The people's voice., 1944-09-29
FROM EDITORIAL COLUMNS
Where Does Montana Stand?

that made upon proposal for complete develop
of the Missouri Valley through an MVA have come
the Miles City (Mon) Daily STAR which has launched
campaign of unsupported nvectv against Murray
Montana, author of the MVA bill.
Why this Montana newspaper wants know Senator
Murray introduce the MVA bill? No has yet forth
with answer it "but has been suggested that the
senator let his hatred of the Anaconda Copper Mining
the Montana Power Co. blind him to the fell
victim to the Vaccinations of the lower foksthe
and navigation people,.
This antMvA then quotes and adopts its own,
assertion that Senator Murrays b his speech
written by the Harvard boys Tennessee
Valley Authority They interested in and the
control over the life and destiny of region which exercised
by the fixing of power rates.
The Miles City Daily Stars spirited defense of the Mon
ana Power Co., and its evident willingness leave the life
and destiny Of the Missouri Valley region the hands that
corporation rather than place in the hands of develop
ment dedicated only to the public welfare bring
interesting question:
Just what is this Montana Power Co., to whose side the
anti-MVA newspaper springs quickly?
By happy coincidence the question is answered in
article in Harpers magazine by Joseph Knsey Howard
20 years Montana newspaper The Montana Power
Co, subsidiary of the American Power Light
created in 1912 with the participation of John d. Ryan,
then president of the Anaconda Copper Co.
1t formed by the merger of several companies
cluding properties which Mr. Ryan which
sold to companies in which Mr. Ryan "a director
dominant stockholder or Gin one instance president Mr.
Ryan emerged the deal with $3O00O0OO obtained
properties for which he had paid $250OOO not longer than
four years earlier
Mr.. Ryan became president of Montana Power His
huge profit added to the total of the compan capital
investment which is the basis which the
established In addition the Montana Power Co. declared
stock dividend of four for the $00 value
shares of of the companies from which had been formed
Butte Electric Power-whch the Federal Power Commits
sion had the effect of writing the capital investment
by approximately $20,000,000
Through these transactions, Montana Power Co. added
than $40000000 to the figure which its customers
through their purchases of electricity expected to return
reasonable profit to the corporation FPC has brought
on seeking to compel the to adopt the commissions
form of accounting, which is said would eliminate from
the company capitalization S5OOO00O0 alleged to be in
excess of actual value
So much for the Montana Power Co.'S philosophy of fl
Now for its philosophy respecting development of the
Missouri River about which, aso there is fortunately evidence
Mr. Howard tells in Harpers of suit which the
pany brought five years against farmers cooperative
which diversion dam had been built in the Missouri
River and $1,000 acres of land had been irrigated
The Montana Power Co. asked injunction against this
of the water declaring entitled to the entire flow
the rverncludng the amount which had been diverted
gation-for the operation of its hydroeectric
plants downstream the farmers DAM The company
federal court but the appeals Francisco
empted the conservation board from the
Howard writes that the has apparently abandoned
hope of winning under this limitation.
The tie-up of the Anaconda Copper Co. with Montana
Power about naturally from the circumstance that
Mr. Howards words in Anaconda the Montana Power Co M
eputed of the largest single industrial customers
if not the largest possessed by American utlya
toner which in 1910 using than the entire
airpane industry in this country
almost generation Mr.. Howard says Montana
Anaconda Copper have been running the show Mon
ANA Only there signs that the people of Montana
the show for themselves Mr. Howard instances
the Democratic primary
ef Erickson candidate opposed by the Montana Power
lie might also have nsanced the rising tide of popular
,ort for MVA.
The Miles City Stars question as why Senator Murray
Introduced the MVA bill brings pertinent questions which
newspaper Montana voters in general should ask
themselves:
Shall river be reserved for private expota
dominating the public and defrayng the by high
One of the effective ways make this
ont of view prevail to the only workable idea for
it, MVA.
shall the Missouri river be developed will be
the greatest to the people? There
workable idea available for bringing this about only
ne: MVA.
Which the side of the Miles City Star? Which is the
de of the people of Montana?-St. Louis PostDspach
Missouri Valley Authority?
Application idea government represented by