The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1958-12-19

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cialism of the opponents when he
said, eve (AFL-CIO executive
board) reasoned that downstream
benefits in our neighboring states
in the Pacific Northwest are benz
eft to us what is good for one
Pacific Northwest state is good for
all Pacific Northwest states The
people of Montana should be thank
full that such men as Senator Neu-
berger and our other great senators
of the Pacific Northwest are spend
ing their time and effort endeavor-
ing to have our federal government
help us develop our great under
developed water resources that en-
able the people of western Montana
to progress along with our neigh
boring states in the Pacific North
west"
State Representative testifying be-
sides Maurice Powers of Butte were
Joe Strnisha, Ravalli county; Henry
Gill. Sanders county; L. P. Tonner,
Flathead county; and Senators Gene
Mahoney, Sanders county, and H. II.
Anderson, Lincoln county.
Senator Mahoney said, 81 do not
think Congress is going to abdicate
it's authority, and under this bill they
can not-also the American people
will abolish (the corporation) if there
are any abuses.
Norman Penwell, television station
owner. Kalispell, in a rebuttal state
ment said Sam GOA was "off base
when he suggested we didn't get any
benefits from Hungry Horse il
anyone has been hurt from Hungry
Horse we have yet to hear from them,
and the power company has benefited
the most because all their power is
firmed up"
He said this state has been raped
of its natural resources by large cor
porations owned and controlled out
of the state that Montana Power
has most of federal power tied up in
wheeling contracts at federal dams
at dump power rates, and asked "why
do they deny these benefits to us?
Penwell said 1--WE have one bar
gaining power left in the State of
Montana and that is our water" He
said the reservations in the Cabinet
Gorge bill about which Bonner
spoke meant nothing because the
water rights constitutionally belong
to Montana so nothing was really
corrected in the bill.
Proponents asked for assurance in
the act that Montana would have the
at-site power reservations.
Senator Neuberger noted that it
might be dangerous to make specific
as every state will lose
out to the State of Washington which
has more power potential than the
rest combined. Neuberger asked pro-
ponents to consider division on a
fair and reasonable basis.
Ray Loman of Roman was co-ordi-
nator for the opponents to the bill
and Gene Mahoney co-ordinator for
The proponents. The hearing went off
and without doubt all ar
for and against had time to
De amply heard. 1t may be true more
people could have testified on both
sides, but the experience at the Para
lise Dam hearings in Missoula last
year gave conclusive evidence that
any longer time allotted would have
produced nothing but REPETITION. AS it
vas much of the testimony was dupli-
,ation.
There were 25 opponents and 81
They had equal time di-
vided into one-half hour sequences.
MISSOULA SENTINEL story said
written testimony was 10 to l against
he BILL My understanding is that
etters presented during testimony
nay have run that ratio, but testi-
nony written directly to the con-
,ressional committee had, at the time
# the hearing, run 100 to l in favor
# the bill. Opponents presented indi-
idual letters from all members of a
ingle family, such as, man, wife,
ids, etc, a tactic that swelled the
lumber of letters at the hearings.
The hearing record is open for 80
avs (Jan. III to receive any written
estimony Montanans wish to send in.
Approximately 1, 900 people listened
o the testimony, and Flathead County
Iigh School classes moved in and
ut Of the auditorium, listening to the
Tho 10 x.yoe