The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-08-21

aaab sAA 90 ~ FtN-A '.-- ---+"+
yeIopmenr. Our pubic lands should
be used for the purposes 20 which
they are best adapted. but not
abused the mines should De made
10 give up their wealth, bu, not
destroyed; the timber should be cut
10 such manner as not 20 wipe out
our forests. and our water powers
shou.l be developed. as We need
them for hundreds Of cNilizing pur-
poses all over the Rocky mountain
and Pacific states
j. J. Browne Of Spokane. presi-
dent Of the Western Conservation
League and head Of a chain OF
banks in Washington and Idaho. ap-
boInted by Mayor Nelson 5. Pratt
as chairman Of a delegation Of five
prominent business and professional
men TO represent the city Of Spo-
kane at the sessions OF the National
Conservation Congress in s. Paul
September to 9. said this IN dis
eusslnc the question Of Jurisdiction
over public lands AM water powers.
TO carry out the ideas Of the
ultra conseryauonists in this matter
II federal control Of our public lands
and water powers. mineral, forest
and othe. natural resources" he ad-
ded would greatly retard the de-
yelopment Of the northwestern and
Pacific states and Alaska, without
adequate compensation TO the nation
as a whole. The average conserva-
ZIONIST has been made to take an
extreme position on this important
question, owing largely to having
cnly one-sded information. But there
is another side, which, in fairness,
ought to be understood.
"The total horsepower of water in
the United States is estimated at
GG,51S 500, and OF this more than
one-thlrd is in Washington, Oregon,
Idaho and western Montana Less
than 100000 horsepower is devel
oped 1t may also be noted that
nearly all the remaining public
lands are located in the Rocky
mountain and Pacific states and in
Alaska. East Of the Mississippi river
are 2O,OO0OOO horsepower of water
and only 1000 600 developed
"In the Columbia river valley. be-
tween the Rocky mountains on the
east ana the Cascades on the west,
there is sufficient water for all pur-
poses of the present day and for
generations to come, including the
operation OF all the railroads and
irrigation projects we shall ever
need all the manufacturing We shall
ever do and all the cities we shall
ever build. That water power is 50
great that if 10000 horsepower of
1t on an average should be devel- !
oped every year it would take 3
400 Yeas before all Of IL would be |
in use, and when once in use it /
would be so for all time. If We were /,
to harness 100000 horsepower a year
It would require more than 2i0 years .
to develop all of it,
Water powers are local and cog-
fined in their operation to compar.
atiyely small areas Each community ,
needs power to manufacture its raw
materials. II the land upon which
these powers are located Is restored .
to entry under existing laws, the
titles for the most part will go 10
bona fide settlers living i'm the sey-
eral communities. and will largely
be developed by local capital Water
powers on public lands are not 20
Gated in cities. but in the wilderness
or In sparsely settled districts, and
il the power should be large me
1t viii take many years for It's fail
No man can affo,d tc
devote his time and money develop
ing such power under a lease.hold
lie needs the title in fee simple
lie is not building for himself alona.
but for posterity
The government should cancel it,, ,
Of those lands and dis
pose of them 10 them people who {
need chem and will use them. In the {
very nature OF the case the'a can
)e no monopoly in this mate, Tha ,
states respectively own the water ;
n the rivers within their oouuia- q
les subject only to the right of
'owe-s and coal and minerals. over ,
o. the state The present policy is p
e,ardng development. and progress {
must soon cease unless it can be
.ay.gation, which is controlled by
DE federal government This p-in-
ip'e Is so generally recognized tha'
very well read lawyer is familiar