The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1908-04-17
Would Protect Natural Resources.

Washngton.-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 T.
3Oo o.ovv.horse power, whose production
would cost annually 2a,000,0 tons of
coal; urging in vigorous terms the es-
tablshment of a policy such as the
hlibusteriug minority in the House de-
inands, which would safeguard the
granting Of bridge and dam privileges
and require the grantees to pay for
them; and definitely announcing a fu
ture policy on his part with regard to
prompt utilization OF construction priv
llescs by refusing his signature TO
Dill that gives an additional three years
to the Rainy River Improvement Com.
pany within which to build "A dam in
the Rainy river in northeast Mime
sofa.
81 do not believe says the Pres-
dent that natural resources should be
granted and held in an undevelOpcd
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-
ton promptly and properly to utilize
this opportunity than they were at the
time of the original act granting the
prlvilcgeS) ten years ago
Discussing the federal policy, the
President says:
Every permit 10 construct dam
on Il navigable stream should SPECIFIC.
ally recognize the right of the gov
ernment 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 21. 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 ravigabIc rivers
| capable of developing over l.3oo.ooo-
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. rr,
Quire about 25,000,000 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 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-
| stitu,c 4 definite policy along the loi-
| lowing lines:
"First-There should be limited or
| carefully guarded gran. in the nature
| of an option or opportunity ahord"d
| within reasonable time for develop
mcnts of plains and for execution OF
the project.
"Second-Such grant or concession
should be accompanied in the act lnah
Ing it the duty of the designated official
| to annul The grant if the work is not be
| gun or plans are not carried out III ac'
| cordancc with the authority granted.
"Third-It should also be the c'ty OF
some designated official t" see 20 II 'hd'
| in approving he plans the maximum
! developments Of the navigation ana
| mower is assured, or at least thai III
making the plans these may not be -
developed as ultimately to interfere
with the better utilization of he waite
or complete development of the power
"Fourth-There should he iicens"
fee or charge which. though small or
nominal at the outset, can in the future
be adjusted so as to secure c"ht'"'
in the interests OF the public.
"Fifth-Provision should be made Tor
the termination of the grant or prlvi'-
eye at definite time, leaving 10 !ntlf"
generations the power or an' hori'\ I"
renew or extend the concession III ac-
cordance with the ends which may pre-
vail at chat time