PAGE TWO
THE DALLES WEEKLY CHROI
MONDAY, MAY 2, 121.
HYDRO-ELECTRIC
FACTS REVIEWED
GOVERNMENT MAY DEVELOP
PROJECTS UNDER NEW WAT
ER. POWER LAW.
the
i
By Judge Stephen A. Lowell
PENDLETON, Ore., Mny 2. Tho
genesis of the federal water power
act of June 10, 1920, is probably to
be found In an Increasing alarm
among tho masses that there Is grave
danger that the priceless hydro-electric
power sites and power privileges
existing throughout the national do
main will early puss to the hands of
powerful private interests, and that,
they wiH thus be lost to future gener
ations just as most other natural re
sources have been lost to tho genera
tions now living.
Tho law conies too late to save to
the public any considerable portion
of the once abounding hydraulic as
sets of the Atlantic coast. Substan
tially every important available pow
er site upon the lakes and streams in
that section of the country has al
ready become the property of the
mighty electrical and manufacturing
Interests centering in IA Boston, New
Vork and Philadelphia. The experts
employed by those Industries depen
dent upon machinery long ago perceiv
ed that an age of electricity was be
ing ushered In, and, ever alert to the
Interest of their employers, advised
prompt and systematic acquisition of
hydraulic power sites and privileges
wherever possible to secure, and such
advice has been assiduously followed.
Power applied direct from the fall
of water is too limited in Its scope.
The same water utilized for tho gen
eration of electricity multiplies the
power many-fold, and renders possi
ble distribution over a large expanse
of territory. Where, hitherto, a dozen
turbine wheels have been perchance
driven by a falling stream, under the
more approved system of electrical
transmission the same water will
drive tho machinery of a dozen factor
ies scattered over a radius of 500
miles, because by modern engineering
appliances electric currents are eas
ily and efficiently carried 250 miles
from a central station, with minimum
of loss.
(What the future may contain in
this field is sUU in the realm of scien
tific mystery. It Is only 40 years
since water power first began to be
converted Into olectrical energy and
only 30 years since tho first trans
mission lino In tho republic was in
stalled, At first the limit of trans
mission was small, loss than flvo
milos, and that with notablo loss of
voltage Toduy the use of tho 2C0 mile
limit is conservative.
Mcn of foresight everywhere have
long slnco coino to a realization that
tho coal proulom, not only In Amer
ica but over tho globe, is to become
moro and more acute. Hence tho inter
national race for control of petroleum
fields. Theoretically there nro coal (to
posltis in tho soil of tho flvo conti
nents Biiflclent to supply ho needs of
man for several centuries.
Actually, measured bv accessibility
and by the standard of current rate
of consumption, tho cheaply obtain
able ooal'doposlts will bo exhausted In
two generations. Wood Is no longer
available for Industrial fuel to any
material degree. Indeed tho time is
not far distant whoir tho Unltod
Htates must follow the custom of tho
old world, and construct dwelling
houses or some other material than
lumber.
Conditions Changed.
Tho average man, busy with hi 4
own affairs, has only recently begun
to realize tho changed conditions. It
is only students, specialists and men
directly Interested In applied mechan
ical energy, who have fortseen tho
imperative enthronement of electric
ity In the world's Industrial kingdom.
Unfortunately the loose laws of statos
have made it possible for great cor
poratlons to quietly acquire owner
ship and control of lakes, wator falls,
potential power sites and ennui
rights, and they have not been pro
crastinators In availing themselves or
the opportunities orfered It. It Is proi.
able that a census of tho present own
ership of the water power of tho
forty-eight states would astound tho
intelligent public were such census
available at this time.
Public stuitiment In a free govern
ment Is all-powerful when once
Aroused, but It frequently sleeps too
long. It Is a tardily awakening opin
ion which has compelled congress to
act for tho protection of tho remain
ing wutors susceptible of power de
Tolopment. Happily for tho west,
there is presumably remaining free' an
abundance of potential powvr In the
upper roaches of tho navigable
streams, upon the remnant of public
lands and upon government reserva
tions. Apparently it will'' be in the
western states where will be found
the chief benefit to arise from
new power legislation.
I Must Regain Control.
In the east the states themselves
must arouse to the crisis and, by prop
er laws and effective constitutional
amendments recover control of water
rights now in the hands of private
exploiters. The subject is already ont
of paramount Interest in several of
the older commonwealths, and in an
other decade there probably will be
no economic subject so vital or no
compelling as this. The reason is ob
vious. Rapidly increasing population
demands the utilization of every
source from which motive energy may
be drawn, to the end that industry
may not languish or demand exceed
supply. The state must more and more
assert its protective power, assuring
equality of opportunity and .suppress
ing monopoly.
