The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1949-08-19
Blocking of Power Appropriations Will

ton of power would be illegal, be-
cause it would saddle on the tax
payers of the country costs in the
construction of the dam which should
be paid for out of the proceeds of
the project. This proposal by the
Montana Power company, if ac-
cepted, would give it exclusive con-
troll of all power produced at the
dam. Obviously, it is a subterfuge
to defeat the established policies of
Congress with reference to multiple
purpose projects.
The committees amendment pro-
hibits use of funds for construction
of power facilities by the Bureau of
Reclamation at the Canyon Ferry
dam. IF this amendment of the COM
mittee stands, it means that the Con-
gress will be turning over this dam
costing $29, to the power
company for use as a private power
project, with control over the sale of
all power produced for it's own &C
count. This action of the commit
tee is lnQeIenSlDle.
Havre-Shelby Transmission Line
Third: The Havre-Shelby Trans
mission line, approved by the Bureau
of the Budget and included in the
Bureau of Reclamation program for
the Missouri basin, was denied APP
in the sum of $780,
900 by the committee. These ia
cilities are essential to transmit cleo
trio energy produced at the federal
Fort Peck power project to four
rural electrification co-operatives,
and towns and villages in the Havre-
Shelby area of Montana. This line
would connect with the Fort Peck
Great Falls transmission line at
1avre, Montana, and deliver this
ow-cost public power to the farmers
md to the towns in that area. Fail
Ire to provide this transmission line
will deprive these farm co-operatives
md towns in that area of the right |
siven them by law for the purchase
If power from government power
liant.
The Montana Power Company
has consistently refused to wheel
or transmit any power over it's
lines for preference consumers of
the Bureau of Reclamation. In
this way, these farmers and towns
are shut out completely. These
people will have to pay excessive
charges and receive inadequate
service if this transmission line
is not allowed. 1t will mean that
the Montana Power company will
be given an exclusive monopoly
of the power generated at the Fort
Peck government plant.
The private utilities can serve a
legitimate purpose-render con-
enient service to the people, with a
andsome profit. But to be granted
monopoly control over hydro-electric
over produced at the taxpayers ex-
ense constitutes a discrimination
gainst the public interest which
hould not be tolerated in free
ountry. :.
These private utilities are not con-
tituted to carry out the programs
'hich the government is required to
ndertake for the public good. If
he government failed to provide
lese projects which we have been ,
they wouldn't be provided I
all. The private utilities could
OF undertake the task.
The only way the government
;an provide flood control, recla- I
nation, public power, and develop
nent of natural resources without t
placing an excessive burden on the
taxpayers is through these multi v
,le-purpose programs which are G
]
To block these government pro- g
ANS and repudiate these estab- i
she'd Congressional policies in order [
benefit the power monopoly would +
, monstrous crime.
Let us beware of the dangerous
of monopoly in the p
nited States. Are we going to o
y to the progressive states of the C
est and the south, which have long C
ZEN mere colonies of the industrial e
81. sfUo,,. ao~,o+ Lo1,o ap,r ~, ono 10