The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1909-01-21

eminent as the owner of the public lands
n national forests Is not open to Ques-
ton. They are demanding legislation for
unconditional grants in perpetuity OF a n
for reservoirs, conduits, power houses, and
transmission lines to replace the existing
statute which authorizes the administra-
conditions to protect the public when any
permit is issued. Several bills for that
purpose are now pending in both Houses,
among them the bill s. 6626, to subject
to condemnation in the state courts, and
the bills, HI. r. 1886 and 8. 1861, respec-
lively, to grant locations n rights Of
way for electric n other power .pur-
~vations of the United States. These bills
were either drafted by representatives OF
the power companies, or are similar In
effect to those thus drafted. Or the other
hand, the administration roposes that
authority be given to issue power permits
Tor Q term not to exceed 90 years, ire
yocable except for breach Of condition.
Thfs provision to prevent revocation
would remove the only valid ground OF.
objection to the act OF 1901, which ex-
pressly makes all permits r~evocable at
discretion. The following amendment to
authorize this In national forests was in
serted In last years agricultural appro-.
priation bill: '.
'And hereafter permits for power planta
within national forests may be made ir+:
r~evocable, except for breach OF condition..
for such term, not exceeding so years, asl
the secretary of agriculture may by reg
ulation prescribe, and land covered byI
such permits issued in pursuance of AM
application filed before entry, location, orr
application, subsequently approved under}
the act of June II, 1906, shall in perpetuity
remain subject to such permit and red
newals thereof" e;
IT, A Powerful Lobby.
The representatives of the power conf
panies In Washington during the last ses-,
sion agreed upon the bill above mentioned
as the most favorable to their interests;
At their request frequent conferences
were held between them and the represent
tatlves OF the administration for the pur-I
pose of reaching an agreement IL possi-l
BILE. The companies refused to accept any,
that the Slight charge now i'm
posed by the forest service was oppres-
sive. But they made no response to the
proposal that the reasonableness
of the charge be determined through an
investigation of their business by the bu-
OF corporations. Z
The amendment of the agricultural bill
providing. for irrevocable permits being
new legislation was stricken out under the
House rules upon a point OF order made
by friends OF the House bill-that. Is, by
friends OF the power companies. Yet, in
panies complain that they are forced to
~revocable permits by the policy Of
the administration. D..
The new legislation sought in their W
lillSfoSL NY Viii COIlpdIllcS Ill the west,
and the opposition of other companies in
the East to proposed legislation in the
public interest, have a common source and
3 common purpose. Their source is the
rapidly growing water-power combination.
Their purpose Is a centralized monopoly
Of hydro-electric power development free
Of all public control. 1t Is obvious that a
monopoly OF power In any community
calls for strict public supervision and reg
I will sign no bill granting a privilege of
his character which does not contain the
myself bound, as far as exercise of my
power will allow, to do for the
in prevention of monopoly of their
what L believe they would do
'or themselves II they were in a position
% act. Accordingly I h insist upon the
mentioned above not only in
lets which l sign. but also in passing upon
he executive departments for action. The
imposition Of conditions has received the
Of ongress In the general act of
906. regulating the construction of dams
n navigable waters, which authorizes the
OF such conditions and stipula-
Ions as the chief OF engineers and the
ecretary OF war may deem necessary to
protect the present and future interests OF
he United States"
I inclose a letter from the commissioner
II corporations, setting forth the results
Il his Investigations and the evidence OF
he fa~rreachlng plans and operations OF
he General Electric company, the West |
nghouse Electric and Manufacturing com
and other large concerns, for con-
under their control. I also incIose
he memorandum Of the solicitor-general
.bove referred to.
I esteem It nv duty to use every endeav-
r to prevent this growing monopoly, the
lost threatening which has ever appeared,
rom being fastened upo the people OF
his nation.
Theodore Roosevelt.
The White House, January Is, 1909.
Smiths Figures Startling.
Washington, Jan, 19.-Accompanying the
Message Of the president was a letter to
i'm from Herbert Knox Smith, commits
Toner of corporations, containing a sum-
lary of a report on certain features of
he concentration of the water power Of
he country. 1t was or the information
obtained In this report that President
to a considerable extent based
is message. In brief the report shows
quite one-third of the water power Of
United States has been concentrated
1to the hands of a few large corporations,
lcluding the General Electric company,
he Westinghouse company n some
Their corporations which cannot be iden-
fled with either Of the first two. The
eport discloses the names not only Of the
rincipal corporations, but of all subsi-
larry companies identified with the princi-
dis dlu gives lax " VI dIC pOWoI
by each. The total horse power
by q group Of Is selected COM
anies or interests Is 1,S27, 900. Commits
Toner Smith points out hat this Is more
80 per cent OF the total water power
the country. Furthermore" IA Com
l~issioner Smith, this percentage by no
tells the whole truth. Thu forego-
lg powers naturally represent q majority
( the best power sites. These sites are
sites for large power and marked
ontrol. Poorer sites will not generally
g developed until these strategic points
re developed to their full capacity and
hould these strategic sites be coupled up
hey become still more strategic.
THE facts here set forth show the very
lpid and very recent concentration thar
as already occurred, practically all in the
lst five years. 1t is obvious that the
on the public Of such present and
conditions is a matter OF serious
TO TRY 50 LooTERs.
Nassina Ian mar