The Washington herald., 1908-03-29
SCORES Mr.. WILLIAMS
Richardson Attacks Minor
ity Leaders Views.
WAS ONLY A MILD REVOLT
a In bnmn Member DfsaGrees with
stand Taken by Minority Leader
BILE Over Granting of Water PriVi-
Ieges on NavignbIe Streams.

4 mild revolt of one against Minority
Leader Williams took place in the House
yesterday.
Mr.. Richardson. of Alabama interrupt
ed the consideration of the agricultural
appropriation bin to object 10 Mr.. VIII
Jams approval of President Roosevelts s
declaration that ne would veto any bill
granting water-power privileges on nav
igable streams which did not provide for
the collection OF a tax OF some sort for
the use of the power. This attitude was
warmly resented by the gentleman from
Alabama
Does any man say" Mr.. Richardson
asked, that when the power OF a falls
in navigable stres m be used in pro-
noting enterprise. industry, and thrift,
the President and the government have a
right 20 go in there the State having
surrendered its reserve right, and 10
make charge fer that power2 I say
you might just as well put charge
or sawmill on the banks Of a river"
Docs Not RcIent.
Mr.. Williams regretted that in giving
utteTanCe 10 a general proposition ne
must run athwart the desire Of the gentle
man from Alabama. or Of his constitu-
ents, for local legislation, but he did not
relent. There can be no misgivings in
the mind OF any man seeking merely the
public good and public right he said.
I was saying that part Of the Pres
ident's message met my approval. but I
will go further now and say that / can
imagine nothing more undemocratic than
granting public utilities without compen-
satiOn TO the public. In my opinion,
whenever any city or State or the Federal
government grants a right which re-
bounds in profit to the grantee the people
ought also 70 get some profit out OF the
granted right" (Applause)
Later in the session. when the appropri-
ations for the Forest Service were before
the committee, Mr.. Mann of Illinois, al
luded to the Willams-Richardson contro-
versy and recollected that several years
ago, when he was chairman Of a sub
committee OF the Committee on Interstate
and Foreign Commerce he helped prepare
a bill which became a law. and that law
covered the ground that the President
was now urging 10 have covered by new
legislation. Thus Il appeared that the
rumpus between Mr.. Williams and Mr..
Richardson was all I'm vain
Calls the President.
IF, by accident, the Chief Magistrate
had consulted the department OF the gov
ernment which has Jurisdiction over the
subject" added Mr.. Mann, che would
have learned that the law now confers
upon the Secretary Of War all the power
that Congress can confer
The Presiden; says that he will veto
every bill that we pass unless il provides
for a strict time limit. in every bill
which passes there is the express. provi-
sion that Congress may at any time alter.
amend. or repeal the act without any la
bility on the part OF the government
There is reserved TO Congress the right
al any time TO alter the act. 10 amend the
act or 10 revoke the act without any Ia
bihty for destruction OF property far
safer and more drastic provision than
the President himself has suggested