Omaha daily bee., 1919-09-23
KINKAID URGES
CONGRESS help
POTASH OWNERS
Says Protection to Nebraska
Industry Essential to
Prevent Monopoly
by Germany.
Rv r. c. SNYDER.

tWhsHIHStoH correspondent ohuHo ASoS'l
Washington, Sept. 22.-lSpecial
Telegram )-"Uncle Nose" Kinkaid,
whose district, the big Sixth in Ne
braska, contains the largest deposits
of potash in the country so far de-
veloped. and the output of whose fac
tories amounted to nearly IS per cent
of the domestic potash produced
during the war, today took the house
of representatives to his home state
and showed in carefully prepared
speech what this infant industry
means to the United States if prop
erly protected. Close attention was
given Judge Kinkaid throughout the
presentation of the claims of the
potash producers to consideration at
the hands of the ways and means
committee.
He told the house how it came
about that Nebraska became one of
the leading potash producing states
and how the appeal of the heads of
departments, the war trade board,
the director of the bureau of mines,
the director of the bureau of soils
and other officials to produce potash
met with response from the pioneer
potash producers in Nebraska and
how California, Utah, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Georgia and other
states responded to the cry for
potash production, to offset the loss
OF the German article, in order that
a famine of potassium salt, useful
IN peace and essential in war might
be avcrted.
Quotes Potash Head.
Quoting w. f. Sharp, president of
one of the largest potash companies
III the country, Judge Kinkaid said:
Upwards of 5000 Of Nebraska citi-
zens poured in their money to hasten
quantity production of potash. Great
hordes OF men worked feverishly
day and night to erect mammoth
plants and thereafter to operate
them.
"Of the s5o,oOOoOo invested in the
potash industry in America UPWARDS
of $l50O0,000 has been invested in
plants and the development of the
industry in the sandhills of western
Nebraska" said Judge Kinkad. an
Nebraska there are nine large plants
and from IS to 20 smaller plants.
These plants have 200 miles of
eight and six-inch pipeline with
wells connected up. The larger
plants cost all the way from 100000
to 81 100000 each and the l6 small
er plants all the way from $4,000
to $4,000, UP to 100000.
So far the Nebraska plants have
yielded the largest potash produc-
ton and now have capa citv of
more than 100000 tons of pure pot
ash a year, with number of addi-
tlonal large plants partly built when
the armlstice was signed. For the
past six months of 1918 the Ne
braska lakes yielded 1920 tons of
potash salts, equivalent to 1922
tons of actual potash, which shows
progressive and rapid development"
said Mr.. Kinkaid in closing his ad
dress, which is by far the most COM
plete presentation of the potash
question made in this or any other
congress.
Government Should Help.
Judge kinkaid maintained that the
government is morally obligated to
safeguard this infant domestic pot
ash industry developed and ad-
vanced pursuant to the appeals
made and the inducements held out
by the administration so that we
might win the war" The alterna-
tives are on the one hand, adequate
restrictions upon importatons from
Germany" said uncle Nose" ito
permit of the development Of the in
dustry in America, or on the other,
that we permit German to re-estab-
lish and enjoy a perpetual potash
monopoly in the United States.
Shall we have potash made in Ger
many or potash made in America?
Shall we stand for the welfare of
America or for the greater pros
perity of Germany at the sacrifice of
American potash producers and
American labor? Shall we be for
America or for Germany? For
American industrial independence or
for slavery to Germany"