The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1948-09-10
Smiling Montana Power Stooges

public power development who posed together with
sterling characters Sam Ford and Ralph Brcker for
photograph which appeared the Great Falls Tribune
last Monday Jensen must have found them kindred souls
The only thing that might have added the picture would
have beena representative of the Montana Power Company
the background with hands raised in benedction Ger
tanly belonged oversight
that it not included.
The caption under the by saying that "A
in this have good to feel happy about
bright prospects for the Missouri BASIN Of
the photograph appears the face of o. S. Warden who
along with Sam Ford Bcker and Dwar show their pleasure
the temporary victory the Montana Power Com
pany the of the Canyon Ferry victory
which only of several achieved byensen and his cohorts
in Congress- for the benefit of the power trust
The Great Falls Chamber of Commerce hosts to
Jensen and his committee members and while there be
question that the taxpayers paid for the unke of these oogs
81 the power trust they did not even make any gesture OF
acting in the pubics behalf by holding sembance of
public hearing development for the benefit of the
people of the state and the Missouri basin Representatives
of the farm population interested in rural eectricaon de-
velopmen granted short hearing and they
left with the feeling that it unsatisfactory
As reported the last of The Voice. Jensen and his
committee entitled full credit for delay in the conruc
the Canyon Ferry This by provision
that of the appropriated could be used for
purpose having anything to do with development of power
This tied the project Jensens statement this
ported in the Tribune
This project tied by procedure hardly under
stand When wrote the BILL meant for the project to
go forward We did put limitations it because
felt private firm (Monana Power Company willing to build
transmission lines should have that privilege since they
approximately four mills for kowatt of they
produce felt they should have opportunity to spend their
money!
Is
ignorant of the facts of life that they will believe him when
he nfe the does not collect the four mills
tax from the of its services.
Private power stooge reported the Tribune,
rhapsodic outing the Tber the Lower
Maras This be easily understood. There no
plan for the development of public connection with
that project Clearly willing long anything
where the selfish interests of the private companies
not jeopardized; and "the public be damned"
O. S. Warden of the Great Falls Tribune is reported to
have stated that Montana has least
100000 and probably 100000 additional acres Warden
neglected tell just how this to be made available
for irrigation under the PckSoan plan which he has
IDENTIFY supported The Public Affairs Institute recently
leased discussion prepared by of internationally
recognized which that there not enough
water available to provide navigation facilities and recama
ton Statements which these engineers follow with proof
from available records,
The people of the valley faced with very real prob
lem here 1t of those that has been skipped by the
engineers Of the 1t this: If cheap
transportation (by navigation to be secured under
plans lot of water If that water has to be taken
from the farmers bad for the region But it
isn't taken from the farmers the navigation will
be short during the dry cycles that four undesirable things
may be expected to happen.
First the barge companies will their charges
because they will only be operating few months of
the dry That will hurt the shippers and barge
panies BOTH Second the railroads not feel inclined
reduce their freight rates under such
of the main benefits of navigation system Offering
competition which freight rates reduced) will be
Third factory dependent lowcost water transportation
could locate safely the river Fourth elevators which