The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-01-21

j esteem IT my duty to use every =
monopoly. the most threatening =
which has ever appeared. from be- =
Ing fastened upon the people OF this \
nation.
Washington, d. c., Jan. 19.-Presi-
dent Roosevelt sent a special message
to the House with his veto Of the bill
providing for the construction OF a dam
across the James river, in Stone
~, Mo-, the purpose of the dam being
10 get water TO create electric power.
he declared that the movement to Sc
cure control Of the water power OF the
country is still in its infancy, but unless
1t is controlled the history Of the oil
industry will be repeated in the hydro
electric power industry, with results far
more oppressive and disastrous.
1T is true" he added, that the
great bulk of u potential water pow
er Is as yet undeveloped, but the sites
which are now controlled by combina-
lions are those which offer the great
est advantages and therefore hold a
strategic position"
He says the bill gives to the grantee
"a valuable privilege which by its very
nature is m~onopolistic and does not
contain the conditions essential to pro-
tect the public interest.
The message was received indi1er.
emily. After Its reading it was re-
ferred to the committee on interstate
and foreign commerce..
The Message.
The message in part is as follows:
70 r the House psees OF hRep%tr1esentatives:
House bin 10N TO authorize William II.
Seandish to construct a dam across
divert. a portion OF its waters through a
tunnel into the said river again to Gre
ste sisni glect tbe b p9wer; My reasons for not
The bill gives to the grantee a valuable
privilege, which by its very nature is
conditions essential to protect the pub
The people of the country are threat
because in far closer touch with their
domestic and industrial life. than any
senera NnSS viii IL s ser the ssp s%xha%siioa a q si'n oar
natural resources of oil and gas and such
a rise in the price of coal as will make
ter power a controlling factor in trans
portation IN manufaetur,ng and In
wisely used. is probably sufficient for our
present transportation. indus5rial. munie-
undeveloped, and is still in national or
state control.
Act Of Folly.
To gtye away, without conditions. this.
Would be an act Of folly. II we are gull.
;ty Of 1t, our children viii be forced 70 pay
trafsc o Rii1 f bear n'en they r7 Wiii M iina theme "ane
is ssty ,n fsee to face Seb NTH r Rew soc1r,n inter IF
vested rights and strengthened by
every defense which money can buy and
may and very. probably will nave become
e she eG great iinsnc 1ntfec cenfer son dis4atinf 9r tse
terms upon which the citizen can conduct
his business or earn his livelihood. and
not amenable to the wholesome check of
local opinion.
The total water power nov in use by
timated by the bureau of census and the
geological survey as $500. 600 horse power.
Information contained by the bureau of
COMPANY n the Westinghouse Electric
e. Manufaet nna1 SoI9 9mpan are the m; most
%lations and advantageous power sites ag-
gregating about 1,o4s,o0o horse power
practically admitted. This.is a quantity
equal to over 10 per cent of the total now
In use. Further evidence OF a very strong
lations furnished by the bureau, leads me
TO the conclusion that this total should
evidence, though less conclusive. never
theless affords reasonable ground for en-
larging this estimate by nine per cent
additional. In other words. 1T is probable
that these 10 concerns directly or indi-
rectly control developed water power and
advantageous power sites equal to more
than 80 per cent of the total water power
now In use. We #
Worse Than Oil.
This astonishing consolidation has TAX
en- place practically within the last five
years. The movement is still In its In
fancy, and unless 1t is controlled, the
history of the oil industry will be re
try, with results far more oppressive and
disastrous for the people. 1t is true tina,
the great bulk Of our potential. water
power is as yet undsxel9ped' h put the the sites sites
lions are those which offer the greatest
advantages, and therefore hold a strate-
sic position. This is certain to be
FOR power and the extension Of long dis.
lance electrical transmission.
It is. in my opinion. relatively unimport'
ant for US to know whether or not the
promoters of this particular project are
affiliated with any of these great corpora
tions. II we make an unconditional grant
to this grantee. our control over 1t ceases
Re, or any purchaser from him, will be
free to sell his lights to any one of then
at pleasure. The time to attach condi
lions and prevent monopoly is when {
grant is made.
Act With Vigor.
The great corporations are acting with
foresight. singleness Of purpose and rigo'
to control the water powers Of the coun-
try. They pay no attention to state boun
diaries and are not interested in the con
stitutional law affecting navigabl'
streams except as 1T affords what ha'
been aptly called a twilight zone" wher'
they may find a convenient refuge from
any regulation whatever by the public
whether through the national or the stat
governments. 1t is significant that the.
are opposing the control OF water powe: