The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-01-16
AGAINST ATTEMPT BY CONGRESS-
TO GIVE AWAY COUNTRYS
WATER POWER.
CITES ILLINOIS CASE
And Others to Show That Big Cor
porations Are Trying to Gain Mo-
nopoly Similar to Standard
Oil.

Washington, Jan. Il. - President
dent Roosevelt today sent a special
message to the huse with his veto
on the bill providing for the construr-
ton of dam across James river, in
Stone county, Missouri, the purpose
of the dam being 10 get water to ere
ate electric power. He declared 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 a hydroelectric
power industry, with results far mora
oppressive and disastrous for the peo
pie"
1T is true. he added, that the
great bulk of our potential water pow
er is yet undeveloped but sites which
are now controlled by combinations
are those which offer the greatest ad-
vantage and therefore hold strate-
gic position He says The bill gives
ito the grantee valuable privilege,
which by its very nature is monopo'
listic and does not contain any condi.
tions essential TO protect the public
interests"
country's Water Power.
The total water power now in use
by the power plants in the United
States is estimated by the bureau of
the census and the geological survey
at 100000 horsepower. Information
To-,
shows thirteen large concerns, of
which the General Electric Company
and the Westinghouse Electric Com
pany are the most important, now
hold water power installations AMI
advantageous power sites aggregating
about 100000 horse power. where
control by these concerns is praci-
cally admitted. This is a quantity
equal ii over nineteen per cent of tn"
total now i'm use Further evidence
of very strong nature as to the ad.
ditional intercorporate relations, fur
nshed by the bureau, leads me to tha
conclusion that this total should be
increased to "a per cent; and still 9th
er evidence. though less conclusive,
nevertheless affords reasonable
ground for enlarging this estimate by
per cent, additional. In other words |
il is probable that these thirteen con !
Germs. directly or indirectly. control
developed water power and advanta-
geous power sites equal TO more than
80 per cent of the total water power /,
nfaI
solldation has taken place practically |
within the last five years The move
ment is still in its infancy, and unless
IT is controlled the history of the oil
industry will be repeated in the by.
dro-electric power industry, with re-
suits far more oppressive and more
disastrous for the people. II is true
that the great bulk of our potential /
water power Is yet undeveloped, bu'
the sites which are now controlled by
combinations which offer the greatest
advantages and therefore hold a stra-
egic position This is certain 20 be-
strengthened by the increasing de-
mnnd for power and the extension OF
long distance electrical transmission.
II is. in my opinion. .alAtiyely un-
important for US to 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 to this grantee, our
control over it ceases. He. or any
purchaser from him. will be free to
sell his rights to any one of them ~
pleasure. The time to attachecondi.
tions and prevent monopoly is when
a grant is made. 4
Big Corporation Schemes.
Te great corporations are acting with y
foresight. singleness Of purpose and
vigor TO control the water powers OF
the country. They pay no attention
20 state boundaries and are not inter
ested In the constitutional law affect
ing navigable streams except as il az
fords what has been aptly called a
twilight zone. where they may find
a convenient refuge from any reguIa-
ton whatever by the public. whether
through the national or the state 20
ernments. II is significant that they
are opposing the control Of water pow
er Cn the Desplaines river By the
State Of Illinois with equal vieor AMI
with like arguments 10 those with
which they oppose the National Gov
ernment pursuing the policy I advo-
cate. Their attitude is the same With
reference TO their projects upon thetl
maintain streams of the wpzr vrhera
the jurisdiction Of the federal govern
ment as the owner q the public lands
and natlnnal for SIS IS not ruan %