The Washington times., 1909-11-25
ASK EARLY ACTION
ON POWER TRUSTS
Advocates of Conservation
Anxious for Congress
To Investigate.
EXPECT SENSATIONS
AT COMING SESSION
Methods Are Said to Be Analogous
To Standard Oil
Systems.

In the hope OF getting before Congress
as early as possible a basis OF accurate
information from which TO draft legis-
lation, there will be demand, early In
the session. for information concerning
the Water Power trust and its opera
lions
The Bureau Of Corporations has been
hard at work for months, getting to-
sether additional Information as to the
operations of the so-called trust. The
first publicity which was given to Its
preliminary work was in President
Roosevelts veto message on the James
river dam bill At that time the inquiry
was rather superficial. and involved
mainly intercorporate relations Of con-
Germs which were traced UP to relation
ship with the General Electric and the
Westinghouse Electric companies. These
two we're presented as apparently the
twin heads OF the combination.
Information At Hand.
But the vast system of minor cOmpan-
les all over the country, which are Sc
curing and developing water powers;
construction, promotion, financing and
operations concerns, could not be as ef-
fectiveIy analysed with regard to their
relationship 10 the alleged trust. as was
desirable Accordingly the Bureau OF
Corporations has been going ahead with
this work, and II is known 70 have Sc
cured vast amount OF additional infOr-
nation.
Conservation advocates are especially
insistent that legislation for the proteC-
ticn OF the pUblic's interest in water
powers Is the most necessary feature
OF legislation this winter. They believe
that full presentation OF the facts
which have been accumulated through
ffr-r,F lon,
strate that the related interests have
been making startlingly rapid progress
toward control of great power situa-
tons In all parts OF the country
The laws at present are in such shape
that the authority Of either State or
Nation to prevent further concentration
of control or imposition Of terms in
the public interest is exceedingly vague
end uncertain. To fail at this time in
securing legislation. IL is declared,
would give the combined interests time
I'm which TO make such further progress
that legislation thereafter would be Of
little benefit.
Material Is Guarded.
The material which the Bureau or
Corporations has gathered is being
guarded with the utmost care II
is to be forwarded first TO the Presi-
dent, and through him viii get TO Con-
gress. unless Congress makes its own
INDEPENDENT WfllclQ AOE inc nOElEuellNc.
This is likely to be proposed in Con-
gress in the early weeks Of the ses-
sion, as a suggestion 70 the investigators
Of the Congressional anxiety for an early
report
It is said that this report viii show
much more accurately and I'm detail
than is now generally known. the init
mate relationship, through financial
channels. Of the whole system of water
power developments. The field men Of
the bureau have, for example, worked
out details OF particular cases in which
the allied interests commonly referred
10 as the trust, have been able to smoth-
or Independent developments, prevent
them from getting needed money. and
ultimately secure control Of them.
Some OF these cases are sensational
In their exposition Of methods employed
II Is said that the methods are closely
analogous 10 those which the Standard
OH and the Sugar trust have repeatedly
employed TO Kill competitions
Difficult Situation.
How to Iegislste effectively to prevent
further concentration OF water power
contro! is one Of the most difficult with
which constitutional lawyers have been
called upon 70 cope In recent years.
The constitutional provisions. and the
judicial decisions in which they have
been interpreted. seem to make the
problem quite as difficult as any OF
those with which interstate and State
commerce are complicated. Whether
the National Government can make its
prohibition felt IN any substantial way
is stil uncertain
But before laws can be drafted, the
facts are wanted. and the progresslves
II fongress are getting anxious TO know
these just as soon as possible. It is not
believed that either President Taft or
the Bureau Of Corporations will have
shy objections to turning the matter
ever 70 Congress as soon as ~ IS ready.
The bureau is likely 10 be prepa red
90 Esnd It's matter 20 the White House
early IN the year, and the people who
want legislation, and want ~ at once
think Congress ought 20 get the mat
ter at the same time.