Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1920-01-29
SETTING
WATERPOWER FREE

The West is rejoicing that at last
there are prospects Of legislation
permitting the use of its vast water
power resources. Both houses of
Congress are IN substantial agree
ment on the question, and it is ex-
pected that the bill will shortly be
passed and signed by the President.
THE country wasted 100 million
tons of coal year by not developing
its water power" declares the Seat
tie Post-Intelligencer Cad. Rep1 it
is estimated by the governments en-
gineers that these eight Western
states washington. Oregon, Idaho,
California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona
and Montana) have 4 million horse
power in their mountain streams, of
which only Is per cent have been
developed. The same states have
only 3 per cent Of the country's coal,
so that it has been necessary to ship
from distant states enormous Quan-
titles 81 fuel"
Congress- has had tho question up
for ten years without reaching an
agreement. As the IL Paso Herald
Qnd.) tells us, both Roosevelt and
Taft vetoed water power bills be-
cause they believed the measures
meant passing control of streams
over to private enterprise They ar
gued, and rightly so. that it was bet
ter to postpone development than to
hand over to private interests the
nations birthright.'
But, according to the same author
ity, the present measure Seeming
.ly gives the country every protec-
ton possible" for
1T provides a commission consist
ting of the secretary of war, secretary
lof interior and secretary OF aGricul-
,ture, which would be given complete
!charge of water power. Grants for
80 years would be made by this com
omission TO private capital. such
tErants to return to the government
et the end of that period"
1T was our participation in the
f3ar," thinks the salt Lake Herald
iNRep.) that called new and emphat-
1c attention to the shortage Of our
coal supplies and the need for by
idroelectric power. The recent coal
letrike bill further impressed upon
Congress. no doubt, the lack of wis
'dom OF allowing tremendous avail
Able water power to go to waste
kEhile the industries OF the country
tEere threatened with the necessity
of having TO close down for lack OF
fuel" The Portland Oregonian Gnd.
Rep.) foresfes great Industrial
Expansion" as the result of this am
pie supply OF cheap power" and
says the .release of water power
from the clutch of conservationists
will not come too soon TO give the
West a good start in the race for
world trade which begins this wear.
We are informed too, by the Om9-
ha Daily News (IndI that the rty-
ers OF Nebraska could be made TO
furnish light and power for every
city and farm home in the State in
addition to turning the wheels Of the
vast bulk of our growing industries
WaterpOwer is Il form of nature S
bounty; failure to use ii is as crimi
nal as failure 10 TIL the soil of the
fertile prairie The san Francisco
'hronicle tindJ says the develop.
nent OF water power is Of pmticu
ar Importance TO California, (which
II the important Western itGurtrtaI
st2te, but producing no coal. Mon
t3na, too, is vitality affected, for. q.
fording 10 the Butte Miner B,ml
over 100000 electrical hOrsaB0weI
are capable Of being converted l2
he magnificent falls al the outlet d.
lathead Lake. alone, end this an
nority points out that lit is in b,