New-York tribune., 1906-12-17
NIAG4RA PRESENTATION
President of american CiUic Associ-
alton Makes Explanation.
To the Editor of The Tribune.

Sir: In your editorial of November ZS you allude
to the campaign OF the American Civic Association
for the saving of Niagara Falls and l am so sure
that your conclusions based on misapprehen-
sion of the facts that think only fair to present
the truth.
The Niagara preservation campaign which used
postal cards at It's last round has been proceeding
for nearly year President Roosevelt was first
addressed by those whose attention was called TO
the impending destruction OF Niagara Falls by this
association. Members Of Congress afterward were
written TO IN order After the agitation, which
brought about by exactly the same means. had
caused the passage Of the Burton BILL for the first
time recognizing the scenic value Of Niagara Falls
to the United States Secretary Taft was addressed
because he had something 10 do with the preserva-
tion OF the falls.
We maintain that the public has a perfect right
to express itself upon these subjects We also in
sist that the representation has been dgnifed.
Is II likely that the Governors of Pennsylvania
and New Jersey. the Episcopal bishops of. Phila-
dephia Harrisburg and Boston, the Catholic Bishop
of Buffalo. numberless mayors Senators, Congress
men and professional men of high standing, could
be moved by idle Clamor? 1t is this sort OF people
who have written TO Secretary Taft These letters,
too. have been written in many cases by men who
knew the facts in the and were competent
10 speak not only upon the law but upon the facts.
For instance. here is a quotation from a letter
written by DIR. Matthew D. Mann, dean OF the
chemical department of the University or Bu1alo'
who. according to the printed statements emanat-
ing from that neghborhood ought by all means
TO se in favor of the power development DE-
Mann says:
Il do not believe there is a Buffaonian in favor
OF the admission Of more power from Canada, I'M
less said individual has some direct connection with
OF the companies expects 10 derive beneht
in way. There is no reason why Buffalo
should favor this project AS yet, Buffalo has not
benefited in the slightest degree by the use OF
Niagara Fails power. There is scarcely city in
the country that little electricity as we 90
The price is practically prohibitive"
Allusion has been made to statements said 10
have been misleading in the circular letters sent
by this association. Secretary Taft did crlti-
else these statements, and the press reports gave
his criticism in full No publicity was given to the
authority filed in support Of the statements and
comparisons which were made by this association.
I think it only proper call your attention TO the
fact that the used in the comparisons issued
all taken either from the report of Captain
Charles w. KutZ. the special officer Of the ensi-
neering corps OF the United States Army, who has
made a report upon the Niagara conditions or
from a statement made by James H tuertes' a ny
draulic engineer New York City. who has served
that city most acceptably IN many important mat
There was no Misrepresentation Whatever in our
by the Canadian companies seeking permits 70 IN,
troduce power into the United States was compafeS
in cubic feet a second with the average flow or
TITasnt vas made before the secretary on the
memorandusn or brief submitted the hearing OF
November %. the strength Of the statements ana
comparisons objected 10 was made greater through
q comparison not with the average flow of the
De5aware the Andsons 6 the ;ae3 d te cdnsera
ton Of the incidental and occasional floods put
conditions that prevail during the summer months
In this comparison. which Mr., Fuertes in q per
of }''t water proposed to be abstraced from the
Niagara River appears as more tHai1 N oEnip,S Ei Ie
Hudson. James. Potomac and Susquehahha at tie1r
The army engineers who advised Secretary Taft
managed construe this statement as arecting tIe
water contribution Of the rivers themselves, which
implied and Intended Nte ne re I Gol1alI36. 6
eIectr,city sought to be developed and admitted
WOgG ] De ot ot he less impressive if instead of speak
ing the mouths OF these rivers we hau hl,llolto
Ferry the Delaware at Trenton. the James at
pici,yyoond p and the Sus0uehanna at Harrisburg.
No unworthy motives were imputed to any engi-
neer Of the United States either in the liter
@ cretaTv 90 Taft The criticism which evoked
the Secretary's defence was not Oh Ie nv MotK @ 81
There ere some Of us who feel that an American
i he conclusions which will follow the consdera
tion of a matter of general puplc Import mas a
eminent 3 4rilcero lcaeroTnandafions mill6[ are based
When ii is realized that within little more than
q wear and largely through the efforts or this as
Fa % has been placed within the charge of
able and fair minded an ofilclaI as secretary IaIt
by an act OF Congress, and that the power devel-
oping companies which We're PrQcfedim9 mi weons o
rnisrepresentation 70 enforce their claims. not
our work has been fully justified
oN' J. HORACE MFARLAND. President.
Harrisburg, Penn, Dec. y, 1906.
TThere was no intention Of questioning in the
article here referred to the right Of the public
10 express its sentiments freely. We merely
suggested that q solicited opinion had less value
than a spontaneous one, and we do not dis
cover that Mr.. Mcfarland dissents from that
view. Moreover the propriety of addressing the
President and Congress relative to the matter,
for the purpose of securing legislation is more
obvious than that of endeavoring to influence
the official who was charged with the execution
Of the Burton law.
Without venturing to challenge the accuracy
of the statements made at the opening Of the
campaign Of the American Civic Association
more than year ago. we may be permitted TO
call Mr. McFarlapds attention TO the diversity
of the estimates of the amount OF water the
abstraction of which had been authorized. The
American Civic Association put il at SO y per
cent of the total flow, the international Water
wavs Commission at from q to 33 per cent. and
the state geologlst, Dr. Clarke, at about 20 per
cent With all these figures before him. what
&c the dispassionate judge 10 infer? Can II be
that the truth lies somewhere between the
,raroes here presented? And does not the fail
,,ra of the American Civic Association TO recoG-
,,ize the doubts which entertained concern
;,, the effect on the American Fall of abstract
i,,c, water on the Canadian side at points below
,,o crest of the rapids expose the organization
o,,e- which Mr.. Mcfarland presides 10 an i'm
r,,stion OF injustce?-Ed.l
TO PREVENT RAILWAY ACCIDENTS