The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-04-02
WATER POWER VELOPMENT
by Herman q. WaIker.l

| There are two great conservation
bills before congress. the passage OF
which means so much to the econ
cmic welfare of the United States
! that they are entitled, | believe, to
your careful consideration and earn
est support These are the bills for
enabling and encouraging development
Of the unused waterpovers in the nav
! igable streams and in the public do
main. Because Of widespread miEin-
formation and misunderstanding con
corning the waterpower business, and
because OF misrepresentation in many
minds as to the kind of legislation
necessary to bring about waterpower
development, there is danger that
these bills may be passed in such
form as will defeat their main pur-
pose. and actually discourage water
power Development instead OF encour-
/ aging II. I'D.
4 To secure waterpower develop
ment by private enterprise, terms
and conditions must be such as
/ will attract investment. With Europe
Impoverished by war. development
must be financed here, and WATERFOWL
er securities must compete with other
forms of investment Under present
laws, for several years past. water
power development IN the United
States has been practically at stand
still A few comparatively small pow
ers have been developed in the west,
/ in the national forests and national
parks in localities where growth OF
city utilities or need for irrigation, or
both. have created high priced mar
ket. Or where conditions have other
wise been exceptionally favorable. No
large hydro-electrc plants have been
built in recent years. Recent reports
. Of the forest service show that the
average size OF power plants built in
the national forests under the present
reTocabie permit system is less than
5000 horsepower, and that permits
have been issued for large develop
ments aggregating more than 1,500'oeo
horsepower, OF which none has been
built or is being built I know from
personal investigation that efforts to
finance these larger plants have fail
ed. and that they cannot be built IN
DER present laws
IN ten years past, only eight water
power plants. asgregating less than
IL. 900 horsepower. have been built
upon our navigable streams under the
general dam acts Of 1906 and 1910
| President Wilson, Secretary Lane
and committees Of both houses OF
both houses Of congress, after careful
STUDY. have announced their belief
I that new laws are cessary TO stimu-
late waterpower development.
! During the last ten years. l.2oe,ooO
/ horsepower 0. hydroelectricity mas
( teen developed IN Europe for use III
atmospheric nitrogen estAD!tshmehls.
/ Of which We have not one In this couh-
try. A number Of large enterprises OF
/ this nature have been planned In re-
cent vears. IN the south and the VeSt'
/ but they cannot be financed under
/ present lava The stagnat!on in wat
| erpower Development 10 not only vast
ing unnecessarily our frel siIpDly, but
/ fs preventing the establishment OF
new industries and putting the brakes
on national prosperity. One large
I factory with 22.00s.S00 invested IN
buildings and machinery especially Dc
| signed for making water whesis, vas
shut down for ten months Last year,
and has exactly one small wneei a.
present under construction IL 10 eht''
mated that more than 2,5fs sDziheSIH
in the United StstcE, formerly employ
ed in hydraulic construction, are nov
out Of work.
! We are talking of military prepar'
edness, but are wholly dependant ipoh
foreign supplies OF saltpetre from
which to make nitric acid, an ess@h,ial
7 in the manufacture Of explosives, o"f
farmers are paying tribute 70 ia.
Chilean monopoly On every pound "
nitrates used in agricultural 'ertiiH'
ers. Capital Will not build me vsps'.
powers necessary 70 the estab3i.f'n'"ht
Of electrochemica1 fnduztrts> rnlNh
and Industrial Independence, bscsnss
I present laws do not guaranty sscsf,t5
Of investment or offer hope ~ reasSn'
able return It is beIfevef by men
who know the practical ride OF tSs .