New-York tribune., 1908-04-14
WARNING TO CONGRESS-
PRESIDENT TETOES BILL.
Says Tdludble Natural Resources
Must Not Be Giuen Azcay.

Washington. April 13-In a special message
to-day vetoIng a dam bill President Roosevelt
warns Congress that there pending bills
which propose to give away without price rights
in streams capable of developing 100000
horsepower. whose production would cost an
nuay 25O00000 tons of coal; urges in vigorous
terms the establishment of policy which woull
safeguard the granting of bridge and dam privi-
leges and require the grantees to pay for them.
and definitely announces a future policy his
part with regard to prompt utilization of con-
struction privileges by refusing his signature
to a bill giving an additional three years to the
Rainy River Improvement Company in which 10
build dam in the Rainy River.
4 do not believe" says the President. that
natural resources should be granted and held i'll
an undeveloped condition either for speculative
or other reasons. So far I aware. there
assurances that the grantees Gn this
Case) are in any better condition promptly and
properly to utilize this opportunity than they
were at the time of the original act granting
the privilege ten years ago"
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Discussing broadly the federal policy, the
President says:
Every permit to construct dam
fga BILE stream should specifically recognize the
duration and to impose such charge charges
may be deemed necessary to protect the
in accordance with the act of June p, 1906.
The provision for "A charge is Of vital i'm
portance. The navigabity of every inland
waterway and of all connected connectable
inland waterways a whole should be inn
proved for the purposes of interstate and for
egn commerce upon a consistent and unified
plan by which each part should be ...ade to
help every other part
The income derfvable from this source would
materially aid in the complete Improvement of
our navigable waters, for which there is
such a crying need The chief of engineers of
the army reports that the bills now pending at
this session of Congress permit the construc-
ton of dams in navigable streams capable OF
developing over 100000 horsepower. These
rivers run every hour in the day and every day
in the year. To develop this amount of power
would, under average conditions, require about
$4,000, 900 tons of medium quality coal every
year. This natural wealth is the heritage of
the people. l see no reason for giving it away,
though there il every reason for not imposing
conditions so burdensOme to prevent the
utilization of the power. We are now
at the beginning of great development in
water power. Its use through electrical trans
mission IS entering more and more largely into
every element of the daily life of the people
Already the evils of monopoly are becoming
manifest: already the experiences of the past
show the necessity of caution in making un-
restricted grants Of this great power
The present policy pursued in making these
grants IS unWlse in giving away the property
of the people in the flowing waters to individuals
or organizations practically unknown and grant
ing in perpetuity these valuable privileges in
advance of the formation of definite plans as to
their use: In some cases the grantees apparent
~ have little financial other ability TO
utilize the gift and have sought it merely be
cause it cOulG be had for the asking
OUTLINES \ DEFINITE POLICY.
In place Of the present haphazard policy Of
permanently alternating valuable public property
we should substitute definite policy along the
following lines:
First-There should be limited or carefully
guarded grant III the nature of option or op-
portunity afforded within reasonable time for
development Of plans and for explanations of the
project
Second-Such grant or concession should be
accompanied in the act making the grant by a
provision expressly making it the duty of tn.
designated official 90 annul the grant if the work
IS not begun or plans are not carried out in ac-
cordance with the authority granted
Third-lt should also be the duty of some
designated official To to it that in approving
the plans the maximum development of the
navigation and power is assured, d least that
in making the plans these may be so de
veloped as ultimately to interfere with the bet
ter utilization of the water complete develop
ment of the power.
Fourth-Thcre should be a license fee or
charge which. though small or nominal at th,.
outset. can in tho future be adjusted SO as to
secure control i'm the interest of the public
Fiftl-Provision should be made for the ter
mnation of the grant privilege at a definite
time leaving 10 future generations the power
or authority to renew extend the concession
in accordance with the conditions which may
prevail at that time