Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1916-04-29

servatfon, they have been locked out
OF use by inadequate laws. American
capital and investors have sought to
develop the water powers and estab-
lish the new industries dependent upon
cheap power, which would make us
free of the Chilean monopoly, but the
laws have said mo" To induce in
yestment in these industries investors
must have assurance Of reasonable Sc
curity and some hope of fair return or
profit, and the laws deny either the
security or hope of return.
To no class of American citizens does
this situation come home so closely,
perhaps. as to the farmers. There is
absolutely no relief in sight from the
high prices of fertilizers or for fertiliz-
ers at all, except through development
of cheap water powers.
Not only does the water power ques-
ton affect the future of fertilizer sup
ply and prices, but it is closely related
to the labor question. For several
years farm labor has been increasingly
expensive and hard TO secure. Immi-
grafton has stopped and is not likely TO
be resumed for years or generations TO
come Europe viii need all the men
she has left after the war Conserya-
ment of unnecessary work and the re-
leasing of wOrkmen for better occupa-
tons.
Our Undevetoped Water Power
The United States figures show that
there is now undeveloped in this coun-
try about 5000, 900 horsepower of wa
fer power. To develop and use even
half of this means conserving the labor
of 100000 men now employed in coal
mining. II applied to furnish power
for present uses it would relieve the
railroads of the United States of the
necessity of transporting more than
100000 tons of coal a year. most OF
il for their own use.
Identification of the railroads means
better and cheaper transportation To
bring 100000 men from the bowels Of
the earth and put them to work in the
sunshine, in factories and on the farms,
means not only new supply of farm
and manufacturing labor, but bettering
the condition of these men and making
this country better place to live IN
from every human point of view.
But to get these results, to get any
development and use OF water power
we first must have federal legislation
use. The United States senate the 9TH
er day passed the Shields bill By a
vote of 46 to %. This measure gives
water power companies the right IN
der careful restrictions to dam nayiga
BILE streams and build power plants
therein. A bill providing for leasing
of power sites in the public domain
has passed the house and is now being
debated in the senate. Certain men
and interests are trying to defeat the
purpose of this constructive and bene-
fetal legislation by loading it up with
unworkable terms and conditions.
They are making charges and state
ments, generally vague and containing
more fnnuendo than argument, intend
ed to create suspicion and mistrust
and prevent legislation. 1t behooves
the American manufacturer, the Amer
lean farmer, the American citizen who
has any direct, indirect or patriotic In
terest in this subject to study this
legislation for himself and arrive at his
own conclusions.
A Suggestion to Citizens.
Instead OF taking the opinion of
somebody else urge every interested
citizen to write to his congressman in
Washington for copies OF the Shields
bill and the Myers bill and read them
carefully. thoroughly. fmpartially and
critically. After reading these meas
ures and making up his mind as to
their merits, I urge him to write his
representative in congress exactly
what he thinks Of them, demanding
their passage IL he thinks them good
bills, and their defeat il he thinks them
bad bills.
Secretary Lane on Water Power.
Under existing conditions, due large
Iy to inadequate laws relating to