New-York tribune., 1906-11-28
SAVING NIAGARA BY POSTAL GARD.


It is hardly possible to read the accounts ot
the hearing given by Secretary Taft on the
admission of electric power from Canada with
out feeling that he bore himself with dignity
under rather trying circumstances. An attempt
had been made to influence his decision by a
number of postal cards addressed to the War
Department protesting against any concession
10 the Canadian companies. These had been
sent at the direct or indirect suggestion of
one Of several organizations which have been
trying to save Niagara Falls from the conse-
Quences of an excessive utilization of water
for industrial purposes.
Now, 1T is possible to sympathiZe with the
main object which the American Civic Asso-
citation has IN view and at the same time to
perceive objections to some of the methods
which it has adopted. AS Secretary Taft pointed
out, a protest which is solicited has less sig
nifcance than one which is spontaneously Of
fered. The ease with which signatures can be
obtained to petitions for even the most absurd
propositions really impairs the value of such
campaigning. Furthermore, though an EXPIRES
sion of popular sentiment was extremely ap-
propriate While the question was before Con-
SresS last spring. the execution Of the Burton
law should depend mainly, If not exclusively
on information of a technical character which
| there is ample reason to believe that the Sec
Perhaps the most unfortunate feature Of the
postal card campaign the circumstance
that the circular letter which inspired it was
in some measure misleading. Mr.. Taft referred
specifically TO one statement which that docu-
ment contained and which he considered erro-
neous. He disputed the correctness of the
charge that 1t Is proposed to divert from Mag
ara water equalling in amount the combined
| flow of the Potomac, the Hudson and the Della
ware at their mouths. Obviously, If the COM
munfcatiOns which addressed to the Sec
retary were evoked by misrepresentation,
whether it was unconscious or deliberate n
double wrong was committed. The writer's
were beguiled into action through false un-
derstanding of the case and an attempt was
made to bias government officials in the same
manner. BY that sort of advocacy the cause
which the American Civic Association and the
senders of the postal cards have at heart was
really imperilled. They may well be thank
ful-as every one else who sincerely desires
the preservation of Niagara should be-for the
/ experience on the bench and the judicial tenn
perament which guard Mr. Taft from evin2-
ing resentment in his final judgment If the
postal cards have not assisted him in the per-
formance of a difficult duty, at any rate they
do not threaten Il sacrifice of independence as
n result of irritation
In one other particular the course of the
American Civic Associaton-or its president
rather-must tend to ALLEVIATE friends whose
cooperation he might be expected to encour-
age When he criticised Captain Kutz for seek
ing information from the power companies he
may not have known that that officer was
acting under direct instructions from the Sec
retary Of War. or in what high esteem the
corps to which Captain Kutz belongs is held
by well Informed persons. He was not left
long In ignorance, however. and in future will
be cautious about imputing unworthy motives
to United States Army engineers