The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1922-08-10
DR.. {. +. LADD'S
WEEKLY LETTER
FORD AND MUSCLE SHOALS

Of this country. This is especially true
in the East, South and Middle West
where fertilizers are extensively used
as necessity in crop production.
Shall Henry Ford have Muscle
Shoals? Shall he produce cheap fer
tilizers for the farmers OF shall spec
ial privilege acquire Muscle Shoals
and so continue to fleece the people,
or is it possible that the Government
will complete and operate Muscle
Shoals and produce cheap fertilizers
and SO conserve the power as ma
tional asset and as protection to the
country in time of necessity? The
Government may complete the dams
for power purposes, but the Govern
ment will never operate the plant.
Organized business will never tolerate
such condition to exist. Is not the
present administration pledged "to
take Government out of al business
and put business into Government ?"
Then how can the Government ever
hope to produce nitrogen compounds
!oA LSA SAAAASA PuI IPoSCS w Sdy
of mixed fertilizers?
The Saturday Evening Post editor
tally said: "The Government should,
under no circumstances, be permitted
to complete and operate Muscle
Shoals" And she never will. Not if
good Republicans Of the old school
can prevent it for that would SAVIOR
too much of socialism if not of more
dangerous departure from the estab-
Eshed rules of the game. But shall
Henry Ford have it? That is the rub.
1t would be unfair, if not dangerous,
to special privilege since they would
no longer be able to control the sit
uation. Why politicians should be so
deeply interested I will not at this
time attempt to unfold. At a later
date history will do so.
I espoused the Henry Ford offer
since | felt that it promised more for
the country and for the farmers than
anything that had been before us.
Only one feature is personally objec-
tlonable to me, namely, the control for
100 years, but even that is safeguard
ed for ownership of the dams and
water power is always in the name
of the Government and leased by
Ford. If Ford fails to comply with
the terms of the contract to produce
cheap fertilizeYs, the Government can
take possession at any time. Possibly
a compromise can be had on the linn
it to meet the objection which I have
indicated and without detriment to
Henry Ford or the Government.
: Here are some of the things assur-
ed under the Ford proposition?
Forms company with $10,O00,000
of paid up capital stock controlled by
Mr.. Ford, thus guaranteeing full
filment of the contract.
Will complete Dams and 3 with
out profit and acquire the necessary
flowage rights.
Will pay $4,000 per year for re-
pairs, maintenance and operation of
Dams 2 and 3 and will furnish the
necessary power for operating locks
and canals for steamer traffic.
: Will establish a sinking fuId by
payment semi-annually of $23,383; a
sinking fund which at the end of the
lease period will amount to $49,071,- >
935 and the Government still retains
the ownership Of the power and dams.
Mr.. Ford purchases the nitrate
plants, lime quarries and acquires
the Governments rights in the steam
plant at Gorgas.
Mr.. Ford agrees to pay $5,OO0,00O
for the above property in five annual
payments with interest at 5 per cent.
The fact that no other offer was
as favorable to the people or to the
Government as was Ford's and were
unanimously rejected by the full COM
mittee clearly indicates that other cap
italists do not see "big money" for
them. Again, the Saturday Evening
Post says "It may be that the offer
of Ford's is too low, that the plant
is worth more as scrap. It may be
that his terms as to interest and am
ortorizing are exacting. 1t may be
that he does not bind himself to man
ufacture fertilizers at the proper
price. These, are matters of detail.
If the projects of Henry, Ford are too
remunerative to himself other capl-
talists may be trusted to make offers
for the plant"
How about this? Section Is of the
bill essentially provides continually
throughout the lease period for the
manufacture Of nitrogen and other
commercial fertilizers using the most
economical power, this fertilizer te
have a nitrogen content of at least
10000 tons as nitrogen. Does this
not constitute binding contract te
produce nitrogen and other CONNER
cial fertilizers for the full period Of
the lease? It means the production
Of the equivalent of 250,000 tons o.
chilli. saltpeter (sodium nitrate) o.
about the average amount Of this sal
used annually in commercial fertl
izers for the five year period preced
| ing the war. What more could be rea
sonably asked? ]?
| The company agrees to make othe;
/ commercial fertilizers either snixe'
or unmixed." The phosphate field
of Tennessee are close by and maxi
/ this. both possible and feasible. TIL
D0I IOI.'I