Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-12-06
WATER POWER CONCERNS OF
WEST JOIN IN FIGHT AGAINST
FORESTRY PLANS,
COMPANIES WILL MAINTAIN
LOBBY IN WASHINGTON
Frank H. Short Arrives at Capital to
Represent Powerful Power Concerns
Urge the Delegation Of Water
Rights to the Several States Inter-
ested.
Especial Correspondence

Washington, Dec. 6.-That the water
| power trust has joined in the fight for
the undoing of Clifford Pinchot and his
projects and policies Of conservation,
was made apparent today, when Frank
II. Short, representative in Washing
ton for a powerful list of water power
concerns, issued statement declar-
ing against any federal control of wa
ter power, attacking Mr.. Pinchot's ar
guments In favor of such control, and
declaring for the RELOCATION of all such
control to the states.
| Mr.. Short has represented various
water power interests in Washington
for the last three years. and admitted
today that he would spend most of the
winter here in that interest. He has
come to be regarded as head of the
| water power lobby. and commonly re-
power trust. Mr.. Short denies that
there is any such trust and protests
that he doesn't represent trust.
Represents Many Companies.
| He, however. named the following
companies which he represents in
Washington:
San joaquin Power Company, devel-
| oping power on the San Joaquin riv-
er and in central California It now
has about $4,000 horsepower developed
and $4,000 in process of development.
| Sierra Nevada Power Company, of
Los Angeles and Fresno. This COM
pany Is engaged in developing 200 600
horsepower in the high Sierra public
land region of central and southern
California Mr.. Short said that any
federal regulation would applv imme-
diately to this concern. as its activities
are in the public land section.
The Kern River Company Of Los
Angeles. which has about 5000 horse
power develoned. It is convened ITO
miles to operate the street railways of
Los Angeles. This power. also. Mr..
Short said comes from a public land
section and would be subject to feder-
al regulation.
Pacific Light and Power ron,nany OF
Los Angeles. described nv Mr.. Short as
the parent concern of this entire group,
its powers being in part in public land
sections. This comnanv IS enumerated
|
on the waterpower Trust. as one Of
the hig groups of power interests IN
which the Huntingtons are interested.
| Finally, Mr.. Short said he represent
/ ed. with Mr.. O. B. Wilcox, the Central
Colorado Power Company of Denver.
This corporation is listed by the bureau
of CORPORATIONS report as admittedly
controlled by the General Electric or
its subsidiary companies"
Would Have States Control.
i Speaking as the Washington repre-
sentatives of this group of corpora
ITEMS, Mr.. Short made statement
which is regarded as the outline OF
the program and argument which the
big waterpower interests will advance
They will favor the bill by Representa-
tive Smith of California, to turn over
the entire control of waterpowers to the
states, whether these be within OF
without the public domain; and they
will oppose the measure by Senator
Flint. to strengthen and establish the
largest measure of federal control.
There can be no dispute" said MT
Short. that the imposition OF terms
charges and taxes, and of federal con-
troll, will in any event be limited fe
those isolated sections that, while ex-
tensive in themselves, are small II
proportion to the whole country, aI1e
in no state could such control cover ta'
state in such a way as to obyiate TN
necessity of state laws and control
even if we can conceive the states sur.
rendering their constitutional power
and duty, and the states and local com.
munities abandoning their rights ant
turning them over to one Of the
bureaus of the federal government"
Mr. Short boldly attacks the w1olt
proposal to impose charges or terms TO
the use of powers. He insists tina
whatever the government imposes II
this way must necessarily be SO mucl
added to the cost of developing ant
operating powers, and hence must b.
added to the cost of power the consum
| err must pay. The west should EMO.
i the same equal opportunity in devel
opment Of its resources and control o
It's local affairs and monopolies. a
other sections of the country. I nc
tice that Governor Hughes advocate
control and regulation Of water power
by the state of New York. Casual read
ers would probably assume that Nj
Pinchot and Governor Hughes were II
accord. The fact is that the enforce
ment of Mr.. Pinchot's policies woul
necessarily lead, wherever they coul
be applied, to the practical destruction
: Of the procedure advocated by Gov
: ernor Huges. The state has the powe
J and duty, Independent Of public land
or federal supervision, &c regulate T..
use and enjoyment of water powers a
shall be thought desirable"