The federal water-pow,er act is far
from perfect, but it is at least a be
ginning toward an end which must
count large in the economic life of the
nation during succeeding centuries.
Statesmanship, both political and util
itarian, looks beyond the horizon of
the present to the exigencies of a dis
tant future. The act is at least n
warning to invisible mercenaries that
the sun of publicity is hereafter to
shine upon their operations and that
there Is a well-defined purpose to con
serve resources and tb preserve to all
the people something of their remain
ing heritage therein.
Fundamentally the congressional
purpose appears to have been to
permit private capital to develop pow
er upon government lands, reserva
tions and navigable rivers, but at the
same time to insure federal control of
all operations through a system of li
censes and permits. The rules and
regulations of the conduct of the
plants, as well as of their preliminary
survey and inspection, are not declar
ed by the statute, but are to be form
ulated and adopted by the federal
power commission, which consists of
the secretaries of war, interior and
agriculture. These rules are now in
process of systematization, and the
representatives of the leading power
companies have recently met in Wash
ington to participate In the discussion
of tho framework of these rule.
When the scheme of operation has
been fully worked out the public can
judge more clearly as to the probable
value of the statute to the people as
a whole. Its administration cannot bo
safely allowed to drift to the fold of
special interests. It possesses teeth,
if they bo not drawn. There are,
tive and, legal dentists lnour iniuii-'j'nienf? may take over any plant at the
expiration of any license. This pro
vision looks toward emergencies and
epochs of peril, but thereby congress
trial life.
May qevelpp Projects.
The law, fortunately, Is comprehen
sive enough to permit development of ( 'seems to have vlsioned a -future when
any project by the central govern-1 all public utilities will pass to nation
ment itself, whenever in the.Judg- al or state ownership a situation
ment of the commission public inter- not improbable within the span ot
est demands. In express language- another half century.
the act prohibits the apprpvai of any
starch,, wprk ready for ironing. Un.:
denpear ready for wear. Model- Laun,
dry, main 41. -
application presented by y any citizen,
association, corporation, state or mu
nicipality when the United States, in
the opinion of the commission, should
undertake the work, that Is, when the
welfare of all the people or certain
peculiarly governmental functions are
involved. In such cases, it is made
the duty of the commission to cause
to be made surveys, examinations, re
ports and plans to itself make , for
mal findings and to strbmit all thereof
to congress with proper recommenda
tions. It is by virtue of this mandate that
navigation canalization of rivers at
points where hydraulic energy exists,
generation of electric power for pump
ing water upon irrigable lands and
the utilization of hydro-electric sour
ces for railroad electrification and
other purposes in which the nation
may have a direct or indirect inter
est, are all made possible. For in
stance, the whole population is vital
ly interested in cheap and rapid
transportation. The distribution prob
lem has become both vexatious and
menacing. If the engineers in any pre
liminary survey locate a power site
anywheie on navigable waters, pub
lic lands or government reservations,
throught which neighboring rail lines
may be electrified at moderate cost, it
thereby becdmes the manifest duty
of the commission to decline any pri
vate application for license, to mal'e
its own survey and investigation and
to submit its findings and recommen
dations to congress. So also as relates
to improvement of navigation and to
the reclamation of any considerable
body of arid lands.
Other factors might be .worthy of
consideration, and in time of, war
they might be numerous. Except, how
ever, when some( especial governmen
tal purpose or duty is to be served,
the purpose of the statute is to leave
the field free to citizens, corporations,
states and municipalities, (the, latter
term being declared to include city,
county, irrigation district -or other po
litical subdivision or agency compe
tent under the state laws to develop,
transmit, utilize or distribute elec
tric power) each to be always sub
ject to the terms and conditions of
the license itself, which is limited to
a term of 50 years with conditional
right of continuance or renewal,
Upon just compensatioiajand under
however, some very capable legisla-, faIr conditions the federal govern.
Don't let Mother know
i
this secret
Mm ..
f3l
7ihf 1 '
10 a
MV1 II II I'A a
May 8th is the day to surprise
her with this Brunswick
the
Your Mother has heard, no doubt,
of the Mothers' Day Club, but
she has no idea whether you are
lone of the members. But a great
I many Mothers arc wondering.
a. a .
wc uon t intend to give
secret away here. A good
many sons and daugh
ters now belong to the
Mothers' Day Club and
arc preparing to give their
If others a big surprise.
Mothers' Day Club is a
Brunswick idea, a happy
coBception, and one youll
be delighted with, once
yom come in am learn the
efetaSp.
Hi
It all centers around a surprise
for Mother and an easy way for
you to give her that surprise.
