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<br />WASHINGTON UPORT
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<br />Senate .OkayofHells Canyon
<br />Dramatic Victory for R;E.'s
<br />lJJ' Sam,'Portwine
<br />NREdA News semel)
<br />Washington, D. O.-A high Federal HeDs- Ca.DJ'Gn Dam was
<br />antho~ by the Senate June ~l. In a..spectaeuIaT,.hist()ry~maJdng
<br />45-88 decls10n t'everslng'coQSOOutlve losses proponents of cOIJi~en-
<br />siva development, of natoral re80lll'ce8 have suffered since 1~.
<br />When VIce Pre s 1d e n t Richard
<br />Nixon announce<) the official result
<br />of tile vote, there were ,as the Con-
<br />gressional Record notes conserva.
<br />tlvdy, 'fManl1estattons of applause
<br />In the galleries." Actually, the gal-
<br />leries broke Into unrestrained ap.
<br />plsuae al\d cMering seldom wit.
<br />nesSed, aceordlng to Capitol bI1l vet-
<br />erans.'
<br />Tne Vice President allowed the reo
<br />joking for about 30 ~nds ~fore
<br />requesting order In.-the galleries.
<br />However, by that time, there was
<br />bedlam on the Senate noor. Senators
<br />sWarmed, around Sen. Wayne Mor.ae
<br />(Oreg.), Sen.. Frank Chureh (Ida.)
<br />an4 Sen. tucllard, Neuberger (Oreg.), .
<br />slapping theIr backs 'and shakirig
<br />h~l1ds In congratulations. It took- at
<br />least three minute.!! before the Sen,
<br />ate oould resume the business at
<br />hand
<br />The Bellil canyon bIl.tue baa been
<br />all uP-l1llI. JlAtttliulariY'so. 8lnce May
<br />8, 19lIS, when former Secretary ot
<br />the J.n.terlor Do.CIa. McKay an.
<br />nounood .that the Ebenbowel' A.d.-
<br />lI,hllstratl1)n woal4 not ln~rvene be-
<br />fore tile ~raI Power (lo~on
<br />in favor or . ~ral proJecL
<br />The drlUTlatlc Senate victory, com.
<br />Ing after defeats before the Federal
<br />Power CQmJl\I8$lon, FW.eral- DIstrIct
<br />O:Jurt, Federal Court of Ap~s, and
<br />the UnIted States Supreme Court,
<br />ha.d all the emotional elements of a
<br />great_ play or novel. 'They included:
<br />-Idaho Power Co. destroyed one
<br />of the ettectlvEl uJUlUentll In favor
<br />of a Federal project _by returnfni ~
<br />the govermnent,tp; Wl1te-otf subsidy
<br />ooriUIcates totAUng $83.s.mll~on.
<br />-Of six; Senators l_vtng .June 26
<br />for London dlsannarnent negotla.
<br />tlons, four favored a high Hells can.
<br />yon project over the Idaho Power
<br />Co/s par t I a I development 'SCheme.
<br />and had to vok! .l'Jlle ~1 or not at aU.
<br />-Senate MaJority Leade~ Lyndon
<br />JQllnson (Tex.) was scheduled to
<br />take a ten4a.Y rest beginning June
<br />24, at the. insistence of his doetors.
<br />Bls leadllrshlp and Vl.lte would have
<br />been ml!JlHld, If the vote had not come
<br />June 2L
<br />-8lln, Willlam L>ulger (N, Dale,)
<br />appeared In the Senate from bls lJWt
<br />bOO to Cllllt a vote f~ :Ilells Canyon,
<br />marklng.hl9 fint appea.rance In the
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<br />Hells Canyon
<br />Scuttled
<br />The possiblUty of a high
<br />Hells Canyon dam went down
<br />the drain on' July: 2 whoo a
<br />Hl)U80 sub~m.mittee "scuttled
<br />the but ,despl~ Its previoUlJ' .,1>>:- '
<br />proval by the Senate. 'Idalio
<br />Power Company IS ~ow pro-
<br />......g lull 'Peed altoad .. the
<br />smaR dams It had s~.. ,
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<br />senate chamber In app~oxhnately
<br />ten__weeks,
<br />-The ol~st !1lenaror, ~_.AIl1er1can
<br />history, &It. Theodore" ()~R (B.L),
<br />Inw..rupted hIS travel sehedide and
<br />returned to the Senate ohaInbi>r from
<br />Washlngf.on National A.h'por* by
<br />poUce eSCilrt to ClaSt his vote' In. favor
<br />Of blgh BeUs Canyon.
<br />-The youngest member ,01 'the
<br />, Senate, Ben. Frank Church, who two
<br />days earUer' ha(( set the Bells, Can.
<br />yon' debate pac.e with a brOilant and
<br />hJghly MCIalmed natural resource
<br />sPf;lOOh, celebrated the Bell$ Canyon
<br />victory and his lOth wedding annIver.
<br />sary on the same. day.
<br />'l'he Senate authorlzaticn was a
<br />brllllant Victory for rural electric co.
<br />ope-ratlves and other consumer
<br />groups wbo for years have fought
<br />fol' tull comprehensive development
<br />of Hells Canyon which Is considered
<br />to be the finest natural dam site reo
<br />ms.lning on the North Amerlean con.
<br />tinent. The rural elec\1'lc co-ops and
<br />othel's insisted that flu! Idaho Power
<br />scheme for two, possibly thre;e, small
<br />run.of.the.river dams "I' 0 u 1 'd only
<br />partially develop Hells Canyon's
<br />vast potential,
<br />Additionally, tbe entire agriculture
<br />Industry won a batUe by .Senate
<br />authorization of Hells Canyon be-
<br />cause of hIgh grade phosphate de-
<br />posits in the Viclnity that ,can only
<br />~ developed with low cost electrIcity
<br />that the blgh Federal- dam would
<br />produce,
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<br />Support for Hells Canyon Dam
<br />Vital to Other Areas ofU. S.
<br />By WM. S.lWBERTS, Editor
<br />Rural E1ectrillcatlon Magazine
<br />WASHINGTON, D. C.-The Senate vote 011 the Hells Canyon
<br />Blll will make interesting reading In areas far removed from ,the
<br />Pacific Northwest.
<br />Rural elootrtc leaders are support.
<br />Ing the Federal development of Hells
<br />Canyon, beca.use It wlll rellev.e the
<br />power Shortage rural systelnS In the
<br />Nortllwest are suffering and pre-
<br />serve the preteren~ 'clause, They
<br />lend support to the Northwest, be-
<br />~use the same problems 01 power
<br />supply and preference clause pro.
<br />tectlon tor rural systems Is vital in
<br />other at'eas. A veteran VirgInia elec.
<br />trlc co.op leader tectlntly put It tbls
<br />way: '
<br />"You may well ask why we In
<br />Virginia should be concerned with
<br />what happenllIn the Nortb.weat. Our
<br />answer Is fhi, what affects the rural
<br />electric oooperatlves In one State' of
<br />tlte nation attec18 *hem In all parts
<br />of the nation. WhaI: Is done In the
<br />Nortbweat sets " pattern for the rest
<br />of the country. We have long SInClO
<br />found that we cannot afford to be
<br />lsolateil by skies ant! that th0fl6 wltlt
<br />Illn\llar a-ImlJ aDd underta1dnp must
<br />Jnuat stand .tocether 011 a natlonWide
<br />'asia of mutual support and' aid' As
<br />a oonsequenoe, we are Vitally af'
<br />feeted by the HeUs 'CanyO!) proposal.
<br />Had 1t not been 1<Ir tbe farsighted
<br />ability of such co.op leaders to put
<br />aside sfi!CtlonaJ. preJudlces and gOals,
<br />the rural electrltl.caUon progl'am
<br />could not have grown to serve prac-
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<br />'y:.
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<br />2 tolo. 'urell Utdrlc Newi July, 1957
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<br />tlcalIy all the farms of tbe nation.
<br />The need of Nebraska for a Federal
<br />transmfssfon iine, or the MiddIe At.
<br />lantlc states lor Potomac dam de.
<br />velopment, or Tennessee Valley fl;lr_
<br />more steam generating capacity has
<br />to have the support 01 Senators from
<br />the majorIty oj..the other states.
<br />Thus the pl!ople of no state Can sup.
<br />port only their own ,projects, and
<br />deny those of other states.
<br />Else why a Federal-government?
<br />
<br />Spurlin Joins
<br />Mountain View
<br />Dale Spurlin, formerly Pow'er Ad.
<br />Visor fOr the K. C. Eleetrio Assocla.
<br />tion of Hugo.. 'has ae<:epted a similar
<br />posItion wIth the Mountain View
<br />Electric Association of Limon" It has
<br />b~n announced by Mana~er Ralph
<br />McMillan. ._'1 ;,
<br />Spurlin, wen -known'_ih"Colorado
<br />Rural Electritl circles, wlUl join the
<br />Mountain View staff on :~\l1Y ;2Q. He
<br />replace~ Margaret ReynqJ.ds;;w;ho reo
<br />'Signed at Limon sever(ll' mqlltlt1J ago
<br />to become Coordlnato!,":(pr. ~,Colo-
<br />rado Farm P()wer Coun~ l\.1:,benver.
