The people's voice., 1949-08-05

made IN a vigorous speech al
the damsite by Reclamation
Commissioner Michael Straus
a telegram from Sen. James E.
Murray and a letter from Rep.
Mike Mansfield.
Issue Before Congress
So far, the move by the private
power interests against public power
at Canyon Ferry has been success
full, but the issue will come up on
the senate floor at Washington to-
day or at an early date. The eight
ieth congress had prohibited use of
Canyon Ferry funds for bureau pow
er installations.
In the appropriation bill for the
new fiscal year the house recently
made so much restriction, but SEN
ate committee renewed it. Unless
the senate over-rules the committee,
the question will go before a joint
conference committee.
Calling Canyon Ferry dam key
structure in the whole Missouri basin
plan. Straus accused Montana Pow
er Company of a selfish attempt to
get the benefits of the structure for
itself and nullify the reclamation
law This utility is the only private
supplier of electricity in much of the
state and is powerful here. It's fight
on public power at Canyon Ferry
has been an outstanding instance of
the broad national attack on public
power by private power interests re-
Gently
Canyon Ferry DAM" said Straus,
twas conceived, was designed and is
authorized as a multiple-purpose
project. 1t is a public power prof.
ect. 1t embraces federal power
houses and federal transmission lines.
They are as much part of Canyon |
Ferry as Canyon Ferry is a part of
the Missouri basin plan. These pow
er features are part and parcel of
Canyon Ferry.
Inseparable, He Says
"The irrigation included won't and
can't stand up and pay off without
power, the paying partner of irriga-
ton. You can't have Canyon Ferry
with irrigation alone and without
power any more than you can have
ham and eggs without the eggs.
"The reason for this is simple. I
The irrigation is going to need pump
ing. Pumping needs cheap power.
Canyon Ferry can provide that cheap t
power for pumping. 1t can also /
provide vast amount of power that t
IAN be sold with priority, as required
by law, to public bodies and also to .
private corporations on widespread
market at low cost to make new in
iustries possible and tighten your
and farm chores.
"Ths widespread sale of the peo-
,le's power to the people at low rates
% perform these tasks gives us the
market that makes the power possi- -
lie and also provides the revenue aid
o irrigation. a
Authorization Cited =
Congress authorized a multiple c
urpose project and the law says u
hat such projects shall be built with t,
owerhouses and transmission lines n
y your government to insure its j,
to insure low-cost power D
s an aid to irrigation and to be
with preference to public u
odies, such as rural electrical coop in
ratives, municipalities and irriga- tC
on districts. The authorization act a.
Congress provided for federally h
wned transmission lines to secure tt
1ese benefits. p
"The local utility monopoly, Mon v;
ina Power Co., is engaged in an tt
ndeavor to persuade Congress to tc
ullify the reclamation law by with fl
olding funds to prevent your gov pl
'nment from building the Canyon al
erry powerhouse and transmission
mes. The company says it will do m
i that for the government and all CT