The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1916-05-04

nitrate of soda from the deserts or
Chile. where in the course of past ages
nature has imprcgnated great beds oil
soda with atmospheric nitrogen. Until
few years ago the whole civilized
world depended upon these Chilean
nitrate deposits for its supply Of salt
peter. nitric acid and ammonia. To-day
the United States relies mainly upon
this source. and American manufacture
ers and farmers pay tribute to the
Chilean government. which collects an
export duty of 60 per cent on the prod
uct to the tune of upward of s,..OOO.-
coo year. Even at this cost the Chill
can supply is giving out. and we must
face the prospect of still higher prices.
The total export of saltpeter in 1850
was 10000 tons. In 1915 it was nearly
2,O00,O0O tons. Robert Kennedy Dun
can. late professor of chemistry In the
University of Kansas. says the best de
posits of saltpetre in Chile will be ex-
hausted by 1925. Then what are we
to do for ammonia and nitric acid!
In the process of cOking coal some
ammonia is obtained as a byproduct.
but this is only Il drop in the bucket as
compared with our national needs. and
to burn coal primarily for the produc
ton of ammonia means fuel waste
and cost that is unthinkable.
Nitrogen From the Air.
From where, then, is our future sup
ply to come? !"
n ~ nnnSfinn
as 1t answers most questions. Other
civilized nations more progressive than
we have accepted the aid of science
and freed themselves from the Chilean
monopoly, saved their coal. increased
their supply of fixed nitrogen and re-
duced its cost by Harvesting their wa
ter powers, converting into electricity
the energy in flowing waters and using
this cheap electricity to burn the oxy-
gen out of the air and change the free
atmospheric nitrogen into forms of
acids and compounds available for
chemical. manufacturing and agricul-
tural uses.
The supply of nitrogen in the air is
inexhaustible so far as 1t can be ex
pressed in human terms. Above each
acre of land on the continent there are
$4,000 tons of nitric acid in the form of
free nitrogen. Europe is using 100000
horsepower of hydroelectricity to cap
ture this nitric acid from the air. Ger
many is waging war with gunpowder
made from the atmosphere and fur
nishing agricultural fertilizers to her
farmers at one-half the price paid by
the American farmer.
The astounding thing in the United
States today is that we do mot wake
up aud take advantage of our oppor.
tunlt1es. Our natural resources, the
richest in the world, are largely neg.
lected. OF our water powers. which
compare favorably with those of any
other country, we are using only 10
per cent. 1t Is said that only 5 per
cent of our agricultural lands are pro.
ductive
A Waste of Two Billions.
In comparison with the enormous
development and use of water powers
in Europe not single large hydro.
electric plant has been built In the
United States for several years. Not
one electrocheMcal plant has been
established In this country. Not an
ounce of atmospheric nitrogen is being
produced within our borders. In the
last ten years we have, by neglectlng
our water powers, destroyed and vast
ed more than $2,0O0,OO0,OOO worth of
fuel and labor that could have been
saved
The only reason the United States Is
SO far behind other civilized countries
In this respect is that the federal gov
eminent controls the use of our hes,
water powers, and for nearly ten wears
under mistaken conception of con
servation. they have been locked ont
OF use by inadequate laws. American
capital and investors have sought tn
develop the water powers and estab.
hsh the new Industries dependent upon
cheap power. which would make ne
Tree of the Chilean monopoly. but the
laws have said NO" To induca In.
Vestment In these Industries investors
must have assurance of reasonable 80