Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-16
SENATOR WOULD
PROTECT PUBLIC
DISCUSSES TRUCKEE CARSON
WATER PROJECT
SAYS CONSUMERS OF POWER
SHOULD BE CONSIDERED
Declares If Charges for Electricity Not
Limited by Presidential Action,
Nevada May Regulate Capt.
talzation and Rates
[Bv Associated Pross. ]


RENO, New, Nov. Ex-senator New
lands has addressed a letter to the
Nevada State Journal, correcting in
accuracies in the newspaper reports
of his recent speech on the question
of the proposed contract between the
reclamation service and a private
electric power company, for the stor-
age of water in Lake Tahoe to be
used first by the power company for
! generating electric power, and later
! by the reclamation service in supply
] ing the settlers on the Truckee- Carson
/ project in Nevada for irrigation.
Mr.. Newlands contends that in ad-
dition to. the government reclamation
sarvice and a private power company
there is a third party, the users and
! consumers of electric power, whose
rights and interests should be con-
/ sidered. He claims that while the con-
] tention of Mr.. Pincfot that the license
/ granted to the power company should
/ be limited in time and be accompanied
/ by a conservative charge to go into
/ the forestry fund, deserved serious
/ consideration, it is important the COM
munity should be protected against
| over capitalization or by excessive
charges by the power company. The
! conservation policy, he says, should
/ take care of future generations, but
it should not neglect our own.
Explains Conservation Policy
| Mr.. Newlands says: THE conser-
walton policy in the treatment of wat
ers involves a broad and comprehen-
sive plan for irrigation, drainage, for
est protection, prevention of soil waste
! development of water power and navi-
cation.
Feeling that in the Inauguration Of
/ this policy it is necessary for the ma
! tional government to take the lead,
and that this project offered the presi-
| dent an opportunity of focusing pub
| lie attention on typical. case requir-
| ing both coordination and co-opera-
| tion, I suggested to him that through
the respective department chiefs, he
should organize a board or commits
sion composed of the chief of the for
estry service, the chief photographer
of the geological survey the chief Of
engineers of the army, the chief of
the bureau OF soils and the chief of
the reclamation service, together with
such other engineers or constructors
of distinction as he might select, for
the purpose of considering and franz
ing plans for the treatment Of the
Truckee and Carson rivers in such
velopment for every civilized use; that
such board should Immediately make
public inquiries on the ground, and
make its report for the presidents
consideration and action.
Taft Details BalIinger
1.-THE president, however, preferred
without the interposition of such
board to call on his subordinates to
whom the duties pertained to make
report. and this is being done by Sec
reary Ballnger. who has recently Wis
tied the Truckee- Carson project with
two engineers of the reclamation SER
vice. the chief photographer of the
geological survey and the electrical en-
gineer connected with the forestry SER
vice. While l would have preferred a
public inquiry on the ground before a
board or commission of experienced
men. I have faith that the president,
with his we'll known loyalty to the con-
servation project, will, in his consid-
Grafton of this case, not only come TO
a lust conclusion regarding it. but Will
be enabled to map out plan OF CO.
ordination and cooperation that viii
be of vast service in the consideration
of all conservation projects"
Mr.. Newlands contends the proposed
tract will give a private corporation
the monopoly Of the electric power
generated by the waters of Lake Tahoe
and the Truckee river, and says:
"If the president should conclude the
best interests of the reclamation
project require that the proposed CO.
operative contract should be approved
and the protection of the public against
extortionate charges by conditions in
the license granted is not within the
power or is no concern Of the national
government then It may be necessary
for the state of Nevada to organize
public service commission with
power to control capitalization and
charges