Montana labor news., 1950-08-24
MVA-CVA Truths
Cheap Power

Cheap Power
For ears Senator Murray and Rep.
Mansfield have Tough, persistently
ior cheap power Tor the state OF
Montana. and have been very sue
ee,,iul. Their efforts have been re
sarded b, appropriations Tor Hungr,
Horse Dam, canyon Ferry Dam and
a number Of transmission lines 10
carry the electrical energy TO parts
OF the state where il can hes, be
utilized by new industry.
Ners recently the Victor Chemical
Nork, oi Chicago decided to install
a plant IN Montana Tor the manu-
iacture oi phosphate. which in the
opinion oi nan a vital strategic
material
Bonneville ha, entered into a con-
t with the manufacturing com
supply them electrical energy
trn. ~St ALI Of 1851 until the
HunsryV rergy is available in
Thing Montana ,A1brver had, de-
spite the TACT that our streams can
supply Us with unlimited electrical
energy ior practically nothing. Now
come, the comical part Of this story.
When the news item broke in the
Montana papers. the Montana Power
COMPANY was given all the credit
Tor bringing this manufacturing com
pany into the state.
This company would never have
been able e locate in Montana il
It we're not Tor cheap power. soris-
Thing that the Montana Power Com
pan, has opposed throughout il,
entire hi,try
With the completion OF these dam,
NOW being constructed. Montana will
attract many more enterprises which
have to have cheap power. and more
than likely the Montana Power Com.
panN will want 10 he given credit
lur every enterprise that locates i'll
the state.
Like omr one-time friend. Joe
Stain, they believe that ii they claim
something long enough and loud
enough. il i, theirs. They remind me
Of an old Cornishman who vas an
lnNe'crate "Seyen-up" player in Butte
N the earl, da,s-when the hand was
PLAYED out he invariably said. Il
have II h-low-jaek and the game.
y hat, thee GOT" Perhaps the Mon
tana Power tompan acquired their
elaiming ideas from the old Cornish
man Who knows-sometime i'll the
future, Judging from past actions. YOU
vii hear SOME soap box orator pro-
tanning To- the world that the Mon
tana Power built Hoover Dam, Bn-
neville Dam. Hungry Horse Dam.
anson Ferry Dam and all the trans
ai>>ion lines carrying the juice IRON
ihe>e lines To a very prosperous
West. They woul dbe as much JUS
uiied III making that rash statement
a. they are n claiming that tley are
the one, who induced the Victor
hcmlcal Company to engage in the
manufacture Of phosphate in Mon
'ana
onc thing we can be assured Of is
lie TACT that Montana is entering
ntu an unprecedented era OF pros
perits with the coming OF this cheap
npNsrf We must also remember that
thc Montana Power Company is US
ing every resource at their command
10 control this power produced at
taxpayer, expense. They wish 10
hu, tins power Tor nothing and sell
I Al the top Of the market.
N present they are fighting To
have the Appropriation made Tor the
Hayre Shelby transmission line re-
>cindcd. a. they want TO build this
Inc themsclvr, thereby controlling
ihr electrical energy produced. Ii
they are successful III gaining con
irol q the liavre-Shelby transmits
SION line. Montana's idea OF a ros,
future will vanish, as the Montana
Power Company will never produc+
power to be sol dat a fair price.
II We are to give credit 10 anyone
Tor the construction OF these dam
aud transmission lines. lets give il
u whom II really belongs. Senator
Murray aud Congressman Mansfield
and not to the Montana Power Co.
THE OLD TIMER
Editor, Nutr Since thi, article
VA, written another industry, hay
ing been assured that they can Sc
urc cheap power. has made arrange
rrn', 10 move into Columbia Falls.
" the start OF operations they will
employ over 1000 workmen, but will
expand as soon as they are able 10
secure the necessary machinery
This clearly demonstrates that cheap
power j. Just what is needed to make
Montana a state we can all be proud
Of IL date the Montana Power
{ pmDaux has mad M claims ,ho,,
beng the sponsors OF this second