sources of LATEST AND LARGEST ZEPPELIN IS CHRISTENED The L-127, which Its German builders hope will cross the Atlantic with passengers, before the English complete the R-lOO, now building. Alsatian Chief Is Released M. Poincar^ By ->- New Mayon Crater Terrorizes Filipinos Villagers at the Volcano's Base Flee Beore Flowing Lava £is the Elarth Rocks Manila (Sunday). â€" Belching tons of lava, the volcano Mayon early to-day was In the throes ot Its worst erup- tion since 1900, with a series ot earth shocks rocking the countryside and spreading terror over the western portion of Albay Province. Hours after the first molten rock shot high into the air the lava flow and earth rumblings continued. At the first sign ot renewed activity natives fled and, with the disturb ance continuing, the taw remaining Inhabitants ot the little town ot Ll- bog, near the foot ot the mountain, moved to safety. As molten rock, flre and ashes shot skyward from a new crater which opened yesterday about 500 feet from the summit, women and children paraded the streets of Legaspl, their song sand prayers for divine protec- tion mingling with cries ot alarm. When lava from the new crater hit the base of the mountain it splashed a quarter of a mile. A vast area slowly was being cover- ed as the lava flowed to lower levels. Considerable damage had been done in the higher country and a stream has been dried up by the hot liquid rock. Mayon began eruptions ot serious proportions in June and continued until early July, when the disturb- ance apparently had been ended. At that time Governor General Stlmson visited the province to inspect the situation and added his assurance to that ot scientists that the worst of the cycle ot eruptions had passed. Thousands of natives who had fled at the flrst rumbling then gradually fll- tered back to their homes. « If the colleges are going In for In- tellectual championship contests, some provision should be made for the lightweight class. â€" SprlngQeld Republican. Dr. Ricklin, Leader of Au- tonomists in Chamber, Receives a Pardon Paris. â€" President Gaston Der- mergue. at the Instance ot the French Government, has pardoned Dr. Rick- lin, leader ot the Alsatian Autono- mists, whise condemnation to prison at the Colmar trials last May aroused a furore In France and whose elec- tion to Parliament created consterna- tion In Government clrclea. Three other Autonomists Imprisoned at the same time have been recently set tree, and that action Is regarded as among the most courageous which the Gov- ernment has taken since Raymond Poincare has been Premier. Thus Poincare follows Britain's methods with subject rebela. Smutts and Botha ot recent date made true im- perial subjects. So, France will find, win these Alsatians. These Alsatians, however. In the course of their trial, pleaded that their demands tor an autonomius govern- ment In Alsace was the limit of their wishes and that never did they desire Alsatian withdrawal from France. They reiterated that they had fought the Germans on the same point as strongly as they have opposed the complete absorption into France. Following the armistice there have b'een French governments which have admittedly proceeded too fast In try- ing to make all Alsatians good French- men. The efforts were too strenuous to teach French to the Inhabitants who knew only German, and to break up a system ot confessional schools which applied to Alsace and not to France. M. Poincare saw that Alsace must be absolutely a part ot France, but that the process ot assimilation must be gradual. The Alsatians could be encouraged and were ready to be loyal French- men, but could not be bullied. Wisely, Mr. Poincare has busied himself re- versing the mistaken policies and haa promised that the Government would "respect their traditions and customs and preserve so long as they had the desire their school and religious sys- tem, namely the confessional and bi- lingual instruction and a regime ot the concordat." M. Poincare went further and ap- pointed an Alsatian, Alfred Oberklrch, Undersecretary of State to advlae on Alsatian matters. Finally he has al- lowed the sentenced Alsatian leaders to go tree. In every way the Govern- ment has shown its good will, and though there may be some grumbling now, it the Alsatians are wise and show In Parliament their sole wish is to be thorough Frenchmen, the past win be forgotten and the Alsatian problem may quite probably be com- pletely liquidated. Certainly a splen- did beginning has been made. and socal and econooilo conditions of ! Statistical and Other Information Ro* the Dominion. The present adltlon j lative to Canada, with lists of tha haa been thoroughly ravlsed through- pub Ucationa of Domiuio* and ProT- out and Includea In all Ita aaotlona ! Inclal Oovernment Depart uicnta. In* the latest Information up to the date , eluding those of tho Dominion Bureau of going to preaa. ot Statistics; and (15) The Annuai The present laaue of tho Year Iteglster, 1927. with a review of re- Book extends to 1,100 pages, and is cent Dominion and Provincial legla- dlvlded Into fifteen sections, aa fol- ^ Intlon. principal events of the year Iowb: â€" (1) Physiography, Including and Important extracU from tho Can- the geography, topography, geology, , *da Gazette. climate and natural resources of. Among the new taatures Irioorporatf Canada: (2) History and Chronology, ed In tho present edition <>! the Lear Including a chronology of Canada by Book are the following: â€" Ji. special years since 1497; (3) Constitution article on the Climate of Canada, con- and