The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-01-16

and as incidental ia ami inseparably
connected With the improvement %
navigation, the power OF congress
extends TO the regulation OF the use
and development at the waters FOR
purposes subsidiary To navigation.
\ And by the solicitOr-general in n
memorandum prepared after careful
investigation OF the subject.
Relieving that the national govern
ment has this power am convinced
that'its power ought TO be exercised.
Monopoly Threatens.
Tho people OF he 'country are
threatened by a monopoly far more
powerful. because in far closer touch
with their domestic and industrial life
than anything known 10 our eNper'
fence. y single generation viii see
The exhaustion of our natural re-
sources OF oil and gas and such "a gisa
in the price OF coal a Will make the
price of electrically transmitted watec
power controlling factor ia trans.
portatiOn. i'm manufacWrng and In
household lighting and heating Our
water power alone II fully developed
and wisely used, Is probably suiiicien-
for our present transportation indus
trial municipal and domestic needs.
Most OF IL is undeveloped and Is still IN
national or state control
To give away. without conditions.
this one OF the greatest OF our re
sources. would be an act OF folly. II
W. are guilty OF f. Our children Will
be forced 10 pay an annual return
upon "A capitalization based upon the
highest prices which the traffic Will
bear They will find themselves face
To face With powerful interests in
trenched behind the doctrine OF vested
rights and strengthened by every de-
Tense which money can buy and the in
genuity OF able corporation lawyers
can devise
Long before that time they may
and very probably will have be-
come consolidated interest. controlled
from the great Ananclal centers, die.
tatinc the terms upon which the citi-
zen can conduct his business or earn
his livelihood. and not amenable to
the wholesome check OF local opia-
ion.
The total water power now In use
by the power plants in the United
States is estimated by the bureau OF
census and the geological survey as
$500 0oo horsepower. Information
collected by the bureau Of corpora
lions shows that IN 10 large concerns.
OF which The General Electric
Co. ana The Westinghouse Electric x
Manufacturing Co are most important.
now hold water installations and ad-
vantaGeous power sites aggregating
about ,046 600 horsepower. where the
control OF these concerns Is practically
equal 20 over - per cent OF the total
now in use. Further evidence OF
very strong nature as to additional In
tercorporate relations. furnished by
the bureau, leads me 70 the conclu-
zion that this total should be increased
TO "a per cent. and still other evidence,
though less conclusive, nevertheless.
affords reasonable ground for enlarg
ing this estimate by per cent addi-
tional.
In other words. il is probable that
these L. concerns directly or indirect
ly control developed waterpower and
advantageous power sites equal 10
more than SO per cent OF the total wa
ter power In use
movement IN INFANCY
This astonishing consolidation has
taken place practically within the last
Ave years. The movement is still In
its infancy. and unless II is controlled
the history OF the oil industry Will
be repeated in the hydro-electric pow
er industry. with results far more OPP
pressive and disastrous for the people
IL is true that the great bulk OF our
potential water power is as yet I'M
but the sites which are
now controlled by combinations are
those which offer the greatest advant-
ages and therefore holds strategic po-
sition. This is certain 10 be strength
ened by the increasing demand for
power and the extension OF long-dis-
lance transmission.
1T is, in my opinion relatively un-
important for us 10 know whether or
not the promoters OF this particular
project are affiliated with any OF these
great corporations. II We make an un-
conditional grant &c this grantee. our
control over il ceases. He, or any
purchaser from him, will be free 10
sell his rights 10 any one OF them az
pleasure The time 10 attach condi-
tons and prevent monopoly is when
grant is made.