The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-14
DAM BILL VETOED
 BY THE PRES|DEN!
Strong Message Is Sent Urging
 Protection of Streams
VALUE OF STREAM RIGHTS
Roosevelt Urges Congress To Assume Different Policy Toward Water Courses and Preserve Them
 for the People.

Washington, April 13.-In a special mes sage vetoing dam bill, President Roose- welt warned Congress that there are pend- ing in this session bills which propose to give away without price stream rights capable of developing 130O,000 horsepower, whose production would cost annually 25,- 100000 tons of coal; urged in vigorous terms the establishment of a policy such as the fiibustering minority in the House demands, which would safeguard the granting of bridge and dam privileges and require the grantees to pay for them; and definitely announced a future policy on his part with regard to prompt utiliza- - tion of construction privileges by refus- ing his signature to bill giving an addi- tonal three years to the Rainy River Im- provement company within which to build a dam in the Rainy river.
 q cannot believe,' says the President that natural resources should be grant el and held in an undeveloped condition either for speculative or other reasons. So far as I am aware there are no assur- ances that the grantees Gin 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) 10 years ago.
 Every permit to constract dam on navigable stream should specifically recog- nize the right of the government to fix a 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 2l, 1906 We are now at the beginning of a grea, development in water power. Its use, through electrical transmission, is enter- ing more and more largely into every ele- ment of the daily life of the people. AL ready the evils of monopoly are becom- ing manifest; already the experience of the past shows the necessity of caution in making unrestricted grants of this great power. The present policy pursued in making these grants is unwise in giv- ing away the property of the people in the flowing waters to individuals or organ izations practically unknown and granting in perpetuity these valuable privileges in advance of the format tion of definite plans as to their use
 "In place of the present policy of per manently alienating valuable public prop
 
 along the following lines:
 T. There should be a limited or carefully guarded grant in the nature of an option or opportunity afforded within reasonable time for development of plans and for exploitation of the project.
 70. Such a grant or concession should be accompanied in the act making the grant by provision expressly making it the duty of the designated official to annul the grant if the work is not begun or plans are not carried out in accordance 3 with the authority granted.
 ''3 It should also be the duty of some designated official to see to it that in ap- proving the plans the maximum develop ment of the navigation and power is as- sured or at least that In making the plaus they may not be so developed as ulti. mately to interfere with the better utiliza- ton of the water or completed develop ment of the power.
 A. There should be license or change which, though small or nominal at the outset, can in the future be adjusted so as to secure control in the interest of the public.
 ',5. Provision should be made for the termination of the grant or privilege at a certain time. leaving to future gener- ations the power or authority to renew or extend the concession in accordance with the conditions which may prevail at that time."