Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-02-10
CONSERVATION OF
WATER POWERS
DEBATE ON DAM BILLS DIS
CLOSE TENDENCY OF LEGTs-
LAToRs TO CAUTION.
MEMBERS DISPOSED TO PKo
cEED SLOWLY IN GRANTING
FRANCHISES.
Madison, February 6.

| In the first debate on the passage
of bills in the senate, conservation OF
natural resources yesterday made its
appearance with promise OF becom-
| ing a leading question of the session.
That the senators are charged with
arguments on it became apparent
when it was asked to permit the con-
struction of four dams.
/ The outlook is that sides will be
taken involving grave principles. Ar
guments burst forth the instant Sen
ators Thomas and Brazeau asked for
third reading and argument OF four
bills reported for passage by the COM
mittee ou-state affairs. The bills
| involved the construction of dams by
E. T. Harmon, the John Arpin Lum-
Der company and Franklin j. Wood
across the Chippewa river in Sawyer
county and to the Menasha Paper
company across the F'lambeau river.
The committee on forestry, antici-
pating the question, is preparing a
comprehensive bill, and Senator Bird,
in view of that, asked that the dam
bills be referred to the forestry COM
mittee Senator Gaylord in the first
part of the session introduced a Joint
be empowered to take steps for the
protection and development of its
natural resources. "The state shall
| through it's subdivisions, agents, ex-
ecutives and commissioners, as may
be provided by statute" the resolu-
ton reads in part, make such use OF
it's sovereign power as may from time
to time become necessary, advisable
or convenient, to the end that the
lands, forests, minerals, water-powers
4 and other natural resources of the
state be protected and fully developed
and that the welfare of the people
may be guarded and provided for.
4 Conservation in harmony with the
governments attitude on the matter
and making the privilege of using tn.
natural forces a source of revenue to
the state was the demand on one
side Senator Husting started the
j flight. He objected to the granting OF
4 franchises in the bills asked for pas
\ sage. The giving away of rights to
iuse the natural forces of the state,
lis of great import, he argued, and
i asked that the bills be laid over till
i Tuesday for consideration, when he
would be prepared more fully to go
into the matter
i Senator Thomas, author of the Me-
nasha Paper companN's bill, asked for
immediate action as the company has
already started work on the dam and
must have the permit before they can
complete it. 'sThis is no speculative
franchise" he argued. ''The ques-
ton involves the expansion of a pro-
gressivc organization. The Menasha
4 Paper company is leading factor in
the industry of the state. Their
growth means the development of the
country around them
Senator Husting launched into an
argument against giving away power,
ldcclariLg that the great men of the
country were demanding the control
Of the natural resources and that it
was time for the state of Wisconsin
to heed the demand Senator GAYLORD
joined in with a long speech stating
that the question was one of greatest
Import. 1T is a titanic ISSUE he
declared Water power will eventu-
ally be the only source of energy for
practical purposes. When the forests
shall have been hewn down and the
coal mines exhausted, the rivers shall
turn the wheels of commerce, light
and warm our homes and give life to
1.-THE mills of the land. We have only
touched the fringes of water power
and the energy derived from what we
control is 100000 h. p. The wealth
Involved in the potential power of
the rivers is sufficient for all to carry
on all our industries and to serve for
Transportation of the entire state.
The bills before the house contain
: provisions of repeal and taxation.
Let us lay the foundation for the
matter now. Cities will develop
around these dams, factories will
spring up and new industries will
TAKE IOOl. IL 10 cdSlCl " uldhG plO-
visions for the building of dams now
thai: it will be to repeal these bills
later
Senator Brazeau, defending the 9TH
err three bills, asserted that the bills
were drawn SO broadly that they
could be repealed at any time or the
dams be subjected 20 any regulations
the state may desire. He argued that
j the state had no power to prevent
the erection of these facilities asked
for in the bills. The senators as
sumo that the state owns the water
AS matter of fact it is private prop
|erty The people asking the fran
chises own the banks on both sides.
The river is necessarily theirs. 1t is
as much private property as the
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