Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-07-05
WATER power
ACT HELPFUL.
Estimated That 54,OOO,0oO
Horse Power is Added
in Water Power
Sites.
TARIFF LOG ROLLING
How the Forestry Depart.
ment Works to Save
Forests.
By ]. E. Jones.

By J. e. Jones.
Washington, ID. c., July Eff things
that are expected to result from the
passage Of the water power act are real.
lied, now that this measure Is law,
the fuel resources of the country will
be conserved to a very large extent
There is every reason to expect that
those sections Of the country fortunate
eonugh to have water power will reap
material benefits since cheaper power
will be obtained through hydroelectric
development, which will carry its loads
of power to industrial institutions with
in great radius of the central water
power plant.
The steam, gas and water operative
plants Of the United States have an es-
timated total of 42OOO,OOO hoursepow-
Ter. The potential horse power available
on sites controlled by the government
and which will be available under the
rev law are estimated at 54,OOO,OOO
horse power. Water power rights on
all public lands forest reservations,
Indian reservations and navigable
streams may be leased for a period of
fifty years, with privileges at the ex-
Ipiration of that date that will serve
| to preserve the original investment. 1t
lis expected that immense capital will
now flow into the development of the
water powers. Where water power Is
used, steam will be saved-and steam
means coal; coal means greater bur
dens for the railroads. In short, water
power ID an inexhaustible resource,
Whereas, power manufactured from Goa.
lor oil is created at tile expense Of our
natural resources which fiave,,' been
|diminished at such an alarming extent
lin recent years as9to 'cause great' con-
Icarn.ss ies,d 8sd atI sf'ds edf hns
a,.oT Looking out for own ~. ash'o
The log rolling that goes on HI Wash
ington when new tariff bill Is in pro.
cess has been likened to the readjust-
ment Of railroad freight and passenger
rates. For several weeks the great
business interests have been giving
their views upon this question to the
interstate commerce commission and
that body has patiently listened to the
farmers. cement manufacturers, coal
producers, lumbermen, and other ma
tiOnal industrial units, and the trend
of their argument has been Identical.
Just as manufacturers. and producers
advocating protective tariff always
look for little the best Of it" for their
own products; or II advocating tariff
for revenue only, single out their own
enterprise for favored high tariff rates,
so have the different business interests
of the country unanimously consented
and approved of higher transporta ton
charges, but usually with the prOviso
that their own properties shall be favor
ed. The western lumbermen laid great
emphasis upon their need for rates that
would allow them to make the ''lOng
haul" and deliver their products three
thousand miles away at about the same
freight rate to be paid by Southern
lumbermen. But these Southern lNmbc:-
men have asked that the freight in
creases be made upon the basis of
straight percentage increases. Local
lumber dealers have also argued for
straight percentage increases. Tnc re-
suits are obvious. Naturally the msn
nearest to the market wants definite
rates Of SO much per mile, while the
man fartherest from the market wants
the Government to compel the rail
roads to rebate enough Of his freight
charges so that he may meet nis
more easily on their OWE
ground. The situation with reference
to lumber has been duplicated in the
other industries.
In the "reincarnation" and recon
|struction" of railroading during the
past fifteen or twenty years the whole
trend of the situation Is to adjust rates
at so much per mile" Every attempt
to secure preferential rates meets with
official Encouragement, for the echo of
historic rebates" or anything like
them, are unpleasant sounds. The
policy of the Interstate Commerce
Commission has for years been to COM
pei shippers to pay at whatever rate is
imposed on a basis that is the same for
Everybody.
Too Tame for Pershing.
Since General Pershing returned
from the world war he has l,,Cn nut