White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1926-12-17

solution of the national farm problem
through complete nationwide electrifi-
cation of the districts. Arthur Will
liams, vice president of an Eastern
electrical company, in an address in
New York declared that ninety per
cent of the farm life of this country
is existing substantially as it existed
100 years ago, and that this condition
can be remedied only through COM
plete electrification of rural highways,
for the purpose of bringing the power
plant to the farms. This highway
identification might be financed. he
said, by the collective effort of all
who would be benefited, just as the
construction of goods roads has been
financed.
Gust as highways have been pro-
vided for vehicles, so highways must
be provided for kilowatts and kilo-
watt hours. 1t is an economic, not a
political question:" Mr.. Williams said.
Although it represents at least 49,
100000 people and fifty-eight billion
dollars investment, farming is the
only industry which still uses the
methods of century ago while all
| other industries are keeping pace
with invention and progress, Mr. Will
liams declared. Tariffs, cooperative
| societies and other measures by them
selves, he said, offer no lasting solu-
ton, and the modernization of the
farming industry by making cheap
electric power available seems the
necessary underlying remedy. To
finance this tremendous project, in
which the highways for electricity
would alone cost about six billion dol
lars, Mr.. Williams suggested as one
possibility the issuance of tax exempt
securities for rural Identification
under some authority such as state
public service commissions, and said
that the whole hearted cooperation
of farmers. the public, and the cleo
trio utilities would go far toward solv-
ing the problem.
Referring to the cost of transmits
sion line construction, Mr.. Williams
said that complete Identification
would probably increase the value of
farm property more than ten per cent.
He indicated that the work could be
extended over period of five or ten
years, and handled in a manner
similar to the construction or recon
struction of roads, on which a billion
dollars is now being expended annu-
ally.
"The solution of the problems is Of
paramount Importance in the social
and economic life 70 the nation" Mr..
Williams said. with ample power,
life and work on the farm would be-
come more attractive, possibly SUI
premely attractive compared with
many other activities; the supply Of
food. of all kinds would be more eff
ficiently obtained, the value of farm
realty would be increased, net farm
income and profits would be enhanced,
and the cost of food might be ulti-
mately reduced; farm effort would be
accompanied by greater certainty of
results in production, and the indi-
vidual, as we'll as the group, would be
protected in many respects against
retarding and destructive agencies"
There are now 6,372,263 farms in
the United States. About 100000 of
these or IL per cent have electric SER
vice or other mechanical power; 1885,
900 of this number. only 3.5 per cent
of the total, are connected with cleo
trical central stations, more than 90
per cent being without central power
plant service.
There would seem little question
that electric power available on every
farm would enormously enhance farm
values of the entire country. Were
this increase in value, but slightly
more than 10 per cent "a 40 per cent
increase has been recently quoted in
an actual instance in the state of
Alabama) the entire estimated cost of
highway identification, $4,000, 900, 900,
would be offset in farm value incre-
ments alone.
Mr.. Williams put forward the sug-
gestion Of tax-exempt securities, ITO
be used solely for erection of rural
transmission and distribution lines
and issued under such competent au-
thority as the public service commits
sions of the states" For this, he said
there is ample precedent in the acqui.
sition of funds for other purposes in
which the public interest is served.
"The provision of electrical high.
ways the speaker said is but part of
the problem. At one end is electric.
cation Of the farm, at the other, the
provision Of adequate electrical
power, either from additions to exist
ing, or the erection OF new generating
plants. With the identification of