The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1916-03-06
KLAMATH FALLS, OREGON
MONDAY, MARCH 9, 1919
CONSERVATION AN ECONOMIC
WASTE

WASTE
~ IFFORD PINCHOT and othe
~ politicians are now bending ev
|, cry effort to force legislation through
the United States senate forevermor
tying up the water powers of th'
Western water power states. Their,
is no ground for their argument tina
it is necessary to do this to preven
the people being robbed by power
companies, for the simple reason tha
the power companies no longer have
the rate making solely in their hand:
alone, their rates are under the juris
diction Of state and interstate com
merce commissions. Why have the
government take over all the water
powers Of the Western states and moi
take over the undeveloped coal fields
of the East? Why remove from de-
velopment one Of the Vests greatest
/ industrial assets, water power, and
leave coal free to private develop
ment in the East. Theoretical poll
ticians like to conserve" other peo-
pies resources, but they don't try 1t
on themselves at home. It would be
interesting to know how much taxes
Clifford Pinchot and his political
friends pay In the states of Washing
ton, Oregon and California, where
they are doing their best to tie up in
dustrial development.
Now is the time to turn the spot
light Of publicity on these theorists,
and show what they are really trying
to do to our resources, and how they
are driving capital away from our
borders. Under Pinchot's policies 81
per cent of the area of the state of
Oregon is untaxed. leaving 43 per
cent to pay the running expenses Of
the whole. Now this policy is to be
further extended by the so-called con-
servatioA of their water powers. This
does not tend to bring capital here to
develop cheap power.
George L. Walker in the Boston
Commercial of February 18th, says:
IF this country is to 90 ahead indus
trially, an immense amount of me-
chanical power must be developed. Is
Is better that the coal deposits or the
waterfalls should be conserved? One
or the other must furnish the power
for the country"
Mr.. Pinchot thought the coal meas
ures Of Alaska should be conserved;
also the forests; and now the water
powers. The rest of US in the United
States do not agree with him fully,
and therefore it would seem to be up
to him to remove his place of resi-
dence to the interior of South Amer
lea or Africa. where everything is
being conserved.
II there is anyone left who has the
courage to invest his capital in the
development and equipment of wa
ter power in the United States, he
given the privilege of doing SO. and
he should also be awarded a medal
for bravery.
That water powers or anything else
should be operated at cost for the
alleged benefit Of the Ieople" is a
figment of the Imagination. Profits
are just as essential to Industrial and
material progress as food is to a
growing child.
II the full product of industry were
divided equally among those who take
part in its production there would be
no fund with which to build for the
future. Until there is a sufficient ac-
emulation to pay for clearing the
land. providing the seed and cultivat-
ing the plants. there can be no har-
vest, and a part of each crop must be
saved for seed and to feed the work
ers until harvest time the following 1
rear.
The population of the United States
8 increasing, and the only way to pro-
,ide for the growing numbers of peo-
lie with food, raiment and shelter is
~ the development Of the country's
natural resources, the extension OF Its
Industries and the continuing increase
4 its production.
A relatively small portion Of the
'rofits of industry is wasted by the
ich on luxuries and extravagance;
'ut more than three-quarters Of all
et earnings are reinvested. and the
rofts thereon reinvested In such
ray that the public gets the full ben.
at to the last dollar.
Fortunately approximately all of
be profits 80 far made in this coun-
~ have been invested at home. A.
sr they begin to be invested abroad