Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-11-11
WASTED WEALTH

Franklin h. Lane, secretary of the
100000 water horsepowe is annually
wasted in this country, the bulk of It,
of course. being in the Rocky mountain
states.
industrial captains, and men who
have money for promotion of legiti-
mate enterprises, protest that this con-
dition OF waste Is due almost wholly to
the governments policy OF So called
conservation, in that laws not long
enacted are largely responsible for the
fact that no part of this vast energy
Is being utilized In our periods of storm
and stress.
Capitol cannot be blamed, under the
laws now on the statute books of the
United States for not having interested
itself in the development Of water pow
err by building great dams and reser-
voirs on lands of the public domain,
nor can 1t be expected ever to do so,
while the only permit possible for the
location of power plants is revocable at
any time at the Whim of single cab
met officer of an administration that
may change completely in four years
or less. Furthermore. under the same
laws, in the event of the revocation of
a permit, the assurance of a just and
equitable compensation for damages to
be sustained is lacking.
In 1905 congress passed a general
dam act which was intended to bring
into use 100000 horsepower, which
engineers say can be developed in
navigable streams in the interior states.
This act contains a clause preserving
the right of the government to demand
restoration Of navigability, which Is
so uncertain and indefinite in it's pro-
visions that. according to the report of
a prominent bond selling house in New
York City. business men consider that
any project started under this act
would be unsound security.
The United States geological sur
vey has complied volume of statis-
tics, the essence of which is that II
per cent of the total potential water
horsepower of the United States is SO
located, with regard to the public do
main. that 1t cannot be used under
existing laws without federal permit.
This n per cent, according to the geo.
water horsepower, and 1t Is especially
significant that of this vast potential
hydroelectric power only SO per cent
has been developed. In contrast 1t
appears that 25.2 per cent of the 49,
100000 horsepower. not controlled by
the government, has been developed.
1.-THE United States has much to
learn from the European nations with
regard to the development of water
power, especially from Sweden, Nor
way and Germany. and also from our
neighbor to the north, Canada. The
attitude of these countries toward pri-
vate enterprise in the development of
the vast resources of nature Is far
ahead Of that of this country, and may
be studied by our statesmen with pro-
fit to themselves and to the nation.
This fact accounts in large measure
for the amount of American capital
which one finds invested in foreign
countries.
Nitrogen, of supreme need in war
and peace-the mighty weapon of the
artilleryman. and the beneficant gift
OF the tiller Of the soil-now obtained
by electricity from the air. claims the
use Of a 100000 horsepower from the
rivers of Europe, but the new process
is almost unknown In the United
States.
Power must take the place OF men
while the war lasts. Congress should
remove restrictions that hamper the,
development OF the richest sections of
our great country