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<br />A wise woman, puts - a -!graln of
<br />, sugar Into everything sbedlays to a
<br />man, and takes a grain ot :Sltlt ,with
<br />everything he sars to her.
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<br />Public Power Vital toR:E.'s
<br />"Anyone servlug as "_ dkector ,of an REA.flnanced system should
<br />IieUeve In publlc power, :for that IS the lIflll_ blood, of aU electrl'3 ooopera-
<br />"~, Wlthol/-6 ,an abUndance. of low>C9S~ 'POW81'-_.ho OOo<lp ean serve tb~
<br />eparsely ~ttled "reM 61 -the country wh~ ,mOllt of the memhersld>> of
<br />out systeJll,lil lIve.'>-Excerpt from ~wrlal in B'1ll'a-1 EIel:tri!lcatIon M.p.
<br />:dJl& ,hy PresIdent John ~oo"rge Of NBOOA.
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<br />GUEST EDITOR.IAL
<br />Rural Electric Power Supply
<br />Allows Big Plans for Future
<br />:EdItor's Note: Leading I!-ewspaper editors of, Colorado are contributing
<br />their _opinions, about Rural Electrtllcation In editor1als wrttten exclusively
<br />for this pubUcatlon,' Here belliw Is a guest editqrlal by Maurlee Leckenby,
<br />publisher ot the 'Steamboat- Splings Pllot who .a1s0 Is President of the Colo-
<br />rado Press Association this -year. Our thanks 'to Edltor LeCkenby.
<br />:BY MAlJBWE LECKENBY
<br />l'ubllBher, SteambOat Sprl,ngs FUot
<br />Tbe Rural -EI~catioiL program- his meant 'much to' the_
<br />growth - a-ild- deveIo~ent of northwest' Colorado., ,And only ~
<br />. .of -REA and its 81lpply _of low cost power can we, mB.Jte big plans.for
<br />-thefutore. ",: _', ,_ "'_' .
<br />on_every lJide ean.~ seen evidences Q.j: its worth,to this country. It has
<br />meant that much. of the drttd,gery has been taken -trom farm ~e aM. that
<br />many have remained on our farms and ranohes who otherwise would have
<br />left for urban life.
<br />] Dved In the day of the coal 08 lamp, the ooal stove $ad the hand pump,
<br />so llaIl 1'llaIke OOtte1' thJm many the adV1Ultage8 the BEA has hrou.cbt to
<br />this sectlon. The Same condition Is kue for ,most; rUral. areas of tb.18 na-
<br />tion and only ~ough th1s forward looklnJ Pr9J'ra-m hIlS It-been able $I)-de-
<br />velop a ranch _ and UVBl!Itock growln&" program that holds a superior poade
<br />ofcittwnsln theruralseotlons.
<br />While it now is eJa1med there is an overproduction of foodstuffs, this
<br />condition could ,change \tery. fast. ,It would not take muoh, ,of a crisis., to
<br />again brIng -the $horfages that grew- serloll4 In the last World War,
<br />The Rural Electiiflcatlon progr8n?- Is not- sodaU$tlc as cl!\lme<:t by Its
<br />opponents. 'Rather it 1$ -a self help ,plan worked out by_ those who found
<br />that o:nly bydolng things themselves wuld they bring $Gille of the advantages
<br />enjl)yed by urban dwellers. ' Today there are: few ranCh and farm homes
<br />without _the modern conveniences. The .re1rlgerator, washer, dryer, el~c
<br />pump, range and other conveniences were 1Ulknown only a feW years, ago,
<br />, Ce.rtalnIy, the BEA Is flnanoed by loag tenn loans :from tho government.
<br />But'the 10llD8 and intellllilt ~ beIng INdd and It 111 not a glvel!oway prosram
<br />IlS ts Inferwd from'some_of the opponents of the government alIlll&tInJ"1n the
<br />forward looking program.
<br />Only recently I was In the Province of- Ontario, Canada. Tltere the pro-
<br />vincial government bas been Clf the Conservative Party for many years. But
<br />provInclaI development, ownershlp and supply of energy from vast hydro-
<br />electric projects is looked uP<ln as a _necessary fu.nctlon of government It
<br />JsfarfrombelnK/i;socl811stlcplarz.
<br />Because the Provll1C8 of Ontario hll6 been :forward looking enough to
<br />develop tts Vll6t electrio rBSOutce8, Industry is flocking to_ that province.
