Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-01-16

resentatives Of the power companies
or are similar in effect to those thus
drafted"
The president repeats his recon-
%mendations made when he vetoed the
Rainey river bill. This included acts
among others providing that water
grants should contain a provision
making it the duty OF a designated Of
fetal to anull the grant if the work
Is not carried out in accordance with
the authority granted. Another pro-
vides for a license Zee or charge which
can. in.the future be adjusted 50 as
TO secure control in the interests Of
the public. He now suggests another
condition, namely that the license
should be forfeited upon proof that
the licenscc has joined in amy conspir-
acy or unlawful combination in re-
straint Of trade. as is provided for
grants Of coal lands in Alaska.
The president in conclusion says:
Il will sign no bill granting a priv
ilegc of this character which does not
contain the substance Of these condi-
tons. | consider myself bound as far
as exercise Of my executive power Will
allow, to do for the people. in pre-
vcntion Of monopoly Of their resources
what / believe they would do for hcm-
selves If they were in a position to act
Accordingly | shan insist upon the
conditions mentioned above not only
i'm acts which | sign but also in pass
ing upon plans for use OF water power
presented to the executive depart
mcnts for action.
II inclose q letter from the commits
sioner of corporations setting forth the
results of his Investigations and the
evidence a ~far-reaching plan and OPP
erations Of the General Electric COM
pany, the Westinghouse Electric and
Manufacturing company and other
large concerns for consolidation on
the water powers of the country UNI
der their control.
81 deem it my duty to use every en-
deavor to prevent this growing monop-
oily the most threatening which has
ever appeared from being fastened
upon the people of this nation"
Accompanying the message of the
president was a letter to him from
Herbert Knox Smith. a commissioner
| VI tbi Dbi dtlDiiTf 1tiiAAiAiiti1 a. o'ihhiAh'h1
of a report on certain features Of the
concentration Of the water power OF
the country. 1t was on tho informa-
ton contained in this report that
President Roosevelt to a considerable
extent based his message. In brief,
the report shows that not quite me
third OF the water power of the United
states has been concentrated into the
hands of a few large corporations in
Guiding the General Electric company,
the Westinghouse company and some
other corporations which can not be
identified with either of the first two,
The report discloses the names not
only or the principal corporations but
OF all subsidiary companies Identified
with the principals anG gives the
amount of water power controlled by
each. The total horse power controlled
by a group Of thirteen selected com
panics or interests is 1.%S27,0 O0. Com
missioner Smith points out that this
is more than thirty-three per cent OF
the total water power of the country
sFurthermorc," says Commissioned
Smith. this percentage by no meant
tells the whole truth. The foregoing
powers naturally represent a majority
of the best power sites. These sites
are strategic points for large power
and market control. Poorer sites vii
not generally be developed until these
strategic sites are developed to thcil
fun capacity. And should these STRAIT
egic sites be coupled mp they become
still more strategic. There are pow
erful economic reasons for such coupl-
ing. The great problem of water
tnowpr mpau is that of the fun-