East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1921-02-05
SENA TX JOSEPH ADVOCATES ONTARIO
PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT OF POWER
ORE. WASH. COOPERATION
+ WITHFEDERAL GOVERNMENT
NEEDED FOR WATER POWER

Problems in developing the power 4
Umatilla Rapids may be worked on
first, through the instrumentality o
the general government alone and
second, through cooperation OF tn
states Of oregon and Washington oi
4 the one hand and national authorit,
on the other, Stephen A. Lowell. Oi
( Fenaleton, declared today in address
Ing the convention OF the Umatilia
Rapids Power Site Association, meet
ing in the Elks Temple Judge Lowell
emphasized the growing opportunity
for hydro-electric development in the
United States as a result Of the pass
age. June 10, 1920, Of the Federal
Water Power Act.
In dealing with the general gov
ernment it is necessary at the incep-
tion Of any enterprise to consider that
il probably has before il many years
Of agitation and education, especially
il il relates TO the sparsely settled
west" Judge Lowell said. The east
is the center Of political and financial
power. The men in control know
little. either Of the geography or the
potentialities Of the Pacific coast OF
tie Rocky mountain sections. To them
We are yet a wilderness.
States Must Cooperate
Second in the campaign now TO be
mapped out, these factors ought 10 re-
ceive consideration, namely. the utili-
zation of the legislatures of Washing
ten and oregon TO memorialize the
federal water power commission to ini-
tiate investigations upon the Columbia
al the earliest possible date, and tC
urge in said legislative bodies this
prompt enactment Of legislation which
will assure to cooperation of the en-
gineering departments Of the states in
such governmental Investigation
Coal is becoming TOO expensive. No
tive power must be cheapened- Th'
4 project aow CONTEMPLATED VIII Sc fal
| toward meeting the needs Of the north
west in that ultimate change, th'
| speaker told his audience.
Canalization Of the Columbia Rivel
1 at the ra pids would remove the las
| serious obstacle to the free navigation
OF the upper river. Judge Lowell point
ed out He declared that canalizatioi
/ naturally becomes part Of any waite
project which may be developed.
VIII Reclaim Vast Aria
Half million acres of arid liant
would be brought under irrigation
and a new and comprehensive recla
nation project would be created. al
as a necessary incident To the hydro
electric operations" he added Il
wholly within the range Of pQssibiiitle
that the time is not far distant whei
the federal government Will again II
the experiment of operating the rail
roads and when that venture returns
the identification of the lines must FOL
low"
The speaker related the history 2
the development Of water power frol
the overshot water wheel to the tuI
hines which today have reached
high state of perfection. He told {
the progress made in transmittn
ROVER over copper wires for more tina
200 miles to the cities. He heralde
the age of electricity and declare
that it must replace coal and oth'
fuels now used to operate the s'eal
, power plants.
''The act Of June 10. 1890" he say
, referring to the federal water PoW'
act. lis somewhat voluminous and
vet too new to have received lnte
= pretation in the courts. It's utill-
ton by the public is of course N us 4
fancy. The soil is virgin and the pFa
/, ticability of its operation larsely pro
:. .ilematical. 1t appears, however en
4 inently practical
Act pregnant With Promise
The fabric of the commission II
:, pointed under this act was related al
!, the wonderful possibilities pointed @
section Of the statute, declared
i Judge Lowell to be pregnant w
J. the highest promise Was quoteU
e follows:
.sThat whenever in the judgment
i, The commission the deVelopmcn1
spv nroiect should he undertaken
the United states itself, the comm
, sion shall not approve any applica'l
10 FOR such project by any c'tiAen' ~
/, ciation. corporation. state or mum
/, nality but shall cause to be MAJ
p such examinations surveys. repoI
plars and estimates Of the cost oil
PIP project as it may deem necessary a
shall submit its findings to consr
A. with such recommendations rs Il n
he deem appropriate concerning the G
struction OF such project or complex
olIcf any project upon and soNernm
of dam of the United States.
~ Prefers Federal Ownership
" Belief that the government sho
retain power sites. rather than ai'
L. ur thcm To- get Into the hands of
vate enterprise, was expressed by
~ ,speafer. II think that most men
vision are 90 the opinion that there
. few th'ues which the federal COVE
y, ment ought always to retain FOR
'' use and benefit of the entire peop
~ ~ he said. "and among these viii alw
~. he included water power.
The federal water power act un
~ which judge Lowell suggested that
- local project be worked out he ci
~ aeterized as IAN act which bids
" to rank along with the national ho
stead law and the statute creating
reclamation service