The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-01-04
kEokuk MUST ACT.

/ kEokUk MUST ACT.
Up to the present the attitude o
keokuk in relation to the water power
has been very largely one of ex
pectancy. Micawber-like, the city ha.
been waiting for something TO turf
/ up" That something has now turned
! up, and Keokuk is in consequence
face TO face with the greatest crisis
in its career. That the power viii
be developed is now assured beyond
all doubt The pros and cons OF build
| ing the big dam and installing genera
/ tors and electrical equipment and
| other accessories OF the great pro
! ject are no longer subjects for dis
cussion. Those matters have all been
! settled and settled right. Almost be-
/ fore we are aware-certainly before
we are prepared for it unless We act
promptly and decisively.-the plant
will be completed and the power ready
for delivery. The question now con-
fronting US is
What disposition is to be made of
the power7
On the answer to this question the
future of Keokuk very largely de-
ponds. The Water Power company
must, of course, have a market for its
product TO make its undertaking COM
niercially profitable. That market
must be found either in Keokuk and
vicinity or in outside communities. If
the power is TO be retained in and
near this city factories must be In
dueed to locate here TO make use OF
It Otherwise il viii have 10 be trans
mitted to other more enterprising COM
munities which will profit by it in
stead of Keokuk. There is no escape
from the issue that thus presents il
self. Keokuk must either fish for
itself or cut bait for other cities and
towns. Engineer Cooper clearly has
faith that Keokuk will rise 10 its oppor-
tunity and meet it as it should be met
This is evidenced ' his refusal 10
contract 10 deliver $4,000 horse power
to an outside community, as stated
in the news columns of The Gate City
yesterday. on the ground that Keokuk
should have the preference Mr. Coop
er's faith in keokuk must he iusti-
ned His expectation must he real
ized-without any 'sifs' or lands. or
butts" or question Of any kind what
ever. 1t would never do for Keokuk.
after all these long. weary, patience
trying years of waiting for the water
power. to fail 10 profit by It to the full
est possible extent But IN order TO
profit by II as it should It must act
act promptly. intelligentiy. decisiyely
and with determination that viii
ensure success.
The first thing 10 do is to resolve;
the next thing is execute, and no time
should be lost IN doing both Other
communities are besieging the Water
Power company for pledges which can
not be denied except on the ground
o. prior pledges TO power TO Keokuk
It is up 10 keokuk 10 make
these pledges and 70 redeem them.
By some means or other mon
ey in large amounts must be raised
and judiciously expended for purposes
Of publicity and in inducing the loca-
ton here Of industrial establishments
which will consume ali the available
power the Water Power company will
have at Its disposal Keokus must
think in larger units than ii mas been
accustomed TO doing. It must also do
things on larger scale than It has
done in the past. None Of its efforts
in the past, good :; s they were In their
way. affords adequate basis Of com.
parison for the efforts that must be
made in future New occasions
teden ne" uulss heoAnk present
occasion is so much greater than any
thing it has known in the past that all
comparison fails. The opportunity is
one for she young men OF the com
munity in particular 10 make them.
selves felt and heard They are not
handicapped by the traditions and prec-
edents of the past. Keekuk leeds all
the enthusiasm and energy and de.
termination it can muster in the pres
ent emergency. With the right effort
New and Greater keokuk is possible
That effort must be made By all means.
and made at once.
1 RAILROAD EARNINGS.