Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1916-05-06
MOST IMPORTANT BILL
NOW BEFORE CONGRESS
How Water Power Legislation
viii Build Up the West.
BY HENRY L. MYERS,

III NY OplulOn Tue Btu now DclOIe
congress for leasing power sites on the
public lands is more important and /
fraught with more possibilities OF good.
more benefit to our country, than. any /
other piece of legislation which win be |
considered. at this session OF congress- !
This bin proposes to make available |
for Developments and use the cheapest |
source of electricity-water power. 1t |
offers a new hope OF wonderful devei- |
opment and marvellous possibilities for |
new industries to the great west.
The water powers OF that part OF the |
country are among its greatest re-
sources. and to the present time they |
have been almost wholly neglected. |
We have stopped developing water
powers because the laws have not been |
adapted to their development The pro-
posed legislation will encourage water
power development, offering reason
able terms and conditions to investors.
while it fully protects the public rights
in this national asset. 1t opens the
door to development on fair terms to
investor and consumer alike and puts
up the bars against speculation in or
exploitation of the public need for in
dividual or corporate greed.
A few OF the uses to which electrical
power has been put successfully in
recent years and will be applied more
successfully in the next few years to
come are:
Cheap electricity for fuel and power,
light and heat in the cities and on the
farms.
Reclamation by irrigation OF vast
areas of land now idle and useless.
Esta blishment OF new industries.
around which will grow new towns
and cities, creating employment for
hundreds OF thousands of people and
new markets for agricultural products.
+ New steel and iron industries in
new sections.
Cheapened production OF metal from
low grade ores.
Cheaper agricultural fertilizers and
consequent larger agricultural crops.
One OF the greatest benefits which
viii arise in the west from this legisla-
ton is the irrigation of arid lands
which are not now susceptible to irri-
cation by the gravity system. 1t is
estimated that there are at least TO-
100000 acres OF arid lands located in
the far western states lying above the
reach Of gravity water that can only
be reclaimed through water raised by
pumps operated by cheap hydroelec-
tric power now latent and wasting in
the various streams from which the
water would be pumped. In other
words, we can make the water pump
itself on to the land. Given water.
these lands will produce every fruit,
vegetable and grain that Is native to
the temperate zone and are capable Of
supporting q population of 100000
people.
With a bill of this kind enacted into
law and in successful operation I be-
lieve capital viii become interested to
such a degree in water power develop
ment and power will be produced so
cheaply that there will be no excuse
for a single quarter section of land in
the western states remaining arid and
| unproductive. Statesmen, economists
and theorists have long sought a way,
for reducing high cost of living. In
this legislation I believe lies a direct
road to this end.
am assured that capital is waiting
only for fair legislation of the kind
contained in this bill to invest in great
water power development that will ac-
complish all the benefits to which
have referred. The establishment OF
electrochemical plants for the fxaiOn
of atmospheric nitrogen located in
| these western states, where there are
mountains of lime, phoSphates and
| other minerals and ores awaiting cheap
| power for their manufacture into use
| full products. means among other
things cheaper fertilizer for the whole
| country.
Here is the opportunity for the farm
| ers of the United States to have put
| into their hands the greatest possible
| agency of restoring the fertility Of
| their lands. increasing their crops and
making this country the storehouse OF
the world for agricultural products.
Legislation of this character will en-
| able both the government and indfvid-
| uals to engage in the business of the
| fxation of atmospheric nitrogen. This
| viii not only aid in the production OF
| fertilizers. but it may be utilized by
the government in the manufacture OF
munitions of war. Now we are depend
| emit for our nitric acid, an essential in
| explosives, upon the nitrate of soda we
| get from Chile If by war or any other
cause we should be cut on from this
source Of supply the United States
| would have no way of obtaining at
| short notice the materials of which to
| make gunpowder. Imagine the near
| sightedness of such situation brought
| about by our neglect of our water
| powers and our failure to encourage
| the great electrochemical industries