Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1916-06-02
MOST IMPORTANT BILL
NOW BEFORE CONGRESS
How Water Power Legislation
Will Build Up the Vast.
BY HENRY L. MYERS,
United States Senator From MontaI

BY HENRY L. MYERS,
United States Senator From Montana.
In my opinion the bill now before
congress for leasing power sites on the
public lands is more important and
fraught with more possibilities of good.
more benefit to our country, than any
other piece of legislation which will be
considered at this session of congress.
This bill proposes to make available
for development and use the cheapest
source of electricity-water power. 1t
offers new hope of wonderful devel-
opment and marvellous possibilities for
new Industries to the great west.
The water powers of that part of the
country are among its greatest re-
sources, and to the present time they
have been almost wholly neglected.
We have stopped developing water
powers because the laws have not been
adapted to their development The pro-
posed legislation will encourage water
power development, Offering reason
able terms and conditions to investors.
while it fully protects the public rights
In this national asset. 1t opens the
door to development on fair terms to
investor and consumer alike and puts
up the bars against speculation in or
exploitation Of the public need for in
dividual or corporate greed.
A few Of the uses to which electrical
power has been put successfully In
recent years and will be applied more
successfully in the next few years to
come are:
Cheap electricity for fuel and power.
light and heat in the cities and on the
farms.
Reclamation by irrigation of vast
areas Of land now idle and useless.
Establishment of new industries,
around which will grow new towns
and cities, creating employment for
hundreds of thousands Of people and
new markets for agricultural products.
New steel and iron industries in
new sections.
Cheapened production Of metal from
low grade ores.
Cheaper agricultural fertilizers and
consequent larger agricultural crops.
One of the greatest benefits which
will arise in the west from this legisla-
ton is the irrigation of arid lands
which are not now susceptible to irri-
cation by the gravity system. 1t is
estimated that there are at least TO-.
100000 acres Of arid lands located in
the far western states lying above the
reach of gravity water that can only
be reclaimed through water raised by
pumps operated by cheap. hydroelec-
trio power now latent and wasting in
the various streams from which the
water would be pumped. In other
words, we can make the water pump
itself on to the land. Given water,
these lands will produce every fruit,
vegetable and grain that Is native to
the temperate zone and are capable Of
supporting population of 100000
people.
With a bill of this kind enacted into
law and in successful operation l be-
lieve capital will become interested to
such a degree in water power develop
ment and power will be produced SO
cheaply that there will be no excuse
for single quarter section of land in
the western states remaining arid and
| unprOductive. Statesmen, economists
and theorists have long sought way
for reducing high cost Of living. In
this legislation l believe lies direct
road to this end.
l am assured that capital is waiting
only for fair legislation Of the kind
contained In this bill to invest in great
water power development that will &C.
cOmplish all the benefits to which
have referred. The establishment of
electrOchemical plants for the fiXatiOn
of atmospheric nitrogen located In
these western states. where there are
mountains of lime. pbosphates and
other minerals and ores awaiting cheap
power for their Manufacture into USE
full products. means among other
things cheaper fertilizer for the whole
country. /:
Here is the opportunity for the farm
ers OF the United States to have put
into their hands the grpntest possible
agency OF reS:c:.H. the fertility Of
their lands increasing their crops and
making this cou:.tr.~ tie stnre.orso If
the world for agricultural products.
Legislation of this character VIII ell
able both the government and individ-
uals to engage IN the business Of the
fiXation of atmospheric. nitrogen. This
will not only ail in tie production OF
fertilizers. bul it may be utilized by
the government: in the manufacture of
munitions of war Now we are depend
ent for our nitric acid. an essential in
explosives. upon the nitrate of soda we
get from Chile. If by war or any other
cause we should he cut off from this
source of supply the United States
would have no way of obtaining at
short notice the materials Of which to
make gunpowder. Imagine the near
sightedness of such situation brought
about by our neglect of our water
powers and our failure to encourage
the great electrochemical industries
which other nations have created to
furnish them with this highly neces-
sary munition Of defense
This message is not only a develop
ment measure and a conservation
measure in the true sense of these
words, but II Is highly important
part of the preparedness program
which should be adopted by congress
for the purpose of putting this country
In position to defend itself against