The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1923-12-28

and eager to infict proper punish
ment upon their trusted leaders who
| through cowardice, or to serve the
political exigencies of the moment
had betray de h .tenAWaratstmTA
had betrayed them. And our ma
tional history shows that special gifts,
and special privileges have already
been regarded in the end as inimical
to the public welfare. 1t is not the
purpose of this article to waste space
in discussing the different phases OF
the Ford offer" which is all rela-
lively unimportant as compared with
the larger plans for forward human
progress as represented in the nation
wide movement for the development
of our national water powers, but it
does seem pertinent to the subject TO
include in such an article the state
ment that a great plan worked out
with great care by the greatest gov
eminent on earth, is sought to be
changed with reference to its opera
ton on the Tennessee river for purely
sentimental reasons that do not car
ry with them the support of a genu-
inc business proposition that would
be considered for a moment if it bore
the authorship of any other Ameri-
can millionaire than the one who has
made it.
Would Save Coal
Practically everyone who discus
SEES the Harvesting of our rivers, and
urges that they be drafted from idle
ness into greater usefulness in serving
civilization, has dwelt voluminously
upon the amount of coal that would
be saved. But | have left this feature
of the story until the last because
to my mind it is the least important
matter of concern. 1t is very inter-
esting to know that the railroads OF
the country burn l60.000,O00 tons of
the coal that they carry, and that 40
to 80 per cent of all their freight is
coal. But it is more interesting to
me to understand the reasons why |
this archaic method of my time can
not continue to exist. That the pres
cnt day locomotives are headed |
straight for Scrap-piles and the mu-
seums seems certain.
1t is of equal interest to know that
more heat is obtained out of coal
'oday than years ago when Andrew
Carnegie complained to President
Roosevelt that 95 per cent of the
heat units were lost, and he wanted
something done about it. | read the
'ther day that the late DR.. Stein
metz had said that the wastage of
leat units was still above 80 per cent.
tut | was more interested in his
ther statement, that dynomos making
lectricity deliver practically the whole :
barge at the point OF consumption.
The comparisons, and the defcien- '
les of coal, are familiar reading. and +
is useless to multiply them at this S
me. Who can read the facts con- a
erning water power and high-volt- q
&c transmission; who can sit for
'oment at his radio, or his telephone: .
no can look at the white glow of
lie electric lamp and behold these
iings that have become common
ace with us in a few years. with
1t concluding that coal mining is
oomed to become decadent in
lstry?
Goals Day Passing
Coal is not a competitor of cleo
city and water power for the pro-
teton OF light and power. 1t is
usurper, and its day of supremacy
nearly over. Its place as master
the industrial situation must in.
Itably end, and then this exhausti-
resources of the earth will in the
ry nature OF progress yield first
ice to the inexhaustible resources
our rivers and streams.
Among the greatest economic and
ustrial extravagances of the CEN
les are the loading, transportation