White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1931-12-17
Trouble Ahead
For Columbia
Basin Project
LOOKS LIKE RAID ON PUBLIC
TREASURY TO THE EAST
AND MIDWEST

LOOKS LIKE RAID ON FUbLlC
TREASURY TO THE EAST
AND MIDWEST
Out here in the West where we are
surrounded by boosting publicity for
the development Of the Columbia Riv-
er, particularly the Grand Coulee dam
as a part Of the Columbia Basin pro-
ject, it comes as kind of shock to
learn that real opposition is develop
ing in the East and Middle West.
An editorial in a newspaper at
Champaign, Illinois, attacking the
whole proposal reveals the nature of
this opposition and some of the diff
culties that the congressional delega-
ton from this state will probably en-
counter when the Columbia Basin bill
comes up for action.
This editorial was the subject of
an article by John w. Kelly, special
Washington, D. c. correspondent for
the Oregonian and published in that
paper Tuesday Mr.. Kelly said in part:
The editorial attack is of Importance
for the reason that it will cause peo-
pie of Oregon and Washington, en-
thusiastic for the Grand Coulee and
the power development on the Colum
bia to realize that these gigantic under
takings will not materialize until con-
siderable educational work has been
carried on. The middle west and the
east are not likely to be as fascinated
by the idea of cheap power and more
cultivated acres as are the people of
the Pacific northwest, who know what
the country requires for development.
"Raiding the treasury" is the title
of the editorial, and it says that "all
that is necessary is for generous Uncle
Sam to go down into his pocket for
$800,000O00 to finance the scheme
Senators and congressman from Ore
gon Washington and idaho are ready
to go before congress and ask for that
amount of money. They believe the
time is right to present their PROPOSE
ton" According to the Illinois object
or, it would cost each of the 50,0O0,000
persons employed in the United States
1915 each or, thinking of a family
consisting of five, it void mean that
each family would contribute approx
mately $65 to the undertaking"
els it worth sos to an Illinois fam
lily, especially farm family, to con-
tribute that much towards retaining
100000 acres of far-western arid land
10000 farms of 100 acres each-and
supply them with cheap electricity?"
demands the editorial care not the
farms now being operated supplying
the nation with all the agricultural
products that the people can buy?
Would not that number of new farms
tend to pull down the value Of exist
ing farm lands? Is it right and proper
that $65 should be taken from an IL
linois farm family by means of taxes
to create new farms and new compe
titions for Illinois farmers? These are
questions which should be considered
by every taxpayer"
There is much more to the editorial
and this excerpt gives one slant on the
dertaking:
"The United States department of
the interior is considering the Column
bia river basin project at present, and
legislators from the three states are
ready, at the proper moment, to pre-
sent it to congress. The department
of agriculture isn't so keen about the
proposition. It has been urging crop
curtailment as a means of increasing
farm prices and it can't see how the
creation of 100000 fertile acres fits in
with curtailment program. There
may be some opposition to the plan
from the department of agriculture.
But the department of the interior will
have decided advantage in the argu-
ment. 1t will have the argument that
homesteads will be created for those
who wish to go from the cities to the
land, and it will provide employment
for an army of men, and will have
as clincher the statement that the
proposed project will not cost the tax
payer anything. Of course, there will
be an initial outlay of $8O0,000,O0O, but
the interior department and the SEN
ators and congressman interested will
claim that by the sale of farms and
electricity the $8OOOOO,OOO will be re-
pau. OuoV WAlC1l ~ Will NC lCpdlu IldS
not been determined. Perhaps in 40
years, they think. In other words, it
is proposed to go through with this
project, force the present generation
to pay for it by increased taxes, and
give the people the benefits of re-
payment 40 years hence. Present ex-
perience of the farm loan board should
be considered in reaching decision
of the practicability of such a propo-
sition."
There is much more. 1t is long ed
itorial and it can be regarded as the
spearhead of thrust which will be
made by the midwest and east when
legislation to start the Grand Coulee
and the Columbia river development
is introduced.
Before legislation on this project
advances far. it will be confronted by