Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1909-01-21
HE "WILL SIGN NO SUCH BILL"
PRESIDENT vETOES MEASURE
FOR DAMMlNG a RIVER.
Outlines Policy hat Government Should
Adopt in Giving Public Property
over to Private Control.

Washington. - President Roosevelt
sent a special message so the house
on Friday with his veto Of the
bill providing for the construction of a
dam across James river in Stone
county, Missouri, the purpose OF the
dam being to get water to create cleo
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 undeveIoped 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 monopolstic, and
does not contain the conditions essen
tial to protect the public interest"
Continuing, he says:
| repeat the words with which I con-
cluded my message vetoing the Rainy
River bill:
In place of the present haphazard policy
OF permanently alternating valuable public
property we should substitute a definite
policy along the following lines:
First. 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 execution of the project.
Second. Such grant or concession
should be accomplished in the act making
| the grant by provision expressly max
ing it the duty of a designated official to
annul the grant If the work is not begun
or plans are not carried out in accord
ance with the authority granted.
Third. 1t should also be the duty of
some designated official to see to it that
in 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 license fee
or charge which, though small or nominal
at the outset can in the future be ad-
justed so as to secure n control in the in
terest of the public.
Fifth. Provision should be made for
the termination of the grant or privilege
at definite time, leaving to future gem
erations 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 sixth CON
dition. viz:
The license should be forfeited upon
proof that the lcensee has joined in any
conspiracy or unlawful combination I'm re-
straint of trade, as is provided for grants
of coal lands in Alaska by the act of May
%, 1908.
| will sign no bill granting a privilege of
this character which does not contain the
substance Of these conditions. | consider
myself bound, as far as exercise of my ex-
ecutive power will allow, to do for the
people, in prevention of monopoly of their
resources. what | believe they would do
for themselves if they were in position
to act. Accordingly i shall insist upon
the conditions mentioned above not only
in acts which | sign, but also in passing
upon plans for use of water power pre-
sented to the executive departments for
action. The imposition of conditions has
received the sanction of congress in the
general act of 1906, regula ting the con-
struction of dams in navigabe waters,
which authorizes the imposing of "such
conditions and stipulations as the chief of
engineers and the secretary OF war may
deem necessary to protect the present and
future interests of the United States"
I.inclose a letter from the commissioner
of corpora tions, setting forth the results
of his investigations and the evidence of
the farreaching plans and opera tions of
the General Electric Co.. the Westing-
house Electric and Manufacturing Co..
and other large concerns, for consolida-
tion of the water powers of the country
under their control. | also inclose the
memorandum of the solicitor general
above referred to.
l esteem it my duty to 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