Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-01-16
VETO FOR
WATERPOWER
PROJECTS
PRESIDENT INSISTS ON
FORESIGHT FOR FUTURE
Measure Granting Right to
Construct Dam in Missouri
Turned Down Because Il
Does Not Exact Compensa-
ton.

|
iby Morning Journal soeeiai Hsassd Wire
| Washington. p. c., Jan. 15-Prcsi
don't Roosevalt todav sont snecia
|
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tne Dill providing Tor the construction
of n dam across the James river n
Stone county Missouri, the purpose OF
the dam being to get water to create
electric power He declared that the
movement TO secure control OF the
water power of the country Is still ii
its infancy but thnt "unless il is con
trolled. the history of the oil indus.
trv win be repeated In the hydro.
electric power industry. with its re.
sults far more impressive and disas-
trous for the people.
1T Is true" he added. that the
great bulk of our noteutial water
power is as vet undevelopcd. but the
sites which nre now controlled by
combinations are those which offer
the greatest advantages. and therefore
hold a strategic position''
He saws that the bills give tho
grantee valuable nriyileres which IN
its very nature Ia mononolistic and
does not contain Tho conditions ee.en-
tial to protect the public interest.
II consider mvseIf bound" he con-
tinues. "as far as exercise Of nv ex-
ecutiyo power will allow. to do for the
people in preventing n monopely of
their rsources. which. believe. they
wouId do for themselves if thev were
in n position to act"
The message came at the close Of
the dny ana was received indifferent
Nv After its reading II was referred
to the committee on Interstate and
foreign commerce.
TO the Houso of Repreeontatiyes.
return herewith without nv an.
uroval house hiu 17707 to authariza
william n Stnnaiah 4. earstr,,ct n.
dam across James river in stone
,ss,lnty Missouri and divert n portlpn
'oS its waters through n tunnel into
the said river again. TO create electric
mower NV reason for mt signing the
bin are.
The bill gives TO the grantee n val-
uable privilege which Nv its very ma
t,1re is mononolistfo ana does not CON
tain tho conditions essential TO protect
the nublic interest
President RoosoveIt ouotes from a
lotter hn wrota on March N 1gOS to
the senate committee on commerce In
pursuance of a policv declared in his
message of February "a. 19OS. Tn this
letter the nresident said.
.grhroueh lack of foresight we have
formed the habit of granting without
extremely valuable
rights amonntiny 70 nononolies IN
streams ana On The nublic
"The renurcbose nj greot exnense
of water rigbts thus careIessIv ,,tven
ayyav without return has aIreodv he- |
on, IN tha oast and before long wulI
hesin +, tho r,ost also No rights in.
,,oI,,,na ,,,a,ar r,o,gor shonld he Grant
cd to an,, cornoration in nernetuity |
hut onIv for a lenptb Of time suffl- |
cian, to oiiov tbone 70 conduct their
hnsi,,oss arositahl, reasonable
charge shouId Of course be made for
,,aluahIo rights ana nrfvileres which |
the,, ohtoin from, no ,,ationoI povern-
mont Tbo values for which This
chargo !. made yin intimately |
tbronpb the natural growth and or
dorIv dovelonment of our popplation
ana industries roach enormous
A fair share of the Increase
should no safepuardnd for the benefit
or tbo neonle from whose labor il
snrings rbo nrocrods inns secured
,r,cr tho cost of odn,fnistration and
-, ro,,o,,,o,t ms hoon 81 should nat
IN, 80 do,otod 10 ,bc dovelonment
~ onr inlard ,yatoryavs
.AccordinpIv have decided TO sign
M bnls hereafter which do not nro-
5ide snecificaIlv for tho right "a fix
ana n,al,e a charge and for n definite
Iip,itatio,, in timc or the rights CON
rerrcd ,,
rhc nrcsident also calle attention 10
,is veto message of Anril f3. 1905. re-
.urninp n house hin TO extend the1
lime for the construction of n dam