The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-05-28

NuSc III tudI pcTlUu. ~
Be prompt with the work re spray
ing, thus assuring a g1od crop o
perfect fruit.
THE NATIONAL WATER POWEI
TRUST.
BY Judsp6 G. Welliver in McClures
Indus.fy and transportation use ii
the United States about 1880, O0(
horsepower Of steam and water power
y Of this approximately 5000, 1000 /.
steam, the rest water power.
To produce this steam power, ant
for other purposes, the country burn
ed about Ale, 100000 tons of coal In
1908, which was $4,000, 900 tons less
than in 1907.
For two thirds Of a century the
country's coal consumption has just
about doubled in each decade. This
ratio OF increase is regarded as GER
tain to be maintained in future unless
something besides coal can be devel.
oped to produce power.
On the basis Of this expectation
OF demand, the Geological Survey has
calculated that the country's coal sup.
ply will last for about one hundred
and twenty-five years. That would in.
volve, however, the use Of Goals that
nnderlie veins now commercially
available, and the increase in depth
would mean corresponding increase in
cost.
Plainly, then, there must be found
substitute for coal, or present in
dustrial conditions must be overturn-
ed. Is there such substitute?
A Gigantic New Trust in Sight.
There Is. 1t is found In the great
water powers of the country. And
these are today well on the way to
control, by a trust bigger than any
that has ever been dreamed Of; a
trust that, il it shall be able to carry
out the systematic plans now In hand,
will be as wealthy as if it owned ali
the railroads of the nation with
Standard Oil and United States Steel
on top, and then few score of the
minor trusts tossed In for good meas
ure!
This Is the Water Power trust. Its
existence was first suspected by gov
eminent officials five years ago. Since
then 1t has been gathering in the best
power sites in every part of the coun-
try 1t has subsidiaries that operate
in Canada. 1t has grown to such pro-
portions, and Its purpose to monopo-
lie the water power of continent
has become so plainly apparent, that
President Roosevelt thus referred to
IT, not long ago, In his veto Of the
James River Dam bill:
The people of the country are
threatened by monopoly far more
powerful, because in far closer touch
with their domestic and industrial
life, than anything known to our ex-
perience. A single generation will see
the exhaustion of our natural re-
sources of oil and gas and such rise
In the price of coal as will make the
prices OF electrically transmitted wa
ter power a controlling factor in
transportation, in manufacturing and
industrial, commercial financial and
In household lighting and heating.
President Roosevelt told congress
that thirteen corporations or interests
centering in the General Electric and
the Westinghouse Electric, now con-
troll one third OF the developed water
power OF the country, and added:
This astonishing consolidation has
taken place practically within the last
five years. The movement is still in
its infancy, and unless it is controlled
the history of the oil industry will be
repeated in the hydro electric power
industry, with results far more OBJ
pressive and disastrous to the people. |
1T is true that the great bulk Of our
potential water power is as vet UNI
developed, but the sites which are
now controlled by combinations are
those which offer the greatest advan-
tages and therefore hold a strategic |
position.
Roosevelt's Efforts to Save Power.
President. Roosevelt told Congress
that he would sign no more bills to
give away water powers unless they
contained reservations to the govern
ment of full authority to protect pub
lie interests. He suggested that
definite policy be developed to guide
the government in future; that only
limited grants, In the nature of OPP
lions to improve within reasonable
time, be granted; that authority be
reserved to designated official to re-
woke the grant If the work be not be-
gun or completed as required; that
such official be required to see that in
developing plans, the maximum eff
fectiveness of the water, both for ,
power and navigation be borne in
mind; that license fee be imposed, "
sIl hiact IN adiustmapt CO oe ~ ~
cure control in the public interest;
that every grant contain provision for |
Its termination at a specified time,
when such new conditions may be inn
posed as needs of that period require; /
and, finally, that the grant be for {
'eited on proof that the license has
oined in any combination or con.
'piracy in restraint Of trade.
That message" said President !
Roosevelt, few days after 1t had i