La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1916-07-29
the hope of conserving the fne, sup.

the hope OF conserving the fne, sup
ply;
! III yos are aware OF these fnctS VIII,
iard water power development br add
I Ing rentals. taxes or any other item.
/ unnecessarily 10 it's cost
You and your friends have told ,h,
country thar "A great and powerful
lobby Is at work In Washington To- In.
fuencc water power legislation. witt
the Implication that this influence /.
Improper WIN you. for our inforina.
ton and that OF the public. identify
this lobby. say who composes Il. what
interests they represent and show any
Improper or vicious efforts on its part
to influence legislation;
"You have declared that In taking
over power plants tina, might be built
under the provisions OF the Shields bin
the government would be required TO
pay for an unearned increment 10
lands taken 10y power Of condemnation
granted under the act. As matter OF
fact and of law. ARE you not mistaken
in this declaration;
You charge that the bin does not
protect public rights, because at the
end Of fifty years. In buying the plants
the government would be compelled 10
take over transmission and distribut,
ing systems dependent upon the water
powers for their value Would you
have the government discourage invest
mcut IN such utilities by proposing TO
destroy the value Of these properties u,
the eud Of tifty yearsi II the govern.
ment did buy the generating plant and
not the distributing system. what
would you propose Il might do with
the poweri You may say that the
whole cost Of the plant should he
amortiZed and the property turned over
10 the government free Of cost at the
end Of the period II So do you not
know that the amortization cost would
have TO be added 10 power prices and
would operate 10 discourage water
power development IN the same man.
ner and for the same reasons as would
be the imposition Of any other form Of
rental or taxation adding unnecessarily
to the cost OF power; Also, why should
the present and the next generations
be asked, during the pioneer stage Of
the enterprise. 10 build and pay for 4
plant IN order that future generations
might be given the property free Of
cost and - allowed to enjoy cheaper
power!
We consider use 10 be the highest
form of conservation Of water power
The senate seems 90 agree with this
belief Are you 81 the same opinion :
II not. why uotE II 80. do you not
agree that leEis .atiou which viii en-
courage and stimulate maximum de
velorucu' and Use j. the most desir'
able form - water power legislationf
You seem TO see an improperly In
the fact that hydraulic engineers and
water power mcn-men who know the
water power business been con.
suited by congress about this leSisln'
tion. Whom would you consult to OF
tain the fnctsf II you were going to
build a house. would you employ an
architect OF poet 20 draw the plans
"slnce the sol. aim and purpose OF
this association Is to give the widest
publicity possible 90 all the facts con
corning water powers, In the hOpe that
such publicity win bring about en-.
lightencd public sentiment In favor OF
legislation that viii result In their de-
yclopmont and use. We are giving this
letter 10 the press and invite you to dc
the same with your reply TO these
questions"