Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-02-17


1roject as contemplated in senate
EslI twenty eight by Joseph and as
s1utlined in more concrete form
IN senate joint resolution number
zien by Senators Joseph and Nor
Ekzad and Representatives Pean and
NEoodson, is only "Utopian
al1ream", unsound in theory and
largely impractical in application
dD present day needs, according to
sa1pponents of the move who were
>ant in force at the hearing before
aiRe joint judiciary committee in
session in the senate chambers
Tuesday night.
Senator Joseph opened the dis
<=ussion with an explanation OF the
stwo measures, one of which creates
a. hydro-electric com Tnrssioh and
appropriates $4,000 with winch
10 make survey of the water
power resources of the state with
a. view to possible development of
zIsese resources and the other
which proposes the extension of
kl1e states credit to the extent of
Eour percent of the states asses
sable wealth for the actual develop
Hnent of hydro electric energy.
'rhe time has come when the
private individual and private capi-
tai must not be permitted to take
MS own good time in the develop
Eaent of the vast water power
resources within this state" Joseph
declared in calling attention to
ane millions of horse powers of
energy wasting in the waters roll
ing down the streams of Oregon
California, he declared, was rap
IDLY forging ahead Of oregon in
Ef1e development of its water power
resources and as a result indus
tries were passing up this state
and seeking locations in Califor-
mia which was able to offer great
s4r inducements in the way of
cheaper power.
AT the present time, he pointed
-ssut, power was being transmitted
TO San Francisco from power
nFant on the Rogue river in this
state, fact which was not gen.
.axally known and appreciated by
me people of Oregon.
II hope to live to see the
when the great railroads of this
state are now operated by steam,
rsill be electrified through the
development of our great water
resources" he declared.
The Columbia river, he insisted,
could be so harnessed as to pump
ms own waters through power dew
efoped by those same waters onto
5000. acres of arid lands in
.srsntral Oregon and a million acres
'ssf land in the state of Washington.
The $40,000,O0O contemplated in
tghe hydro-electrIc project involved
i'm the senate joint resolution, he
insisted, was not an appropriation
kiHt an Investment which would
she returned to the state through
nsvenue accruing from the sale
af hydro-electric energy.
Factories, he declared, must
siSSme to the source of power and
r1hfs project represented the great
aesE undertaking which had ever
Nbsen presented TO the people of
Oregon.
State Engineer Cupper who was
called upon for his views on the
proposed project admitted that II
Oregon was to take her proper
place in the program of power
development now under contem-
Hiation by the federal government
action must be taken for an inves-
e6gation of the states resources in
ssrder that the proper data could
he presented to the federal power
commission for its consideration
sfG the proper time.
Franklin T. Griffith, general
manager for the Portland Rail-
way Light and Power company
responded to the advocates of the
project with an emphatic state
u1ent to the effect that he was
absolutely opposed to the states
entering upon ary enterprise which
stould be accomplished by private
capital. The proposal contained
I'm ahe contemplated hydro cleo
eric project, he declared, simply
zHeant the throttling OF individual
effort.
There was at the present time.
ne insisted, no demand for power
which was not being met by priv
ate enterprise and there wSs no
excuse for launching out upon a
project of such vast proportions
either on the part of the state
.@r private capital until there was
a. real demand for such a project.
The situation, he insisted, resolved
ifself not into question of the
states developing its resources but
of the creation of a demand for
such development.
The people, he declared, were
amply safeguarded under a system
Of state regulation of public uti-
Mites to assure protection against
amy unwarranted exploitation of
Ghese resources at the expense OF
tlhe ultimate consumer. Private
capital. he explained. could only
nope to realize a reasonable return
upon any investment which nigh'
he made along this line and this
same return would have to be al
nowed the state IL II entered into
rhe project with a view 20 absorb
ing its bonded Indebtedness thro
Rhe income from such project.
The $500 provided for a sur
Vey of the water power situation
an this state. he contended, would
only scratch the surface of the
problem and could only be expect
ed to reveal such data as was al
ready available in the state en-
%ineer's office.
y. w. Lazelee of Portland, con-
.at1lfinr enrinna1. srenrAsnnslnr the