The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1916-06-09
.pINCHOT ASKED TO
DEFINE HIS POSITION
Answers Demanded 10 List Of
Pertinent Questions.

uy on conservation questions. has been
challenged hy the Water Power pcsel
.ipucut Association o. define hl, posi-
ilon as io water power legislation and
% explain IA the country why he is
nuascl "a pending legislation % en-
courage lhc development aud use of
water powers Ia mn open letter ad
dressed to the rcnnsy lyauia bun Moos
cr. signed by Harry W Hand chair
mln ot It's executive committee. the
Development association. an erganza
lion Of manufacturers Of water wheels
aud hydraulic and electrical equipment
and supplies. challenges Mr. rmchOtto
he spec inc Ia his charges that certain
hills ~ congress are Va tho interests
nf water power monopolles aud inpro
ducc proof that there Is. as he has al
legged. powerful hobby az work IN
Washington to pass these bills
The letter Is as follows;
"Nou have CHARGED President Wilson
and majority of the members Of the
United states senate with having fail.
eel o. defend public rights IN permit
ting the passage OF the Shields hill an
thorixne water power development ON
uay lgahlc streams.
This association holds no brief Tor
any particular bin and IS anXious only
for legislation that win stimulate new
Industries and national prosperity
through Development aud use of water
poWcr~ nov flowing TO waste We ho.
love the Shields bin to be such meas.
u.n. We holr,c that II offers terms 20
lu'a' whirh viii encourage invest
mont IN water nnwor Development We
believe that tho Endorsement of this
bil by former Secretary of War Garri.
son and by the senate committee and
the fact that among the senators who
voted for us passage after -four weeks
Of exhaustive. debate were representa-
tivcs of the Democratic, Republican
and Progressive parties. while only
twenty-five votes could be mustered
against II, is evidence that the bill
gives fun consideration and protection
to all public rights and interests.
You have written and talked much
about n water power trust. Do not all
students OF economic conditions agree
that the power business Is natural
monopoly and that there cannot be
economic competition In the distrhu.
ton of electric current In any given
locality3
You have complained that the
Shields hill proposes to give away wa
ter powers without compensation. This.
of course. ignores the hig fact that a
large part Of the expenditures in con.
struciion of any dam and power plant
must 80 fer improving navigation and
that this public benefit is TO be rem
dered without cost 10 the government
Without raising this argument, how
ever. why do you want a charge made
by the government for use Of water
power?
I'VE want 10 see the water powers Of
the United States developed and used.
DO you?
"ls Il not a fact that under the Kind
Of restriction and high rentals IN the
present laws. approved hy YOU. deyel
opmcnt has come practically to a stand.
still and no large powers have been or
are being deyelarel IN the national for
eSts and the puhlic DOMAINE
rs It not true that under tie present
gneral dam laws. which do nor ofer
tcrrus attractive 10 capital. only eight
dams and water power plants with a
total development Of less than iioooo
horsepower, aave been built on nav
igahle streams ia the last ten years.
rs Il not a fact that Ia this same
period water powers IN Eurore have
had the greatest era Of Development
known to hiStoryl
40 you not know that rHder the re-
strictive policies II the United States
for ten years past not single electro
chemical plant using water power has
been built in this country. while in the
same years Europe has developed more
than a million horsepower of hydro.
electricity devoted 10 fixation Of at.
mosilheric nitrogen alonei
Are you aware thar restrictive laws
ana water mower failures in this coun-
try have so discouraged investment
that some Of our largest power enter
prises of recent years have had to be
financed ahroads
"Is II not true that. excepting IN the
cases of few of our largest aud most
attractive powers. the margin Of com
petition IS very close between water
power and cheapeued cost and in
creased efficiency Of steam plants
DO you not know that very cheap
power is essential 20 the establishment
Of the eiecirpchemieai. electromeIal-
lnrgical and other new processes and
industries necessary IN this country &
enable us 20 keep abreast of the indus
trial aud agricultural progress Of Other
countries:
Is Il not true that every kilowatt Of
eleeirlciiy produced by wafer power i
the approximate equivalent " twt
pounls of soal saved FOR future con
F sumption
Are you not aware thai every dol
lar. every cent added TO the ceSt q
water power development adds to The
eost of supplying power 70 the con
,nmer decreases the possibilities ol
nroincilon of power cheap enough
anon which 10 build great ncw indus
,ries lessons the margin Of economE
,.,.r..en generating power by water