Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1916-05-06
'PINCHOT ASKED TO
DEFINE HIS POSITION
Answers Demanded to List of
Pertinent Questions.


challenged by the Water Power Devel-
opment Association to. define his, posi-
ton as to water power legislation and
to- explain to the country why he Ia
opposed to pending legislation to en-
courage the development and use of
water powers. In an. open letter ad-
dressed to the Pennsylvania Bull Aoos-
err, signed by Harry W., Hand. chair
man Of its executive committee. the
Development association, an organiza-
ton OF manufacturers OF water wheels
and hydraulic and electrical equipment
and supplies. challenges Mr.. Pinehot to
be specific in his charges, that certain
bills in congress are in the interests
OF water power monopolies and TO pro-
duce proof that there is, as he has al
legged, q powerful lobby at work in
Washington to pass these bills.
The letter is as follows:
"You have charged President Wilson
and a majority of the members of the
United States senate with having fail
ed to defend public rights in permit
ting the passage of the Shields bill au-
thorizing water power development on
navigable streams.
''This association holds no brief for
any particular bill and is anxious only
for legislation that will stimulate new
Industries and national prosperity
through development and use OF water
powers now flowing to waste. We be-
lieve the Shields bill to be such a meas
ure. We believe that it offers terms to
capital which will encourage invest
ment in water power Development. We
believe that the Endorsement OF this
bill by former Secretary Of War CARR
son and by the senate committee and
the fact that among the senators who
voted for its passage after four weeks
of exhaustive debate were representa-
tfves of the Democratic, Republican
and Progressive parties, while only
twenty-five votes could be mustered
against it, is evidence that the bill
gives full consideration and protection
to all public rights and interests.
you have written and talked much
about a water power trust. Do not all
students of economic conditions agree
that the power business is a natural
monopoly and that there cannot be
economic competition in the distribu-
ton OF electric current, in any given
locality?
3You have complained that the
Shields bill proposes to give away wa
ter powers without compensation. This.
of course, ignores the big fact that a
large part of the expenditures i'm con-
structfon OF any dam and power plant
must go for improving navigation and
that this public benefit is to be rem
deFed without cost to the government.
Without raising this argument, how
ever, why do you want a charge made
by the government for use OK water
power?
"We want to see the water powers of
the United States developed and used.
Do you?
''Is it not a fact that under the kind
Of restriction and high rentals in the
present laws, approved by you, devel-
Opment has come practically to stand
still and no large powers have been or
are being developed in the national for
ests and the public domain?
SIS it not true that under the present
gneral dam laws, which do not offer
terms attractive to capital, only eight
dams and water power plants. with a
total development Of less than 10000
horsepower, have been built on nav
igable streams in the last ten years7
lis it not a fact that in this same
period water powers in Europe have
had the greatest era of development
known to history?
do you not know that under the re
strictive policies of the United States
for ten years past not a 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 to fixation of at
mospheric nitrogen alone?
Are you aware that restrictive laws
and water power 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 abroad?
SIS it not true that, excepting in the
cases of few of our largest and most
attractive powers, the margin of COM
petition is very close between water
power and cheapened cost and in
creased efficiency of steam plants?
do you not know that very cheap
power is essential to the establishment
OF the electrochemical, electrometal-
lurgical and other new processes and
Industries necessary in this country to
enable us to keep abreast of the indus
trial and agricultural progress of other
/ countries?
rs it not true that every kilowatt of
| electricity produced by water power is
the approximate equivalent of two
/ pounds of coal saved for future con-
sumption?
Are you not aware that every dol