<br />I am glad I was called upon for this chance to say a few words about
<br />REA. I have~been a_friend of the program sInce its'lnceptlon'because I feel
<br />it brings about a better Amerka, by develOPing a happier and more contented
<br />people and by alloV{ln'g the use of electric power to-bring,about better pro-
<br />duction methoos,
<br />It has alded tb.-.e'/!lmall bllSlnessrnen ami the dwellers ,In the smaDer com.
<br />munitles, as well /IS ,01\ the fa.l'll1s and ranches. :It has been of vaJue to so
<br />mlilly that Us wort-ll_,~ Jong8l" should be 4ftestfmred',
<br />The Yampa Valley, }1:lectrlc AssQclation has been managed by steadfast
<br />and progressIve cltlz~ns since its inception. This cooperative has served the
<br />people well and, Its soul)d pollctes of management have'done much to _bring
<br />praise for the RE!--,program nationally. I salute the director& and oWcers
<br />of this great cooperative progra.m that has meant so much to the deyelop-
<br />In\!nt of northwest Colorado.
<br />And because we h9.ve the Yampa Valley assocfation look for even bigger
<br />things from thla great area that is so rich In natural resources,
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<br />Farm Purchasing Power Shows
<br />30 PerCent Rise Since '47
<br />Agricultural purchasing ',of' farm production goods and services
<br />from industry, in' term!! of constant dollars; has risen 30 per cent
<br />since 1947, and is now rated at more than $13 billion per year,
<br />This Int;ormation, and the upward
<br />splral'offal'm assets andincoIDl;!, are
<br />disclosed in "The brlgllt promlse of
<br />the American farm market," a new
<br />12-mlnute film distributed by Fortune
<br />FUms and produced by Trans:fihn, 35
<br />W. 45th st., New Ycrk.
<br />EssenUaIIy for markeUng person.
<br />'nel, the rum Is designed to show the
<br />overall <lIlmate In' which oompanll:S
<br />which seU to the fa:t'm market will
<br />be operatlri"g.
<br />It presents a close ana1ysl<; of facts
<br />and :figut'es to negate the popular be.
<br />lief that agriculture is going down.
<br />hill.
<br />On the contrary, not only have
<br />fa.l'll1 eJtpendltur8!l increased, but
<br />f1Ul1l assets are up 46 per oont In the
<br />last 10 years, the fl1nl says.
<br />Approximately two mIllion, farms,
<br />less thlU1 haIf the nation's total, ac-
<br />count ft>r 00 per cent of cash farm
<br />purch~ from Indulltry. 'rhese are
<br />the farms which are' making a going
<br />busIness of agoriculture, according to
<br />the:fllm.' .
<br />The other 2%' million, farms bave
<br />been unable to ~el<l more than a
<br />marginal return 'Md; there,(ore, have
<br />brought down the' general average of
<br />tarm Income. But, .these farmers are
<br />being gradually absorbed In blgh
<br />wage iridustrles;-
<br />Despite a -In_i:i;i'ked decline In the
<br />number of farIIlS s1nee 1947,.farm
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<br />real estate value has ShOWR a remark.
<br />able gain, From $69 billion then" it
<br />has risen to a recoro $103 billion'
<br />today.
<br />More than one.thlrd ()f this rise, the
<br />flbn says, took place smce 1953. And
<br />20 per ~nt fewer' farmers, working
<br />fewer hours, are turning out 20 per
<br />cent more -farm products than they
<br />dId 10 years ago.
<br />ProducUvlty on the, farln Is up 1\
<br />s~gerlng tIS per ClOn\. Not even tn.
<br />d1llltry b:&s' mattJhed this 'rise.
<br />Ten YtmrS' ago, 2,700,000 tractol's
<br />worked the nation's farms. Today,
<br />4,800,000 are doing the job. Trl1cks
<br />are up 90 per cent; grain combines
<br />~~ ~~ ~~Lcent, .and "C(l.fn, pickers,
<br />Farm moohlneiY saI8!I _ since 1M7
<br />have toWed $~ bUUon. Along with
<br />tlt1s demand, fol' mechanlzaUon, a-nl.
<br />mal feeds have :risen 13 pei cent;
<br />eommerelal rertUbers 40 per - cent,
<br />and fuels ,!%ti per cent.
<br />The rum ooncludes on the optfhlls.
<br />tic note that growth is ,everywhere
<br />In, the country today, espectaUy for
<br />th'e modern fart:ner. ,Few a;eas of
<br />American business' Will e.scape the
<br />farmer's great demand for matetU1s
<br />and ser\l1ces, the :tilm. says.
<br />-E'roln Cei'vI's Journal. .
<br />>>enverBusIness hbllCatloo.
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