White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1925-07-24
OREGON FISHERMEN Are STILL OBEc Ting
TO BUILDING OF PRIEST RAPIDS dam

Oregon fish, men and those con-
nected with that industry near the
mouth Of the Columbia, have never
looked with favor on the building of
gigantic dam at Priest Rapids or
for that matter anywhere else on the
Columbia river. They believe, or at
least profess to believe, that the plac-
ing OF any large obtruction in the
river will cripple their industry in
that it will prevent the salmon from
reaching the spawning grounds in
the upper reaches Of the river. They
have fought every move along this
line mcl-e or less consistently and
since the Priest Rapids development
passed from possibility to prob
ability they have become exception
ally active. They have not lent any
great amount of assistance to the ex-
per:ments that have been conducted
and are being conducted for a meth
cd of getting the fish over the dams
but have expended considerable en-
energy in trying to prevent the build
ing of the dams. A recent incident
along this line was an article written
by Miller Freeman and published in
the Seattle Star on Thursday of last
week. Mr.. Freeman is publisher Of
the "Pacifc Fisherman, trade pa
per published primarily in the inter-
ests of the comnd iaal fishing in
dustry. HIS article follows:
When, recently, called upon
Henry ]. Pierce, promoter of the
Priest Rapids project. at his New
York office, he told me that the pre-
posed construction depended upon his
ability to find in advance customers
for the power to be developed. This
he had not been able to do, and l
doubt if demand Will be found in
the district soon.
This has served to relieve the inn
mediate apprehension Of commercial
fishermen, but it has not served to
abate their vigilance. This industry
started or the lower Columbia in
1864, and has been built up to point
where it yields an annual income OF
from $5,000,OcO to $10,o00,0o0, has
maintained itself without aid, has
carried on propagation at its own ex-
pense, and has kept its sources OF
wealth unirnpaired. 1t will not sub
nit to extinction without fight.
The salmon industry makes a vast
contribution to the words food
stores. 1t is an annual contribution,
and can be made inexhaustible. For
this reason with world population
increasing and the food problem
aA4eady becoming acute in some
quarters, protection of the Columbia
river fishing industry assumes inn
pcrtsnce to az large number OF
people.
There are, however, larger aspects
that ought to be considered. Fr'om
my investigations in Washington, D.
c., and New York, am convinced
the people of this state have been
victin,izcd by a huge promotion
srher,e and that in the perpetuation
of this the secretary of war, Mr..
Weeks, has played a part likely to
develop into scandal with all the
col~r Of the Fall incident.
Circumstances surrounding the
granting of the permit lead me to
this belief. This permit was granted
by the federal powe!4 commission,
which is made up Of the secretaries
of war, of the interior, and of agri-
culture, with O. c. Merrill as execu-
tive secretary. The federal water
powa- act provides for the control
Of such dams by regulations to be
made by the secretary of war, which
'may ir.clude .: y # such Eshways
as NAV be prescribed by the secre-
tary of commerce"
Secretary Merrill stated that he
had been unable to secure any CO.
operiation on the matter from the
department of commerce, the Off
Gals of which had refused to advise
the power commission as to the
course to be followed 1t is fair to
aeeI,r,a since exneri,,onntc mere he