In includes numerous features
aside from presenting her with a
wonderful Brunswick No.
112 and a special collec
tion of Records.
To take part in the ad
vantages of Mothers' Day
Club, the first step is toj
come in and asccrtaia the
details tke secrets Vre
can't publish. As the
is abort, wi
early rs.
CORSON, The Music Nan
"EVERYTHING IN MUSIC
Halo
($061 Bemneit Taxi Main
; '; '
01 tf
Laundry Prices Cut
After May 1 we will do family rough
dry wash by the pound. This will be
a saving of 25 percent: The pricen
will be 9 cents a pound, and 1 cent
a piece. All flat work ironed and the
I OO LATE TO, CLASSIFY
FOR SALE! Good second hand De
Laval cream separator. C. J. Corson,
320 Bast Second street. 6wl8
FOR REJNT Seven-room, furnished
house. References required. Apply
313 East Fifth -street. 4
Typing and tenftrapny.
done at reasonable rates Rosina A.
Fleck. Office Hetel Dalles. Real
dence psoas red 2332. tf
, Brown! Oufur stag Time -Table -
Two round, trips, dally. Leajre .Bank,
hotel, 9. a. m. and 4 p. in. Leave,,
Dttfur 7:30 a. m. and 1 p. m. tf.
Dr. S. Burke Massey, dentist, First
National bank, rooms 307-308. TelV
phone main 3911. res. main 1691. 8tf
FOR TRADE: Thoroughbred Duroc
hogs for good milch cow and calf.
'F. A. Bushey, up, Chenowlth, creek,
route 4. 4
WIANTED Middle-aged woman to
cook for invalids on ranch near
Ooldendale. Good wages. Call before
6 p. m. tonight, Monday, Chronicle
office. 22
"WANTED Wan to Tebulld my ga
rage on lot next to Roy Reed's prop
erty on Bast Jackson street, and I
guarantee it not to fall over on a
perfectly calm night. Mr?. Millie B. j
Sutton, 1217 Fine street. 4 .
Millions
of persons have carried Travelers Cheques to every nook
and cranny of the earth. ,
Inexperienced travelers as well as veteran globe trotters
have found this form of self-Identifying travel funds es
sentia.! t to their comfort.
When you buy Travelers Cheques at this bank you con
vert your travel money into a form of currency which f
is readily negotiable anywhere, and yet which can be
spent by no one. but you. -
Travelers Cheques are popular with tourists because they
positively safeguard travel funds,
They are popular with hotels and railroad and, steanv
ship companies because they are not alluring loot to
thieves and because they eliminate embarrassment and
hazards, incidental to cashing personal checks.
We regard tho sale of this international currency as one
of the most important phases- of our complete banking
service.
It costs little to insnre your funds against loss by. pur
chasing Travelers Cheques at this bank.
4 Interest Pajti on Sayings Aoconats
THE
FIRST NATIONAL BANK
The Dalles, Oregon
11
The
Report, of The. Condition of
0. -m. v j
Mtrst
national
Bank
f)i
Of The Dalles, Oregon;
. At i. '
Aldose of business Aprtt 28; 1921
Resources
Loans and,,.Diecounta!,. - -$,- 991,061.48.
United Statea Bonds;' etc ' 1Mi1314
Other Bonds', etci 129,990.14,
Bank Building 86.000.00
Cash and Exchange . 249,624 J5
Liabilities
Wftpt&l a
.Su'plua and. Undivided Profits
Circulation -
Sills- Payable and Rediscounts
Prosit.. v-rV
$1,614,708.42
4 Per. Cent Interest. Paid, on Savings Account.,
Safe Deposit Boxes for
100400.00
av.soaoo1.
22279.00-.1,T)13,5019,
$1,614,708.42
Rent,
10
Officers-""
E. M.. WILLIAMS, President
E. O. McCOY, Vice-President
' L. BARNUM. Vice President
F. W. SIMS, Cashier
s R. L. GOOD, Ass't Cashier
Directors-
L. BARNUM
E. O. McCOY
J. L. KELLY
J. N. TEA.L,
E. M. WILLIAMS
),lilp--T
TP
E M PR E SS
The Superfeature House
MONDAY and TUESDAY
Bom
HkViil Abas
BUB 'far .
TRUMPET ISLAJ
ATOM TERMS PRQtt
ADAPTED and EDITED Ay
From the Story by S&iS
" - .r
GQUverneur MomC
FOR TWO DAYS
It's the best there is in spectacular Dramas. The strange story of three
lives. It is different from any picture you have seen v
with
All: Star Cast
Comint- "TO PLEASE ONE WOMAN"
4