Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-01-20
ANOTHER MESSAGE L
President vetoes a Fiji and
Tells Congress Why
GREAT WATER POWER TRUST
Submits Figures to Illustrate the
Trust-Bill Does Not Protect the
Public Interest.


dent in his message to the House Fri
day vetoing the bill passed by Con-
gress granting water power privileges
from the James river, Missouri, sub
mits figures to illustrate the work
ings of the "water power trust''
He says: I return herewith with
out my approval House bill 177O7 to
authorize William II. Standish to
construct dam across James river,
Mo-, and divert portion of its
waters through tunnel into the said
river again to create electric power.
My reasons for not signing the bill
are: The bill gives to the grantee q
valuable privilege, which by its very
nature is monopolistic, and does not
contain the conditions essential to
protect the public interest. My rea-
son for believeing that, the Federal
government, in granting.:.a license to
dam navigatable river, has the
power to impose any conditions it
finds necessary to protect the pub
lie, including charge and a limita-
ton Of the time, is that its consent
is legally essential to an enterprise
Of this character. It follows that
Congress can impose conditions upon
it's consent. Believing that the nat
ional government has this power, ]
am convinced that its power ought
to be exercised. The people Of the
country are threatened by monop-
sly far more powerful, because in far
closer touch with their domestic and
industrial life, than anything known
to our experience. To give away,
without conditions, this, one Of the
greatest of our resources, would be
an act Of folly.
The total water powe, now in use
by power plants of the United States
is estimated bv the Bureau of the
Census at 100000 horse power. In
formation collected by bureau corop-
rations shows 13 large concerns Of
which the General Electric Company
and Westinghouse Electric and Man
ufacturing- Company, are the most
important, now hold water power in
stallations and advantageous power
sites aggregating- 1,046,000 horse
power, where control by these con.
Germs practically admitted. 1t is prob
able those 13 concerns directly and
indirectly control developed water
pewer equal to more than 33 pei
cent. of the total.
The following amendment to au-
thorize this in national forests was
inserted in last years agricultural
appropriation bill:
s'And hereafter permits for power
plants within national forests may be
made. irreyocable, except for breach
Of condition, for such term, not e1-
ceeding fifty years, as the Secretary
of Agriculture may by regulation
prescribe. and land covered by such
permits issued in pursuance Of an
application filed before entry, loca-
ton, or application, subsequently,
approved Snder the act Of June IL,
1906, shalt in perpetuity remain Sub
ject to such permit and renewals
thereof"
I repeat the words with which /
concluded my message vetoing the
Rainy river bill:
First. There should be a limited
OF carefully guarded grant in the ma
ture of an option or opportunity af-
forded within reasonable time for de-
velopment of plans and for execution
IF the project.
Second. Such grant OF concession
should be accompanied in the act
making the grant by provision ex-
pressly making it the duty of des-
ignated official to annual the grant if
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 to see 10
it that in approving the plans the
miximum development Of the navi-
CATION and power is assured, or at
least that in making the plans these
may not be so developed as ultimate
ly to interfere with the better utili-
cation of the water Or complete de-
yelopment of the power.
Fourth. There should be a license
fee or charge which, though small
or rational at the outset, can in the
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 IT, power or
authority to renew or extend the con-
cession in accordance with the condi-
tions which may prevail at that time.
Further reflection suggests a sixth
condition, viz:
The License should be forfeited up.
on proof that the licensee has joined
in any conspiracy or unlawful COM
binations in restraint Of trade, as is
provided for grants OF coal lands, in,
Alaska by the act Of May %, 1908.
I will sign no bill granting o priv
ilege Of this character which does