The Holly chieftain., 1908-04-17
Would pro..e. natural Resources.

Would Protect Natural Resources.
Washington.-In . special message
Monday, vetoing . dam bill. President
Roosevelt warned Congress that there
are pending in this session bills which
propose 10 give away without price
| stream rights capable Of developing /.
300, ,000-horse power, whose production
would cost annually 25.000.000 tons of
coal: urging in vigorous terms the es-
tablishment OF policy such as the
filibustering minority in the House de.
mands, which would safeguard the
granting of bridge and dam privileges
and require the grantees TO pay for
them: and definitely announcing flu
ture policy on his part with regard to
| prompt utilization OF construction priv
ileges by refusing his signature to q
bill that gives an additional three years
to the Rainy River improvement Com.
pany within which to build dam In
| the Rainy river In northeast Mime
| sofa.
II do not believe" says the Presi-
dent. that natural resources should be
granted and held In an undeveloped
condition. either for speculative or
other reasons So far as | am aware,
| there are no assurances that grantees
| ln the easel are iD any better condi-
tion promptly and properly to utilize
this opportunity than they were al the
time of the original act tgranting the
privilcges) ten years ago"
Discussing the federal policy the
President says:
Every permit 10 construct dam
on a navigable stream should specific
ally recognize the right of the gov
eminent TO fix term for its duration
and to impose such charge or charges
as may be deemed necessary to protect
the present and future interests of the
United States, in accordance with lhs
act OF June 81. 1906.
| The chief OF engineers OF the army
reports that the bills now pending at
this session OF Congress permit the con-
struction OF dams in navisable rivers
capable OF developing over 100000
horse power These rivers run every
hour in the day and every day in the
year. To develop this amount nf power
would, under average conditions, re-.
quire about 25.O00.OO0 tons of medium
quality coal every year. This natural
wealth is the heritage OF the people.
| see no reason for giving it away,
though there is every reason for not
imposing conditions SO burdensome as
to prevent the utilization OF the power
In place OF the present haphazard
policy OF permanently alternating valu-
able public property we should substi.
stitute definite policy along he fol
lowing lines:
"First-There should he limited or
carefully guarded gran. in the nature
| 80 ~ Iel
within reasonable time for develop.
ments Of plains and for execution Of
the project.
"Second-Such grant or concession
should be accompanied In the act max
ing 1t the duty OF the designated official
toA Enul the grant II the work is not be
gun or plans are not carried out In &C.
cortiance with the authority granted
"Third--It should also be the duty OF
some designated official to see 10 II that
in approving the plans the maximum
| developments OF the navigation and
power is assured, or at least that in
making the plans these may not be 80
developed as ultimately to interfere
with the better utilization of the water
or complete development OF the power.
"Fourth-There should be license
fee or charge which, though small or
nominal at the outset. can in the future
be adjusted SO as to secure control
| In the interests OF the public.
| "Fifth-Provision should be made for
the termination OF the grant or privii
ege at definite time. leaving 10 future
generations the power or authority to
renew or extend the concession in ac'
cordance with the ends which may pre-
vail at that time.