The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-01-16
vETOES BILL FOR
|. , DAMMING A RIVER
PRESIDENT SEES MENACE IN THE
MOVEMENT TO GET CONTROL
OF NATIONS WATER POWER.
HE WILL SIGN NO SUCH BILL
Roosevelt Outlines Policy That Gov
ernment Should Adopt In Giving
= Public Property over TO
Private Control.

Washington, Jan. 16 - President
Roosevelt sent a special message tC
the house Friday with his veto of the
bill providing for the construction of
dam across James river in Stone
county, Missouri the purpose of the
dam being to get water to create elec
trio power He declared that the
movement to secure control of the
water power of the country is still In
its infancy but that unless it is con
trolled the history Of the oil industry
Will be repeated IN the hydro-electriC
power industry, with the results far
more oppressive and disastrous for the
people
1T is true" he added that the
great bulk OF our potential water
power is as yet undeveloped, but the
sites which are now controlled by com.
binations are those which offer the
greatest advantages and therefore
hold strategic position"
He says that "the bill gives TO the
grantee a valuable privilege, which by
its very nature is monopolistic, and
does not contain the conditions essen
tial to protect the public interest"
Continuing, he says:
! repeat the words with which con-
cmded my message vetoing the Rainy
River bin.
In place OF the present haphazard policy
or permanently alternating valuable public
property We should substitute a definite
policy along the following lines:
First. There should be a limited or
sNs.l Ia, saf
an option or opportunity afforded within
reasonable time for development OF plans
and for execution Of the project.
Second. Such a grant or concession
should be accomplished in the act making
the grant by a provision expressly max
ing II the duty Of u designated official to
annul the grant II the work is not begun
or plans are not carried out I'm accord
ance with the authority granted
Third. II should also be the duty Of
some designated official TO see to II that
A. approving the plans the maximum de-
velopment OF the navigation and power Is
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 de-
velopment of the power.
Fourth There should be a license fee
or charge which, though small or nominal
at the outset, can in the future be ad-
justed so as 20 secure control I'm the in
terest Of the publcs
Fifth. Provision should be made for
the termination Of the grant or privilege
at a definite time, leaving 10 future gen
eratlons the power or authority TO re-
new or extend the concession In accord
ance with the conditions which may pre-
vail at that time
Further reflection suggests a sixth con-
dltion, viz:
The license should be forfeited upon
I. IaU In ryF
conspiracy or unlawful combination In re-
straint OF trade, as is provided for grants
OF coal lands in Alaska by the act OF May
rs, 1908.
/ will sign no bill granting a privilege Of
this character which does not contain the
substance OF these conditions 1 consider
myself bound, as far as exercise Of my eX-
ecutive power will allow, 10 do for the
people, IN prevention OF monopoly OF their
resources, what / believe they would do
FOR themselves II they were In a position
20 act. Accordingly l shall insist upon
the conditions mentioned above not only
In acts which 1 sign, but also In passing
upon plans for use OF water power pre-
scented 20 the executive departments for
action. The imposition Of conditions has
received the sanction OF congress In the
general act OF 1906. regulating the con
struction OF dams I'm naYigable waters
which authorizes the imposing of "such
conditions and stipuations as the chief OF
engineers and the secretary OF war may
deem necessary TO protect the present and
future interests OF the United States"
inclose a letter from the commissioner
az corporations setting forth the results
OF his investigat tons and the evidence OF
the far-reaching plans and opera tions OF
the General Electric Co, the Westing-
house Electric and Manufacturing Co.
and other large concerns, for cOnsollda'
tion Of the water powers Of the country
NItalH fVfI "a
memorandum OF the solicitor genera
above referred to.
] esteem II my duty 10 use every en-
deavor to prevent this growing monopoly
the most threatening which has ever ap'
peared, from being fastened upon the
people Of this nation.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.