East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1921-01-24
WHY NEGLECT sUcH I'm oPPoRTIINIrY2

" AhNG note OF the fact considerable interest has beer
awakened in the proposition of developing power al
Umalla rapids on the Columbia the Oregon Journal in
its Sunday edition said:
Pendeton and other Umala county communities are talk
ing about harnesng Umaa rapids the Columbia river The
result would be about $4,000 power in ydroeec
ry and the irrigation of hundred thousand acres
washington and Oregons contiguous lands BY electrfca-
uon the river might then be made operate as we'll
supply current for industrial domestic agricultural
When so'many thrstly await productivity when so
many people eagerly hope for home making opportunities and
when SO many peoples hungry products OF soil and
nuusy every day that without definite COM
be the reclamation and transportation features embod
leo IN the large use OF the Columbia is day wasted
mat these things true there denial Vast bod
les OF land that may be wonderfully productive going
waste That land should be reclaimed and added to the roll
OF lne state. That is one way to reduce taxation
Our railroads complain of low dividends increased
ra from the public SO as make reasonable profit Yet these
ROADS consume valuable coal which they haul long distances
We the natural motive of the northwest going
used
We woudke industries in Eastern Oregon We would
ke 70 reduce fuel costs would be good business safeguard
iii Il @ q he Oh supply and the increasing cost Of
cook with electricity Such advantages manifest
NOW the answer to each of these problems largely bound
up IN the question of cheap hydroeectic power Through
aDuaan electric power sold low cost basis acreage
may be irrigated by pumping water from the inexhast6e Co
mba railroad may be reduced and freight pro-
portion industries may be fosered and the cost of living
duced The possibilities of benefit from big electrical
project great stagger imagination 1t is GER
ay tnat the blessings would reaching can
be apprised this time These benefits would reach all peo
pie in very large section.
Fortunately the opportunity to obtain this power hand
II we can but find the to development The Umata rap
ids site the third largest on the Columbia and in manv
respects the feasible project for early utilization is
VIII cost less than of the other projects and arid
g water hes close to the site both sides of the
There basis for asking federal aid reclaim land
and for the further that power development would aid
navigation by eliminating two troublesome rapids the upper
river. - 80 Fr
1t must be admitted the project is big one and the cost
would De Nigh The preliminary survey estimated the
Geveopng $4,000 horse at Umaa rapids 5OO
OoV Ihee may be who think the project big that
mol practical for present day discussion but you will
what California Idaho and Washington doing you will think
uIerenty The state OF Washington vigorously agtating
the Columbia basin project which, it is said will $500 OOO
wv and for which water will be brought from away as
!oaho and Montana Compared with the Columbia pro-
JecI the Umatla rapids project like practical
ect seriously and IN some has secured $100
financing the move They asked the presdeneect
hng secretary of the interior until they could
and he agreed to their request.
Can Oregon afford to sit by like uggard and let our sister
OBTAIN all the benefits of federal aid in development work
while we have projects which regard as superior from
standpoint of feasibility?
~~~~~~~~s.-~~~~e~
Ehu Root right about the disarmament subject and SEN
aOr bora IS wrong W. want let preparations and
want badly But to be workable the disarmament plan must
e on fair basis and apply to all nations merely to Eng
ahd Japan and America The logical thing is to wait for
the Harding administration control and determine nn
II Harding leadership this subject in Borah leadership
senator Borah IS too much of demagogue
~~~~~%~~0~~%~~~~~
lhe Anti Saloon league reports that the consumption of
hSkey IN the United States dropped off million GAL
ions during the first year prohibition But has the
taken note Of the Canadian whiskev and
ulat mas been upon the market?
ms Is normal Eastern Oregon winter weather