NATIONAL CONSERVATION AND WATER POWERS 



983 



create a false impression. Waterpowers cannot be used 

 under any coi-iditions until they are needed. There is at 

 present, on national forests, a total of 1, OUT, 621 horse- 

 power for which permits are outstanding, and the water- 

 powers already in operation produce 266,797 horsepower. 

 Instead of immediately increasing the amount of power 

 development, there is reason to believe that the effect of 

 private ownership might be just the reverse, and that a 

 powerful motive for desiring absolute ownership is the 

 ojjportunity which it insures of holding possession of 

 valuable powers, and keeping off competitors, until the 

 time comes when it will be profitable to use these powers. 



market. Aleanwhile, unprofitable ivaterpotvcrs remain 

 the property of the nation until such time as they are 

 needed. It is so obvious that the leasing system instead 

 of preventing, tends to secure the maximum develop- 

 ment, that it would have been well for the champions of 

 private ownershi]) had they made overdevelopment the 

 basis of their objections rather than retardation, and it 

 is notable that much of the opposition to the passage of 

 improved and amended legislation so long sought by con- 

 servationists, is based on this feature of insistence on 

 development as a condition of holding leases. 



It is not claimed that the present system is perfect. 



CAZADl.Ku PLANT OF PORTLAND RAILWAY LIGHT AND POWER CO., CLACKAMA.S RIVKR, OREGON. 



This public-service corporation is planning to develop additional power through new construction under a Forest Service permit, on the Oregon 

 National Forest. The plant here shown is not under perinit, since it does not involve use of National Forest land. 



The principle naturally striven for, that of a reasonable Leases revocable at the option of the Secretary should 

 profit, urges consolidation of power interests and elimina- be made irrevocable (but subject to cancellation on fail- 



tion of competition as a means of assuring this profit. 



The present system of leasing effectuallv prevents 

 artificial restriction of power development. A govern- 

 ment permit is granted only on condition that construc- 

 tion work be begun within a specified time. The appli- 



ure to observe the terms thereof) and renewable pre- 

 vious to the expiration of the period of 50 years for 

 which they run. Other modifications are possible with- 

 out sacrificing the principle of national ownership. The 

 Ferris bill ( H. R. IGfST;?, 63rd Congress 3rd session). 



cant secures a priority right, and is then given time to embodies the principles for which the advocates of )U7- 



prepare surveys and specifications, and to further inves- tional conservation contend, and to which those who 



tigate markets and cost of installation. If he decides are not opposed on principle to all government control 



that the venture will prove profitable, the lease is granted are substantially agreed. But of late there has been a 



and actual development work must begin. If not, the growing movement to repudiate this bill, and it is the 



permit is cancelled, and another applicant is given oppor- ])robable intention of waterpower interests to attempt to 



tunity to consider the prospect. The inevitable elTect of 

 such a system, provided the terms are equitable, is to 

 secure development at the earliest moment when eco- 

 nomic conditions appear to justify the venture, and to 

 absolutely prevent the holding of power in an unde- 



secure from this coming Congress a radically different 

 measure, which will give them absolute control of na- 

 tional waterpowers, free from all interference. The pro- 

 ceedings of the waterpower convention called in (Jregon 

 for September should throw some light on this subject. 



veloped condition as a means of influencing the power Efforts mav be made to confuse the issue of national 



