East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1921-02-14

THE LEGISLATURES GREATEST CHANCE FOR
CONSTRUCTIVE WORK

HERE is Joint resolution before the Oregon legislature
providing for submitting to the people the
ton constitutional amendment authorizing the state
to issue bonds for water power development The measure
sponsored by Speaker Beam Representative Woodson this
dc and Senators Joseph and Nerbad The plan is along
The line favored by Speaker Bean before the Umaa
pds Power Site Association at its meeting week The
general IDEA IS sound and adopted and properly handled
pe mace oI wonderful influence in the development of the
states greatest unused resource
Mhlle this measure not fathered by the Umatlla
Rapds needless to that future developments
may reveal that some such action this by the state may
come essential to the of Umata rapids development
For instance the federal maybe found unwilling
TO finance project in its entirety The federal power
BOARD may rule that the project requiring cooperation be-
tween the United States and the directly affected
so the states of Oregon and Washington will obliged do
heir part and in that event viii need just such authority
contemplated by the before the legislature Ger
anly it do harm have the on the ballot so
such becomes necessary.
If the legislature see fit to pass Senate Joint Resou
uon No. 10 stands there no valid objection
to the passage of authorizing state aid hydro
electric projects financed part by the federal government
or BOTH In the of the Umaa rapids project the federal
government should take of half the total
it would be thoroughly justified in doing would be easy
task for Oregon and Washington to handle the remainder of
the expense through bond issues repayah from the income
rived from sale OF The financial obligations for the
states would be comparatively light and the rembusabe pro-
VISION would above taxpayers from cost whatsoever The
states would be justified extending such help every
loot Of territory in both states would be within the transmission
radius OF the project and there would be material benefits to all
from such an industrial development.
The province of Ontario Canada has tried self help the
matter of hydro electric development and has succeeded On
tario has abundance of power for cities and
rates and the plan costing the taxpayers nothing because the
bonds redeemabe out of the income derived from sale
power Industries formerly located the American side have
moved into Canada to obtain cheap and the
New York wagng uphill fight adopt something like the
Ontario plan.
There those of who will say that hydro
development should be left to private capital We have done
that in this territory for 100 years and drop of from
the Columbia of the worlds mghie power streams has
been utilized is hard for private capital to handle such big
projects and furthermore there grave question private
capital what By things private capital
when engaged in such development seeks minimum expend
ure and maximum charge We need the reverse
maximum development and the lowest possible charge
rc These be had only through federal state aid
a combination of the two.
If legislators want this session history with
record for constructive legislation find better field
for activity than in that of hydro electric development 1t is all
well to have gaeys of talk about teacher tenure and other
subjects but after all such matters get nowhere We want
development and have the chance to obtain show
the gumpon Let forward and put this old state
really upon the map.
~~~~~~~~s~~~s..~~
The appeal of Senator Lodge against any antJapanese
legislation for fear of embarrassing the administration has
familiar sound That appeal has been made before in
behalf OF administrations of different political
pexions. Since shortly have the white
granted Nevertheless the time is at hand when western states
must take firm and united stand that the interests of the
west this subject thoroughly respected Otherwise
the day will when the west will be embarrassed" by
race problem of large proportions.
~~~~~~~~S~~~~~~~~
On basis of maximum engine efficiency which
tanned practical railroad operation the minimum continuous
horse at Umaa rapids when measured of COAL
at estimate of So per is worth than 100000
year. In other words throwing that great
annually through failure this opportunity 1t is
economic crime in view of the shortage of coal and OIL