The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1916-08-04

the supply or nitrogen In tine air IL |
pexhaustible so far as It can be ex
pressed in human terms. Above each
acre OF land Oh the continent there are
"a 600 tons Of nitric acid In the form OF
free nitrogen. Europe Is using l4Oo,ooo
horsepower OF hydrOelectricity TO cap
ture this nitric acid from the air. Ger
many Is waging war with gunpoWdeT
made from the atmosphere and tur.
nishing agricultural fertilizers to her
farmers at one half the price paid by
the American farmer.
The astounding thing In the United
States today is that we do not wake
up and take advantage Of our oppOr-
tunities. Our natural resources, the
richest in the world, are largely neg
lected. or our water powers, when
compare favOrably with those of any
other country, we are using only 10
per cent 1t is said that only per
cent OF our agricultural lands are pro
ductive.
A Waste of Two Billions.
In comparison with the enormous
development and use Of water powers
in Europe not single large hydro
electric plant has been built In the
United States for several years Not
one electrochemiCal plant has been
established in this country. Not an
ounce Of atmospheric nitrogen is being
produced within our borders. In the
last ten years we have by neglecting
our water powers destroyed and vast
ed more than $2OOO,OOO,OOO worth OF
fuel and labor that could have been
saved
The only reason the United States is
40 far behind other civilized countries
in this respect Is that the federal gov
eminent controls the use of our best
water powers. and for nearly ten years.
under mistaken conception of con
servatiOn, they have been locked out
of use by inadequate laws. American
capital and investors have sought to
/ develop the water powers and eStab
fish the new industries dependent upon
cheap power, which would make us
-, free of the Chilean monopoly, but the
laws have said No" 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 fertile,
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 furm labor has been increasingly
expensive and hard to secure. Immi-
grafton has stopped and Is not likely to
be resumed for years or generati lions to
come. Europe will need all the men
she has left after the war. Conserva,
ton OF American labor means abolish
ment Of unnecessary work and the re
leasing OF workmen for better occupa.
lions.
The United States figures show that
there is now undevelOped in this coun.
try about 3aOO000O horsepower of wa
ter power, To develop and use even
half OF this means conserving the labor
OF SOO,oOo men now employed In coal
mining. II applied to furnish power
for present uses II would relieve the
railroads Of the United States of the
necessity OF transporting more than
l1o,O00OO0 tons Of coal a year, most of
II for their own use
Electrihcation of the railroads means
better and cheaper transportation. To
bring SO0oO0 men from the bowels OF
the earth and put them to work In the
sunshine, in factories and on the farms
means not only a new supply of farm
and manufacturing labor, but lettering
the condition OF these men and making
this country better place to live I'm
from every human point OF view.
Hut to get these results, to get any
development and use Of water power
we nrst must have federal legislation
that will open the water powers to
use. The United States senate the 9th
er day passed the Shields bill by a
vote OF Is to - This measure gives
water power companies the right un-
der careful restrictions TO dam naviga
BILE streams and build power plants
therein. hin 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 10 defeat the
purpose Of this constructive and hene
fetal legislation by loading II up with
unavoidable terms and conditions
They are making charges and state
ments. generally vague and containing
more innuendo than argument intend
ed to create suspicion and mistruSt
and prevent legislation. II behooyes
the American manufacturer. the Amer
lean farmer. the American citizen who
has any direct indirect or patriotic In