Government, with an account ot trlbuted by Sir Frederic Stupart, the history of the Dominion Parlla- Director of the Meteorological Ser- ment and the Dominion franchise; (4) vice of Canada; a summary of tho Population, including summary fig- results of the census of the Prairie ures of the census of 1921, and a do- Provinces, taken in 1926; Improved tailed treatment of vital statistics and statistics of immigration, including Immigration, together with a state- the languages, natlonalltes and blrth- ment on Immigration policy; (5) places of immigrants; preliminary re- production. Including a general aur- suits of the census of manufactures I very of Canadian production and sec- for 1926 as well as detailed analyses I tlona dealing with agriculture, fores- of these statistics for 1925; an ex- i try. furs, fisheries, mines and miner- tended discussion of Canadian trade; ' ala, waterpower, manufactures and a summary of the first authoritative i construction; (6) Trade and Com- statement on the tourist rade of Can- I merco, giving details ot Canadian ada; maerial on the traffic and the I foreign trade and of Interprovlnolal financial opsltion of the Canadian Na- I and locaJ trade; (7) Transportation tional Railways; a special article on j and Communications, with subaectlnns Canadian legislation respecting Com- on government control over transport- bination in Restraint of Trade, by the By R. J. Deachman. | ^tlon agencies, steam and electric Registrar of the Combines Investiga- This is the open season tor Trade : ra,i.^3yg gjpress companlea, roads tlon Act; an important study of the Treaties. Minister of Fhianco Robb g^j highways, motor vehicles, air wagea statistics collected at the has put through a few more. Finan- j navigation, canals, shipping and Cenaua o 1921 ; he results of a new clal experts on the other aide ot the , navigation, telegraphs, telephones and studv of the national wealth of Can- Houae cry "Ruin!" The cry ia a bit p„st ^f^^^. (g) Labor and Wages, ;n- ada as In 192.5. The appendix con- far fetched. Tho fountains ot the j eluding an account of the Dominion tains figures ot immigration and of Great Deep will not be broken up be- 1 ^^^ Provincial Departments ot trade for the fiscal year ended March cause we increase either our exports Labor and the International op.ra- 31, 1928. The volume, which ia iUus- .'.°'v.°'' ^"fv-i^f/^^! ',^!â„¢..?^°'^*'°"^'°''"<'°' Industrial combinations and cur- trated by many more maps and dia ^^^^ wages, as well as wages stalls- grams than in previous years, also Canada's Treaties vakla, Esthonia or Portugal. Our Trade Treaties. We have made a number of Trade tics based on the census of 1921; (9) includea an Index with some 4,000 . Prices, Including wholesale and retail page-references, and an eight-page Magistrate: "You say the plalntifll is a relative ot yours?" Witness: "Yes, by bigamy." Treaties in the past andthey seem ; prices, security prices and prices of Statistical Summary of the Progress to have done some good. Our trade ; garvlces ; (10) Finance, with detailed of Canada since 1871. with those countries is In a reaUy : treatments of Dominion, provhiclal I The Year Book is obtainable from prosperous condition. Canada has ^nd municipal finance, national ' the King's Printer, Ottawa, at tho treaUea or has admitted to treaty , ^^^^1, ^nd income, currency and price of $2.00, this figure covering privileges, France, Belgium, Holland ,,aj,king_ ^nfl Insurance; (11) Educa- merely the cost of paper and binding, and Italy, and a number of others. I ^-^^^ â- ^ â- The United States, on the other hand. ^ . , , ^ ^ , ^ ^ ] . ^, ,,t , lj . .. J J J ,, 1 ._ ., porta as fairly stationary â€" In Canada treaties would be welcome â€" broaden- has a stand-and deliver- tariff. No :. , / , r u »i, . . .i. . ,.. u u , , . ,. J I there Is a sharp increase. In both 1 Ing out th existing ones would be a concessions are made to anybody. *_, , .^ , ,no., ,uii, x^ • ,.,«>.iu â- r^^^ „„,.v „„ .K» M.„„™ ^v.L ,JL 1 countries imports are up. In 1922 the , help. Every stone knocked off high tariff walls helps forward National development. ,> England's Green and Pleasant Land New Statesman (London): By what process or machinery can we They work on the theory that the foreigner pays the tariffs. Mr. Dooley exploded that long ago when he said: "Yis, the forlner pays, providin' he gets past ElUa Island!" It Is not difficult to determine what haa really happened In regard to our United States Imported 49c tor every dollar of exports â€" Canada, 48c. In 1927, the United States imported 70c for every dollar ot exports â€" Canada 60c for every dollar of exports. The Credit Balances Then, having failed in all other right. How we sell our birthright In disposing ot wheat out ot which the "Dagoes" make macaroni, is a problem which we prefer to leave to others. If a part of our birthright goes with each bushel, wouldn't the same amount of birth-right go out with a bushel of "Yankee" wheat? Nineteen hundred and twenty-two. the comparative imports and exports posed ot agricultural products. In of Canada and the United States with 1927. tho exports were $21,341,116, ot France, Belgium. Holland and Italy | which $16,445,885 were agricultural in 1922 and again In 1927, we will ; productsâ€" in othur words, our exports Treaties with different countries. We ' arguments, the apostle's misery pro- can get a clear Idea, by making com- 1 ceeded to tell us that anyway. If we arrest the devastation of England, parisons between Canada and the davg increased our exports, it Is only , prevent the absorption ot