The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1914-04-03

mirabiy in steering the middle course
of protecting the conservation idea
and at the same time of telling the
investor what he may expect in the
event he puts his money into water
power development.
In brief, the bill makes the follow
| ing provisions:
1t provides first that any state,
municipality or public service corpor
alton may secure permit to construct
and operate on public lands for a per
lod OF nifty years. To secure such
| privilege, the state or the municipal
Ity or corporation must file it's plans
and specifications and drawings with
the secretary of the interior tor his
approval. If the secretary approves
such application then the applicant
must pay fair price Tor the privilege
accorded. He must pay fair annual
pay. lie must agree to acceed to state
regulation or to governmental regu-
latIon where the state does not act.
o guard against tying power up for
speculative purposes the grantee is
required to begin construction within
two years of approval of his applica-
ton and he must proceed with due
Diligence" to complete the system.
10 us, two years may seem like a
long time, but 1t is none too long to
nnance the large business of hydro
electric power development.
In addition to the above require
ments, the Dill under consideration
requires that power sites OF large pos
stoIlties may not be tied up by de-
veiopIng a small unit or the plant and
tnen hoIding up the price OF power
under guIse OF the law or supply ana
uemanu, out every plant must be de-
veloped TO it's total capacity as
market requirements demand.
Another admirable feature of the
Dill is found IN the scope OF its opera
lion. Under 1t no seLnsh capitalist or
corporation can monopoIze an inn
portant power site ana put it to per-
sonal uses alone to the exclusion OF
the pubic. such corporation may,
however, secure rights unaer this law
ny coming under the regulations pre-
scrlDed and by selling IT'S surplus
power to the public at rates regulated
either by state or the federal govern.
ment. The exception to this rule hes
In the case OF the small power site,
not covered by government with
drawal. such sites can be entered
under the usual land laws.
/ he scope OF the law reaches fur
ther. 1t makes provision also tor the
irrigation district and tor the NUM-
cipanty. In short, any institution
tnat serves the pubic is given a wei.
come and guarantee OF good faith
for fifty years.
AS clrncher to the conservation
idea in which most of us believe, the
proposed law provides that at the .ex-
piration of the ffty-year grant the
government may, at it's opuon, con-
tinue the grant or take the plant by
the payment of fair market price
tor the Improvements.
need not urge upon The Tribune
readers the value of any measure that
will help in the development OF the
tremendous water power resources OF
our state. We have tens of thous-
ands of horsepower of potential en-
ergy running to waste every day,
lhls energy ought to be harnessed
and put to work. The problem is NOT
how to harness this power. We know
how to do that job. The problem is
to harness it at price that will en-
able the farmer to purchase it when
developed. The real problem before
the Gem District is the price of it's
power. What is true of the Gem Dis
trict is true OF other sections of the
state where gravity supply is not
available and where pumping is prac-
ticable.
In state and local way we are
doing what the Jones Bill suggests as
effective in a national way. We arc
public service commissions
TO look after our interests and already
we are congratulating ourselves upon
The results. Under the old regime
The power company charged all it
could get, regardless of the cost of
production. Under the new regime of
public utility commissions the power
will charge in conformity
With the money invested and the cost
II operation. If our public utility
attend to business, then |
very dollar saved the company is |
money in your pocket. If the tones
ill will help us toward our goal by
providing cheaper money and a re-
sulation based upon the cost OF con-
truction and operation, why not give
a boost and help it along by telling |
,ur representatives in congress that |
he bill looks good to us and that We
would welcome their support of the
measure.
Hoping that both you and your ex-
'hanges will recognize the importance
II the measure to Idaho and that we
nay all boost for the measure in the
interest of much needed legislation, |
m
Very truly yours,
CHARLES MeCOARD,
1omedale, Idaho.
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