Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1909-01-21
PRESIDENT DECLARES ELECTRIC
COMPANIES ARE FORMING
WATER POWER MONOPOLY.
SCORES ATTEMPT At GRAB
Corporations, Unless stopped, Says
Roosevelt, viii Tighten Grip on
Public-Vetoes a James River
(Mo.) Dam Bill.

Washington, Jan. 1G.-Taking the
James River, In Stone County. Mis-
souri,, as his text, President Roosevelt
Friday sent to congress a message
criticising its conduct and disclosing
what he calls the operations OF the
electric companies to obtain a mo-
nopoly OF the developed water power
Of the nation.
Describing the scheme as greater than
the OIL Trust. he says: "The people OF
the country are threatened by n mo-
nopoly far more powerful, because IN iar
closer touch with their domestic and In
dustrial life: than anything known in our
experience"
The message accompanies the Presi-
dents refusal to approve a bill granting
perpetual rights to william ~. Standish
to construct a dam on tho James River
and divert It's waters to create electric
Mower. He vetocs the bill because 1t
does not limit the grant to at least ffty
years and provide that the government
shall make a reasonable charge for the
grant.
Such requirements, he declares. should
be made In the James River grant and
In all other water power grants TO pre-
vent the water power monopoly from
being established without any power In
the federal government to control II.
Reopens Fierce Fight.
The message rcopens n fight which
waged fierccly between President Roose-
Welt and Congress last winter. At that
time he vetoed several water power
bills for the same reasons he gives for
his present action.
The Senate Committee or Commerce
disagreed with him then and presented
a long legal argument calling the Fresi.
dents policy "a new departure and
rontending that the Federal Government
had no authority to impose a charge
for water rights privileges.
Regarding the committees action the
President In his message says:
"Whcn the public welfare liz involved
Congress should resolve any reasonable
doubt as to its legislative power in
favor OF the people and against the seek
ers for a special privilege"
Describing the watcr-power monopoly
which he says threatens the country. the
President says in part:
Conformation collected by tho Bureau
Of Corporations shows that eleven large
concerns. Of which the General Electric
Company and the Westinghouse Electric
and Manufacturing Company are the most
important, now hold watcr-powcr in
stailatiOns and advantageous power sites
aggregating $50 600 horsepower. where
the control Of these concerns IL practic.
ally admitted. This Is over II per cent
OF the total developed water power OF
the country.
interests Now intrcnched.
Further evidence OF n very strong ma
iuc as to additional inter-cOrporate re-
%lations. furnished by the bureau. leads
me to the conclusion that this total
should be increased to "a per cent: and
still other evidence. though less conclu-
sive, nevertheless affords reasonable
ground for charging this estimate by 8
per cent additional.
In other words. 1t Is probable that
these II corporations directly or indi-
rcctly control developed water power
and advantageous power sites equal to
more than "A third Of all the developed
water power in the entire country.
This astonishing consolidation has
taken place practically within the last
five years.
THE movement is still in Its infancy.
and unless it is controlled the history Of
the oil %ndustry will be repeated In the
hydro electric power industry. with re-
suits far more oppressive and disastrous
for the people. 1t is true that the great
bulk Of our potential water power is AZ
yet undev"lored. but the sites which are
now controlled by combinations are those
which offer the greatest advantages and
therefore hold IA strategic position.
Corporations Are United.
The great corporations are acting
with foresight. singlcncss of purpose,
and vigor to control the water powers of
the country. They pay no attention to
state boundaries and are not Interested
In the constitutional law affecting navi-
gable streams except AZ II affords what
has been aptly cal!cd "A twilight zone
where they may find a convenient refuge
from any regulation whatever by the
pub'ic, whether through the national or
state governments.
1T is significant that they are oppos-
Ing the control Of water powcr on the
Dcsp'aincS River 10y the stat" of Illinois
with cqunl vigor AID with like argu-
ments To those with which they oppose
the National Government pursuing the
policy l advocate.
Their attitude Is the same with refer
cnce to th"ir projects upon the mountain
streams OF the West, where the jurls-
gtln n I'M aftny l Az mn .,ntt 40,