fields. United States. We can alao go back | in agricultural producta and these, of , woods and downs, and make certain to the days before those TreaUes were ^ course, make no difference. Glance the means ot access for the towns made and note the changes which back tor a moment at the figures In I populations to open country? In none have taken place since. It ia custom- 1 the story. In 1922. we had In round ! of the three speeches at Winchester ary to suggest that we have been In figures, a credit balance in our trade ! In which he touched upon the theme the habit of giving away our birth- 1 with these four Treaty countries ot [ â€"nearest, perbaps, of all themea to $22,000,000. That is, after paying for [ his heartâ€" did Mr. Baldwin hint at a our Imports from these countries we positive policy. . . He has himself pro- had $22,000,000 of a credit balance , claimed that the period ot grace tor available for the purchase of other the English countryside Is briet en- things. In 1927, our balance was $32.- ough. In these columns last year 000,000. Nor were all our exports ; year the suggestion was made that agricultural producta. The Belgium ' the conservation of the English coun- convention was made in the fiscal try, being a national concern, can be year of 1924. We shipped to Belgium dealt with only by a national author- as everybody knows, was the bottom i that year, goods to the value of $17.- ! ity, within or allied with, the Ministry of post-war depression. If wo take j 452,442, ot which $11,850,206 was com- j of Health. It there is an alternative, what is it? It there is none, why should not the present Prime Minis- ter, more closely identified with this vital interest than any of his pre- decessors, resolve to face the chal- lenge while the power remains in his hand.s? .} BLOTTO I If you dislike stories about tipsy men, then do not read this one. It concerns the man who phoned his hostess that he was very drunk Indeed and had decided not to coma to her formal dinner that night. She implored him- â€" he Is a wit and a handsome fellow â€" to plunge into a cold bath, for her sake, and appear somehow or other. An hour later ho I did appear, clad, tho hostess was re- lieved to see. In the conventional things and able to carry hlmaelf oft as brilliantly as ever even to a happy phrase when he took his departure. Thust she was greatly surprised to receive a note from him the next after- noon, written iu obvious distress. Ho was so sorry, ho wrote, and he begged her forgiveness for aomethlns which was. he realized, unforgivable, but he had been suddenly called ont of town on urgent business the day before and that was why ho had not been able to attend her dinner. have an Idea as to tho relative prog- ress made by the two countries during thia period: Canadian and American Trade With France, Belgium, Holland and Italy Exports of United States 1922 ....$602,353,364 1927 .... 624.865,134 Exports of Canada 1922 .... $45,488,260 1927 82,190,104 Imports of United States $296,848,737 436,116,177 Imports of Canada $22,171,140 49,083,598 You will note from these figures that exports from the United States to the countries named increased in the period by more than 3 per cent. Ex- ports from Canada went up over 80 per cent. Total Increase ot exporta from the United Statea amounted to over $22,000,000. From Canada In the same period, exports Increased over $30,000,000. On the other hand, Am- erican Imports increased $140,000,000. Canadian imports by approximately $26,000,000. It Is interesting to note that United States flgurea reveal ex- of products other than "crude agricul- tural" are now almost double what they were before the Treaty, or ex- ports of non-agricultural producta in- creased as much during three yeara of treaty operation aa In all previous times. The world's trade continues to grow from generation to generation. Yet the world to-day, ia only at the beginning of commercial development. We shall laugh a generation hence at the puny volume ot the nation's busi- ness as transacted to-day. Of course, it l» quite true that the Treaties are not of tremendous Im- portance. They are however, minute tiny Infinitesimal lowerlngs of the blockade ot production which stifles our growth and checks the progrssa of agriculture, mining and manufac- turing. No one could criticise tliom, save in the sense that they do not go far enough to do much good. The arguments used against them In the House of Commons are senseless be- yond words. Still, members of Parlia- ment must have their fling â€" the com- mon people take a eauer view â€" more Our- Royal Family Are True Lovers of Sport QUEEN MARY AND KINQ GEORGE WATCH HELEN WILLS WIN AT WIMBLEDON Prince Arthur of Connaught, the Earl of Athione. Queon Mary of Kngland (who is seldom seen wearing spectacles), tbe Countess of Athione, King George anil at the extreme right, Lady May Cambridge, at th« final matches when Helen Wills won for the second consecutive year. The travelling man opened tho tele- gram and read: "Twins arrived to- night, more by mail." -4- Etiquotte note in English papoi^â€" "You may tilt your plate Hiightiy if you need to, but always away front you; don't try to scoop up the very last drop. And never break your bread or roll In your soup." The following schoolgirl '. jwlers are genuine and were given liy some pupils in a school near Cape Town: "A mammal is the female of all things except worms and Insects"; "Hooted mammals are such aa oxen. Their feet are hoofed to assist them fn olimblng"; "Bats are very blind an4 ^^ especially attracted by the light.*