Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-12
CHARGE CRAMTON
AIDS POWER FIRM
National Popular Govern
ment League Director Makes
Statement in Bulletin.
ny the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Statements that Representative Cram
ten, Republican. Michigan was "polit-
ioal friend" of the Montana Power
Co., and was aiding them to grab the
Flathead Power site" were made
yesterday in a bulletin issued by the
National Popular Government League.
The bulletin, written by Judson King,
director of the league, was in reply to
recent statements by Cramton in the
House, which King said were intended
TO discredit one of his previous bull
letins.
THE immediate and local point at
issue is this" the bulletin said. do
Mr.. Cramton's official acts past and
present. indicate that he has aided the
Montana Power Co.. which is controlled
by the Electric Bond & Share Co. of
New York. in its efforts to capture the
gigantic Flathead Power site in Mon
tana on terms grossly detrimental to
the public interests and tantamount
to defrauding the Indians. who own
the site and who are his wards?
He asserts they do not and yells
lie I charge they do"
After detailing Cramton's committee
posts in the House and charging he
exercised tremendous inside pressure"
because of his positions, the bulletin
continued:
IF Mr.. Cramton is not playing the
game of the Montana Power Co., why
is he in 1880 seeking, through rider
in the pending general appropriations
bill, optional authority to build a small
power plant at Newell Tunnel-long
since abandoned-and so to recapture
point of vantage he sought to acquire
through rider slipped into the appro-
priations bill approved May 10, 1892"
The statement charged this rider"
ton tn N,sN
sure on the Secretary of the Interior
and others "if he so chooses to favor
speedy action favorable to the Montana
Power Co."
In a statment replying to the league
Cranton said the charges were a "cGi-
lection of misstatements and untruths."
King, the Michigan member said,
can only fight a proposition with the
polecat methods of his kind
The real issue is larger than King
or myself" the Michigan member said
1T Is whether the Flathead power site
shall be developed by private interests
under the Federal water power act or
whether pursuit of government-owner-
ship theories shall hold up all devel-
opment.
It have been seeking for five years
the salvaging of the Flathead irrigation
project In Montana, where the Federal
Government has an investment of over
100000 and several thousand set
tiers have been for years hanging on
by the skin of their teeth until the
Government should keep its promises.
complete its program and give them
an opportunity for a decent existence
Power development was promised them
20 years ago and is essential to their
success"
Cramton said the attacks upon him
by the "Judson g-Grorud- Collier
combine" had been "cloaked in pre-
tended zeal for the interests of the
Indians"
He asserted he had no objection to
the Government developing the project
itself, but feared that through delav
settlers would continue ITO suffer untold
privations and the Indians lose from
one to two hundred thousand dollars
a year of rentals
81 am arguing that the power COM
mission grant a permit to some one
to develop power at Flathead Lake
after they are satisfied that the terms
are adequate and that the permittee
will proceed with construction" he said.