The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-12-01
PikCEoTtS VIEWS AS TO CON.
TRCl OF COAL LANDS AND
POWER SITES.
PEOPLE VS.. MONOPOLY
linger in Answers to Questions Sub
mitted by DR.. Abbott-Prisate In
terests Best Subserve Public Good in
Developing Nations Resources.

Washington. Nov. 3a.-G.fford PIN
chat, chief os the United States for
est service. has again thrown down
the gauntlet to Secretary of the In
terrier Ballingsr in regard to the con-
servation policy. He declared that
congress will have to decide at its
coming session whether the great coal
fields of the country shall continue
to remain in the hands of the people
or be gabbied up by monopolies. and
whether great water power sites shall
be given away to special interests or
be controlled by the people. Mr.. Pin
chot makes known his views upon
these two chief sources nf power of
the present and future" i'm a letter
To DIR. Lyman Abbott of New York,
in response to- series of questions
asked by the latter ON The national
conservation policy"
Referring In the development of wa
ter power and coal fields. the gov
ernment chief forester declares that
i'm most cases actual development Of
the former can best be done by pri-
vate interests acting under PUBLIC con-
troll. but that lit is neither good sense
nor good morals to let these valuable
privileges pass from the public own
ership for nothing and forever
Answers Abbott's Questions.
In answer to DIR. Abbott's question
What is the danger to the eonser-
walton policies in the coming session
of congress-" MIR. Pinchot declares
that II IN tbs privileges OF ths few
may continue 10 obstruct the rights
Of the many. especially in the matter
of water power and coal.
Congress must decide at this ses-
sion." Mr.. Pinchot says. whether
the great fields still In public owner
ship shall remain SO. i'm order that
their use may be controlled with due
regard to the interest of the consumer,
or whether they shall pass into pri-
sata ownership and be controlled I'm
the monopolistic interests of a few.
Congress must decide also whether
Immensely valuable rights to the use
of water power shall be given away
To special interests in perpetuity and
without compensation instead of being
held and controlled by the public
why Is it important to protect the
wates powers?" asked Mr.. Abbott. and
in reply Mr.. Pinchot points out that
1t Is of the first Importance to pre-
vent them from passing into private
ownership. as they have been doing.
because the greatest source of power
We know is falling water. Under our
form of civilization" he says, IF a
few men ever succeed in controlling
the sources of power they will event
ually control all industry as well. II
they succeed in controlling all indus
try they will necessarily control the
country"
People Handcuff Themselves.
Mr.. Pinchot adds that he can see mo
reason why we should deliberately
keep on helping 10 fasten the hand
cuffs of corporate control upon our
selves for all time merely because the
few men who would profit by it most
have heretofore had the power to COM
pei IT,"
As one of the essential things that
must be done To protect the water
powers for the people, the granting of
water powers forever. either on nom
navigable or nayigable streams. must
absolutely stop, according tn Mr.. Pin
enot. After stating that ii cannot be
right To grant perpetual rights to the
one great permanent source of power.
Mr. Pinchot declares that lit IL Just
as wrong as il is foolish, and Just
as needless as il is wrong to mort
gage the welfare of our children in
such way as this. Water powers
must and should be developed mainly
by private companies. and they must
be developed under conditions which
make investment in them profitable
and safe"
He adds. hmnweyer, that neither
profit nor safety requires perpetual
rights. Mr. Pinchot declares. further.
that there is no reason whatever
why special interests should be al
lowed To use them for profit without
making some direct payment To the
people for the valuable rights derived
from the people
Prineipi. Applies to All Streams.
1T is just as essential for the pub
lie welfare that the people. should re-
tain and exercise control Of water
power monopoly m navigable as on
nan-navlgable streams" Mr.. pinehot
states in reply 10 .he question. Does
the same principle apply In nayigable
streams as 10 on-navigahl
streams?"
If the difficulties are greater" he
concludes. then the danger that the
water powers may pass out of the
peoples hands on tae lower nayigable
parts ri the streams is greater than
on the upper non-nayigable parts. and
il may be harder but in no Way less
| necessary, To prevent
Explaining what conservation means.