The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1918-09-12
SINNOTT APPEALSF0R
WATER POWER BILL

Representative Nick Sinnott in a
speech on the water power bill. which
many veteran observers declare To be
one Of the most.elnGuent!a land maste.ful
legal arguments made in the house of
representatives during the past 10
years, plead for the immediate mObil-
iZatiOn of the vast storehOuses of
white coal now in legal shackles. +"
He frankly told his colleagues that in
his opinion there was no doubt that the
states had property right in the wa
tiers flowing therein, limited only by
the right of thesfederal government to
protect navigation. He was equally
frank In saving that he thought the
people of his state were quite as COM
petent as any federal agency to expend
any proceeds that might be acquired
from development of water power
that revenue going to the government
should be limited to cost of admins
tration. He buttressed his position
with numerous court decisions, SAYING,
IF the government has right to ex-
ploit the water power resources of the
several states as money making
and not surrendered in the Constitu-
tion were mere shadows and not the
substance of substantial rights" He
asked why the general government has
not charged the people of the states
for catching fish if it had power over
tn waters and their contents and why
it could not exact charge for any
garage, hotel, ETC., abuting on an in
terstate highway, canal or railroads if
it could exact fees from power plants
on private land
However, he stated that water de-
velopment was the pressing need Of
the hour and that rather than see
these vast and valuable concessions 90
to waste, that he was willing to make
concessions. That he believed the bill
was as fair compromise as could be
expected and would unlock the dead
lock that has for years tied up one of
the country's most valuable resources.
Touching upon the vast water re
said mo section of the country has
greater interest in legislation that
will promote water power development
than the states in the Columbia river
basin. Here is one-third of the poten-
tial 90, 900, 900 horse power estimated
to be in the United States. Millions
of horse power of white coal are here
going to waste. Talking to his east
ern colleagues in a language of com.
parison that they could understand, he
told them that in the last III miles of
an almost unknown Oregon river neai
his home city, the Deschutes river in
this distance tless than by q miles
than the rail distance from Washing
ton to Philadelphia the flow of water
was 1000 second feet greater than in
the Potomac river just above Washing
ton. That in this Ill miles alone there
would be developed 504, 900 horse
power almost equalizing the present
development at Niagara. that 1890, 00C
in Oregon alone. That this power is
used would cut down the national coal
bill $l44, 900, 900 each year.
Pleading for immediate action on the
bill he said with our water power
developed we need have no concern
for our fuel supply, either in oil OF
coal. The Aladin's genii of exhaust
less electric energy, dormant anC
locked up in our mountain streams anC
rivers, should be released to dispense
light, heat and energy for mankind
Make it easier for the irrigationist t,
obtain power and millions of acres viii
spring up in farms of grain, alfalf;
and other food products. This bill il
enacted into law will accomplish thes,
blessings. 1t offers opportunity t.
municipality, state, nation. privat,
capital to minister to our comforts. ,
We have at last come to a realization
of the rich resources the prodigal ant
bounteous hand of nature has placed a
our disposal. Development-if we arr
wise enough to pass laws to put th
turbine, in our mountain torrents, th
llfe-glving waters on our thirst.
soils" "