The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1909-01-23
WATER POWER
OF The STATE
It's Conservation a Most I'M
portant Subject.
LEGISLATURE IS TO ACT

Companies Of the state Were Plan.
Ming . Merger Stimulated the Leg.
islators - State Tax Commission
Completes the Work OF Assessing
the Property Of Railroad Companies
--Antl-Lobby Bill Up Soon.
Lansing. Mich. Jan. 1e.-The most
important subject to which the pres
ent legislature has thus far addressed
Itself Is probably the proper steps TO
be taken TO conserve the water power
OF the state. This movement had its
inception In the action OF President
Roosevelt in directing public attention
TO the need for conserving all the re.
sources Of the state and nation and
see to II that they were put TO the
best use and protected from utter an
Inhalation. and II was given further
and immediate impetus by the widely
circulated rumor that several OF the
water power companies of Michigan
were planning a merger 20 control all
the water power OF the state that Is OF
any account.
Following closely on the heels OF the
publication of this story. Representa-
tive Curtiss. OF Wayne. offered and Sc
cured the adoption Of resolution pro
yiding for the appointment OF com
mittee OF three members TO investi-
gate and report on this entire subject.
The committee appointed by Speaker
Campbell is composed OF Representa-
tiyes Curtiss. Davis. Of Newaygo, and
Yaple, OF Kalamazoo.
Wlthdraws Land from Market.
AS the next step In the program,
Chairman Curtiss has introduced a bill
which withdraws from the market all
state lands which border on streams
available for power. II is expected
that this bill will be promptly passed
and given immediate effect as an
emergency measure, and thus head on
any plan designing persons may have
to secure possession OF these lands.
The special committee has taken up
the subject with yigor and has already
entered upon an Investigation with a
view TO ascertaining definitely the
amount of developed and undeveloped
water power In the state, Just what
regulative laws the state can consti.
tutionally enact affecting the opera.
lions OF private water power compa
MES, what rates are charged for pow.
er and whether there is community
OF interest now existing between the
companies. and what can be done In
the line OF regulating the rates charged
for power. collect a revenue from
these companies commensurate with
the profits OF the business and the val
ne OF the franchises, and to further
conserve the resources OF the state In
this connection. The Legislators gen
orally appear to be greately interested
! In the subject and determined TO safe
guard the interests OF the state.
Taxation Of Railway Property.
AS required by the statute. the state
tax commission, on the 10Th instant,
completed the work OF assembling the
property OF railroad. express and car
loaning companies for the current
year. The assessed value of the rail-
road property Is fixed al S20S,967 600.
an increase OF $l,3S6.50O over that OF
one year ago. The average rate or
taxation per 1000 OF valuation this
yoar will be Sls.O0s. as against S17.622
last year The companies interested
still have their day IN court, as the
law requires the commissioners 10
convene as a board OF review on the
third Monday in January and continue
In session until Feb. Is. During this
time companies which deem them
selves aggrieved by the assessment viii
be heard.
In this connection Il may be men
toned that the al volorem system Of
taxing corporations will doubtless be
extended this year so as TO include
4 telegraph and telephone companies.
i the Dust bill making this provision
which was defeated two years ago
II having been introduced last week by
Senator Anhut. A bill differing only
slightly from the Anhut bill has been
introduced by Senator Fairbanks. The
/ former measure, which has the en-
dorsemont of Governor Warner, pro.
\ vldes that the two classes OF corpora
lions mentioned be taxed on an ad
yolorom basis. just as railroad com
II panies have been for several years,
but seeks 10 help out the little con
Germs by providing that companies
with gross assets OF less than 81 900
shall be exempted from the new law
and shall continue 10 be taxed locally
as at present. Much OF the opposition
which resulted In the defeat OF the
proposition by the last legislature
came from little Independent tele-
phone companies.
AntI-Lobby Bill,
Another administration measure
which was advocated by Governor
Warner in his message has also been
introduced and will soon be up for
consideration. This Is the antilobby
bill. by which Il II hoped TO put an end
10 the activities OF the professional lob
lvtof Tho hill which was introduced