Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-14
PRESIDENT WOULD
PROTECT RIVERS
cHIDES CONGRESS FOR GIVING
AWAY PERMITS
DECLARES NATURAL ENERGIES
SHOULD BE SAVED
Roosevelt in Message Says he sees
No Reason for 5estowln9 the
Peoples Heritage on
Corporations


WASHINGTON. April 1S.-In spe-
clal message today vetoing a dam DILL
President Roosevelt warned congress
that there are pending in this session
hills which propose to give away With
ont price stream rights capable OF de-
valoning ], 100000 horsepower, whose
nroducfion would cost annually Zo,OUo'-
900 tons of coal; urging in vigorous ?
terms the establishment OF pollcS
s,ch as the flibustering minority In the
house demands which would safeguard
4he granting of bridge and dam prlVl-
leges and require the grantees to pay
for them. and definitely announcing q
future policy on his part with regard
to nron1pt utilization of construction
privileges by refusing his signature TO
a bill that gives an additional three
wears to the Rainy River Improvement
company within which to build dam
in the Rainy river.
+ II do not believe" says the president
"that natural resources should be
Granted and held in an undeveloped
condition either for speculative or other
reasons SO far as l am aware there
are no assurances that the grantees I'm
this case) are in any better condition
promptly and properly to utilize TINS
opportunity than they were at the
time the original act granting the
privilege ten years ago.
Discussing broadly the federal policy
the president says:
Objects to Gifts
''Every permit to construct a dam on
a navigable stream should specifically
recognize the right of the government
to fix a term for its duration and to
jrnnose such charge or charges as may
be deemed necessary to protect the
present and future interests of the
United States in accordance with the
act of June 81, 1906.
"The provision for a charge is of
vital Importance. The navigabiity of
every inland waterway and of all con-
nected or connectable inland water
WAYS as whole should be improved
for the purpose of interstate and for
eien commerce upon a consistent and
uniform plan of which each part should
be made to help every other part.
The income derivable from this source
would materially aid In the complete
improvement of our navigabl water
ways, for which there is now such cry
ing need.
"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 navlgahle rivers
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 pow
er would, under average conditions, re-
quire about 2500O 600 tons of medium
quality coal every year. This natural
wealth is the heritage of the people
I see no reason for giving it away.
Though there Is every reason for not
imposing conditions so burdensome as
TO prevent the utlliza tion Of the power
we are now at the beginning of a
great development In water power. It's
use through electrical transmission is
entering more and more largely into
every element of daily life of the peo-
Pile. Already the evils of monopoly are
becoming manifest; already the expert
ence of the past shows the necessity
of caution in making unrestricted
grants of this great power.
Policy UnWlse
THE present policy pursued in max
ing these grants is unwise in giving
away the property of the people in the
flowing waters TO individuals or or
ganizations practically unknown and
granting in perpetuity these valuable
privileges in advance OF the formation
of definite plans as to their use. In
some cases the grantees apparently
have little or no financial or other abb
ity to utilize the gift and have sought
it merely because it could be had for
the asking.
I'm place of the present haphazard
policy of permanently alternating valu-
able public property we should substi-
tute definite policy along the follow
ing lines:
7First-There should be a limited or
carefully guarded grant in the nature
Of lon, .lr,l
within reasonable time for develop
ment of plans and for execution of the
project.
"Second-Such grant of concession
should be accomplished in the act maxi
ing the grant by a provision expressly
making 1t the duty of the designated
officials to annul the grant If the work
is not begun or plans are not carried
out In accordance with the authority
granted.
"Third-It should also be the duty
OF some designated official to see to it
that IN approving the plans the maxi
mum developments of the navigation
and power is assured. or al least that
In making the plans these may not be
so developed as ultimately TO interfere
with the better utilization of the wa
ter or complete development OF the
power.
"There should be license fee or
charge. which, though small or nominal
at the outset, can in the future be ad-
justed so as to secure control in the
interest Of the public.
"Fifth-Provision should he made for
the termination of the grant or privi-
lege at definite time, leaving to fu-
ture generations the power of authority
to renew or extend the concession in
accordance with the conditions which
may prevail at that time"