White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1925-07-24

ing carried on to determine some
effective means of taking care o.
the fishway problem, that the de-
partrnent of commerce was not YET
ready to advise the power commits.
sion.
Only few days before the issu-
ance of the license, Gen. Taylor
chief of engineers of the war depart
ncnt, had notified the Columbia riv-
er fishery operators that no license
would be g.lanted until the fishery
problem should be solved. Despite
these assurances, the permit was
granted, and Mr.. Merrill said the
action had been taken under direct
orders from Secretary of Was Weeks.
Why the haste? Weeks is a mem
Der of the firm OF Hornblower &
Weeks, the business of which is the
sale of securities such as those of
large power interests.
Objection by fisheries people was
the only stumbling block in the plan
to secure control CT Priest Rapids,
and it was disposed of in the permit
by providing that the sole RESPONSE
bilitv for the protection OF fish would
be discharged by the permit holders
when they had spent 100000 for
fshways.
The question Of fish protection is
intimately bound up with the story
OF the permit because fishing inter-
ests are the only ones who have in
terposed objection and the only ones
who have carried on an investigation.
Their objection would be removed by
provision for adequate protection of
their interests.
However,the public in general has
an interest, and in the protection of
that interest they doubtless would be
moved to i-removable objection if
they were awake to the fever;sh ac-
tivities of the power interest to secure
control of all potential power sites of
magnitude.
We all remember the time when
railroads were very nearly the gov
eminent in this country. This has
been in a measure corrected, but a
new evil has arisen almost over night.
From my contacts during my investi-
cation in the East, 1 have concluded
that the federal power commission is
the creature of the power interests.
Monopoly of power sites must be
secured before the growing demand
for publicly owned plants results in
sufficient power development to in
terpose competition with private
plants that would menace excess
profits.
This is the force back of the drive
of power interests to secure permits
such as that at Priest. Rapids.
know that in the permit the in
terests Of comEaatcial fishing have
5,sot been protected I believe that in
the Priest Rapids plan the interests
of the state as whole have not been
looked after.
Is it advisable to assist tacitly or
actively, in the giving away Of vast
potential power site as the playthings
of Wall Street promoter and spec
ulator?
I have been advised by lawyers
that the permit is irregular in several
important particulars. If the people
Of this state can be brought to real
ize its bearing on their future per-
rnanent welfare, believe a move
ment Will result that will lead to re-
vocation Of the License held by the
Washington Irrigation & Develop.
ment company.
Would it net be well for the public
to slow up bit in its insistence up
on development of natural resources
far in advance of needs? Such enter
prizes almost invariably lead to real
estate speculation and losses by those
duped. while speculative secu .t'ties
based upon premature developments
cause additional gigantic losses to
small holders. Instead Of giving
away these resources, would it not be
wiser fer the people to retain con-
troll of them until such time as they
were needed, and then develop them
on their own account?