The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-07-20

paid by the Ford corporation by em ortization during the 100 year peri cd would be only r$4,268,39 and the rate of interest paid by MT Ford on the money provided by the treasury is shown to be 2.79 per cent rather than four per cent.
 Government Cannot Afford.
 The statement is made that the cannot afford to enter in- to 'the loaning business at the ex- pense of the taxpayers and for the of graft corporation that under the very terms of it's offer will be beyond the regulation of either Federal or state authority"
 On the question as to wether the steam plant at Gorgas, Ala, should be included among the properties to be disposed of at Muscle Shoals. the report says in part:
 Tt is quite apparent that since am pie power now exists at Muscle Shoals there is no object in the government retaining it's interest in the steam plant at Gorgas. It has no connection whatever with the permanent use and operation o. of the plant at Muscle for the government to reclaim that part of the transmission line that runs from Waco Quarry to Muscle Shoals, ted from Muscle Shoals to the Quarry for the operation of the machinery there. Outside of this, there has been no reason given by anyone why the
 
 the governmen ent. It ought to sell it's interest in that plant and it is quite apparent that the Alabama Power Co., can afford to pay more for the gov ernments interest in this plant than any other concern. and 1t is imma- terial whether that part of the con tract with the Alabama Power Co.,, providing for a sale to that com pany is illegal or not. The govern ment should make the sale and should insist on securing fair price for the value if its interests"
 Regarding Senator Norris bill pro- posing government development and operation for the Muscle Shoals pro- jects. the report contains a reference to the attitude of senators who, it says, are seemingly determined to turn this property over tc MT. Ford or ab- solutely prevent it's development by anyone" Seven members of the Az riculture Committee who voted for the favorable report of the Ford offer and opposed a favorable report on the Norris bill are mentioned in this con nection.
 With them" the report says, 'it seems to be Ford or nothing. When we take into consid eration the won derful development that it provided in s. 3420, (The Norris BiID, particular ly for the South, it is difficult to un. derstand how senators from that sec ton can assume such an attitude.
 Wonderful Plan
 '1n this bill there is offered to the l ana the south ern States, the most wonderful plan 1 for the development of power on the l Tennessee river and it's distribution l over the Southern States, that has | ever been proposed in tthe history of l our country, and it is difficult to un- derstand how representatives from that section could block any progress of this kind and insist that this great | shhould be turned over prac- tcally without consideration to one corporation, and that the power on l the great Tennessee river should be leased for 100 years without regula- | don and without restriction"
 Pointing out that only five of the 16 senators on the committee acqul- esced in that part of the report com the Norris plan, the report continues in mart:
 ''In comparison with its (the Norris plan) provision regarding fertilizer, u the Ford offer sinks into absolute in significance. It offers the greatest hope to struggling agriculture, it frankly recognizes that improvements must be made if we would cheapen the production of fertilizer, and it provides for the use of the govern ment property and funds to make the necessary investigation for such inn provements. In advocating it's pass age we hold out no will-o'-the-wisp to deceive and mislead the people. We face the fertilizer proposition without practlcing any deception upon the far mers. We believe the extraction of A4lI OSeH lIOUl the ar can De cheaD- ened, but we cannot guarantee it. Fer t1llzer can be produced at Muscle Shoals, but if it is cheapened to the farmer we must have cheap poweE be gained by deception. The desira- pll1ty of cheapening the cost of fer tilizer is conceded by ali.
 We believe that the government is justified not only as war measure. but as peace proposition, to expend all Of the money that may be neces- sary in chemical experiments with the view of cheapening feltilizer This provision ought to be hailed with de !lght. not only by the farmers but bv all of the consumers who buy the pro ducts of the farm. It will deyeIoD at Nitrate Plant No. l. the greatest experimental laboratory in the world
 For People
 instead Of turning over the sur plus power to any one individual or to one corporation. to be used for his or its financial benefit without regu- latlon from any source whatever it will be able to supply electricity to the people at large, and cities and com munities, hundreds of miles distance from Muscle Shoals will receive ben efts either directly from this source. or indirectly. by the cheapenine of electricity by men and corporations who will be competitors of this gov ernmental corporation"
 The report points out that electric lty developed at Muscle Shoals should pe 1urniSned to municipalities at as near cost as possible and should be so d' d'strfbuted that all of the people. both rich and poor, would receive a propor- uonate benefit to the cheapening of etectflcal energy. That is the idea that the Norris bill seeks to accom- plish. the report adds
 When the power on the Tennessee river is fully developed it ought to be carried to the cities all over the states of Ala hama, Louisiana, Tennessee and kentucky and given as wide a distri- outlon as possible so that all of the people met get the benefit of the de VeIopment of the property owned by all of the people,"
 AtLentlon IS invited to provisions of the Senate bill directing tbe Secrat,Tv nt war to construct dams in the urper tennessee river to enualize the flow of water throughout the year and, the report says, more than doubling the power possihiliti es at Muscle Shoals IT adds that the government is about tne on.y one that can afford to con