The Elbert County tribune., 1908-04-16
Would Protee. Natural Resources.

Would Protect Natural Resources
"ashington.-ln a special message
Monday. yetoing a dam bill. President,
hoosevelt warned Congress that there
are pending In this session bills which
propose 10 give away without price
stream rights capable of developing l..
Soo,ooo-horse power, whose production
would cost annually 25,000. 900 tons OF
coal urging in vigorous terms the es-
PUNISHMENT of policy such as the
nhouslering minority in the House de-
mahus. which would safeguard the
granting OF bridge and dam privileges
ana require the grantees To pay for
tnem' and definitely announcing o fu-
ture policy on his part with regard To
prompt utilization OF construction priv
iieges by refusing his signature To a
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.
j do not believe says the Presi-
dent that natural resources should he
granted and held in an undeveloped
condition, either for speculative or
other reasons. So far as | am aware,
there are no assurances that grantees
Tin the case) are in any better condi'
tion promptly and properly to utilize
this opportunity than they were at the
time OF the original act tgranting the
pririleges) ten years ago"
Discussing the federal policy. the
President says;
Every permit TO construct u dam
on a navigable stream should specific
ally recognize the right of the gov
ernment 10 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 the
act OF June 21. 1906
"rhe chief Of engineers of the army
reports that the bills now pending ai
this session of Congress permit the con.
struction of dams In navigable rivers
capable of developing over 1900 ,0On-
horse power. These rivers run every
hour In the day and every day in the
year. To develop this amount of power
would. under average conditions. re-
quire about 25,000 900 tons of medium
quality coal every year. This natural
wealth is the heritage of the people.
| see no reason for giving II away.
though there is every reason for not
imposing conditions so burdensome az
to prevent the utilization of the power.
'In place of the present haphazard
policy of permanently alternating valu-
able public property we should substi-
stituie 4 definite policy along The ioi-
lowing lines:
"First-There should be limited or
carefully guarded grant In the nature
af n a nnnnrtlInifX unOr1Nsi
within reasonable time for develop
ments of plains and for execution OF
the project.
'Second-Such a grant or concession
should be accompanied in the act max
ing 1t the duty of the designated official
to annul The grant il the work is not be-
gun or plans are not carried on; IN ac-
cordance with the authority granted.
"Third-It should also be the duty OF
some designated official to see 20 II mat
in approving he plans the maximum
developments Of the navigation ana
power is assured, or at least That in
milking 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 he 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 privil-
ege at definite time, leaving 10 future
generations the power or authority 10
renew or extend the concession in ac-
cordance with the ends which may pre-
vail at chat time