The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1909-01-16
MONOPOLY
tcont1nusd rom page 80

CONTINUED from page 80
suing the policy advocate. THEFT
attitude Is the same with reference
to their projects upon the mountain
streams Of the West, where the iur-
isdlcaion Of the Federal Government
as owner of the. public lands and ma
tional forests is not open to ques.
ton.
Il repeat the words with which
concluded my message vetoiug ii
Rainey River bill:
In place OF the present haphazard
policy of permanently alternating
valuable public property we should
substitute definite policy along the
following ines:
First. There should be a limited
or carefully guarded grant In the
nature of an option or opportunity
afforded within reasonable time for
development of plans and for exc
Cullon OF the project.
Second. Such a grant or conces.
sion should be accompanied in tho
act making the grant by a provision
expressly making It the duty Of a
designated official to annul the grant
II the work Is not begun or plans are
not carried out in accordance with
the authority granted.
Third. 1t should also be the duty
of some designated official 10 see to
1t that in approving the plans the
maximum development of the nayl,
cation and power is assured, or al
least that in making the plans
these may not be SO developed as ul-
timately to interfere with the bette.
utilization of the water or complete
development ofthe power.
"Fourh. There should be license
fee or charge which, though small or
nominal at the outset, can in tho
future be adjusted so as to secure :
control in the interest OF the public
Fifth. Provision should be made
for the termination of the grant or
privilege at definite time. leaving
TO future generations the power or
authority to renew or extend the
conditions which may prevail at that
time.
Further reelection suggests a
sixth condition, viz:
The license should be forfeited
upon proof that the licensee has Join.
ed in any conspiracy or unlawful.
combination in restraint Of trade. as
is provided for grants Of coal lands
in Alaska by the act OF May 2S, 1905
4 will sign no bill granting
privilege OF this character which does
ne5 contain the substance of these
conditions. iI1 Dseonsider myself
bound, as far as feSercise OF my exec
uttye power will@allow, to do for the
people. in prevention of MONOPOLY Of
their resources, what I>belieye they
would do for themselves If they were
in position to acr. Accordingly ii
shall insist upon the conditions men
toned above not only in acts which
] sign, but also in passing upon plans
for use of water power presented to |
the executive departments for action.
The imposition of conditions has re-
ceived the sanction of Congress in
the general act>of 1906. regulating
the construction of dams in navi-
gable waters, which authorizes tho
imposing Of such conditions and
stipulations as the Chief OF Engineers
and the Secretary OF War may deem
necessary to protect the present and
future interests of the United States.
Il inclose a letter from the Com.
missioner OF Corporations, setting
forth the results of his investiga.
tions and the evidence of the far
reaching plans and operations of tn,
General Electric Company, the West
inghouse Electric and Maaufactur-
ing Company, and other large con-
Germs. for consolidation of the water
powers of the country under their
control. ] also inclose the memo
randum of the Solicitor-Geners!
above referred to.
I esteem 1t my duty 10 use every
endeavor to prevent this growing
monopoly. the most threatening
which has ever appeared. from being
fastened upon the people of this ma