The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-04-18
Bills Pending Which Propose to Do
nate Stream Rights Capable OF De-
veIopins 10000 Horse Power
Betterment Of NavigabiIity of Inland
Channels Advocated.

terms the establishment of policy
such as the filibustering minority in
the house demands, which would safe
guard the granting of bridge and dam
privileges and require the grantees to
pay for them; and definitely an
nouncing a future policy on his part
with regard to prompt utilization of
construction privileges by refusing his
signature to bill that gives an addi-
tional three years to the Rainy River
Improvement Company within which
to build dam in the Rainy river.
II do not believe" says the presi-
dent, that natural resources should
be granted and held in an undeveloped
condition, either for speculative or 9TH
er reasons. So far as l am aware,
there are no assurances that the
grantees Tin this case) are in better
condition promptly and properly to
utilize this opportunity than they were
at the time the original act granting
the privilege ten years ago."
Governments Rights
Discussing broadly the federal pol
icy, the president said:
Every permit to construct dam on
a navigable stream should specifically
recognize the right of the government
to fix a term for it's 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 81, 1906.
"The provision for charge is of
vital Importance. The navigability 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
eign commerce upon 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
navigable waterways, for which there
is now such crying need. The chief
of engineers of the army reports that
the bills now pending at this session
of congress permit the construction of
dams in navigable 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 of power would, under
average conditions, require about 25,-
100000 tons of medium quality coal
every year.
Heritage Of the People
"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 utili-
cation Of the power.
I'VE are now at the beginning of
great development in water power It's
use through electrical transmission 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 ex-
perience of the past shows the neces-
sity of caution in making unrestricted
grants of this great power.
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
CARNATIONS practically unknown, and
granting in perpetuity these valuable
privileges in advance of the formation
OF definite plans as to their use
In place of the present haphazard
policy of permanently alternating val
liable public property, we should sub
stitute definite policy along the fol-
lowing lines:
A Definite Policy
"First-There should be a limited or
carefully guarded grant in the nature
OF an option or opportunity afforded
within reasonable time for develop
ments of the plans and for the exc
cution Of the project.
Second-Such a grant or concession
should be accompanied in the act MAX
ing the grant by provision expressly
making 1t the duty of the designated
officials to annul the grant il the
work is not begun or plans are not
carried out in accordance with the au-
thority granted.
Third-It should also be the duty
OF some designated Official to see to it
that in approving the plans the max
imum developments of the navigation
and power are assured, or, at least.
that in making the plans these may
not be so developed as ultimately to
interfere with the better utilization of
the water or complete development of
the power
Fourth-There should be license
Zee or charge, which, though small or
nominal at the outset, can in the fu-
ture be adjusted so as to secure a con-
troll in the interest of the public.
Flfth-Provision should be made
for the termination of the grant or
privilege at definite time, leaving to
future generations the power of au-
tnority to renew or extend the conces-
sicon IN accordance with the conditions
which may prevail at that time"