The sun., 1908-05-08
The PRESIDENTS Dam POLICY
VIII VETO ANY BILL THAT GIVES
AWAY WATER POWER.
lie AdhPres 10 the Opinion That the Govern
ment should Collect a Tax From Cor.
pOratIOns That Build Dams on NaN.
gable streams for Power Purposes.

pOTatiOnS That build Dams on NaNs
gable streams for Power Purposes.
WASHINGTON. May president Roose-
welt adheres to the opinion that the United
States has the power to collect tax from
firms or corporations authorized by Con-
gress TO build dams for power purposes in
navgabIe streams over which the Govern
ment has jurisdiction. The President an
nounced in message to Congress on Feb
ruary 20 that he would hereafter veto all
bills sent TO him authorizing the building o =
dams in navigable steams that did not con-
tain a provision limiting the time Of such
rights and imposing a charge payable TO
the Government for them.
The President takes occasion to reiterate
his belief in this regard in letter addressed
to Representative Adam Bede Of Minnesota
concerning a bill introduced by him in the
interests Of the Rainy River Improvement
Company Some years ago an act was
passed by Congress empowering the conf
pany to put up a dam in the Rainy River
in Minnesota, close TO the international
boundary line. The company proceeded
with the project and has already invested
in it approximately s750,OO0. Owing TO
the financial furry Of last fall the com
pany was compelled 10 suspend operations,
with the result that il was unable to comply
with the act Of Congress, which stipulated
that the dam should be completed within
a certain time. Early in the session Mr..
Bede secured the passage Of bill extend
ing the time in the interests OF the kalny
River Improvement Company. In ac-
cordance with his previously announced
policy the President promptly vetoed the
measure
In his letter to Representative Bede the
President says that lie il willing to make
some concessions to the Rainy River Com
pany inasmuCh IA its dam project is nearly
completed and the company is merely
asking for an extension Of time in which
To finish it, He suggests that II bill is
passed for the relief Of the company he Will
sign it il il contains provisions that he pro-
poses The President writes in part as
follows
While |, stand absolutely for the policy
with regard to the development Of water
powers announced in my message Of Feb
ruary 70. because believe that policy Is
lust and in the interests Of the whole people
Of the United States still | am anxious
that no injustice should he caused in this
particular case in Minnesota which you have
brought 10 my attention. At the time Of
my veto of the Rainy River dam bill | was
not in possession Of the information which
has since come TO me from you that the dam
is already about half completed under
previous grants by Congress That fact
does not 10y any means remove the Rainy
River dam from the sphere Of the new
method Of protecting the interests OF the
public but it does warrant special con-
sideration Of the promoters OF that project
because they have already expended part
Of their money under the old policy. There
is, ! believe. a simple way by which the
interests Of the people at large and OF the
Rainy River Improvement Company can
be met at the same time, and that without
in any degree sacrificing the policy for
which stand or establishing any unfortu-
nate precedents in connection with 1t.
There are two provisions without which
will not approve any bill granting the
right TO develop water power on a naviga-
BILE stream, The first is a definite limita-
tion in time. That limitation can be made
long or short, as the circumstances in each
case require In the present instance
suggest term Of ninety-nine years, which
| doubt not will be abundantly sufficient
for every need Of the Rainy River I'm
provement Company. The second provi-
sion relates to charge for the benefits
by any company as the result Of
the permission granted TO 1t by the United
States In view Of the fact that the Rainy
River dam is reported to me as half built
| suggest that specific provision be in
serted in the bill fixing the time when the
OF War may begin to collect a
charge twenty-five years from the date OF
he passage of the bill. Thus the Rainy
River Improvement Company will be re-
lieved Of an immediate charge, which il
had not anticipated, and at the same time