The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1910-09-09

that time 3,l75, Az acres have been re-
stored for settlement Of the original IouS
million. because they do not contain pow
or sites: and meantime there rave oeen
newly withdrawn 1,245. 1872 acres on vacant
public land and 211.0o7 acres on entered
public land, or a total OF 1.456,SJ9 acres.
These Withdrawals made from INNS
time cover all the power SITES inciuueu
In the first Withdrawals, and many Inore'
on 1875 rivers and In II states. Inc oispo-
sition of these power sites Involves ono
of the most difficult questions presented
In carrying out practical conservation.
The statute of 1891 with its amendments
permits the secretary Of the interior 10
grant perpetual: or rlgh.s -
way from water sources over pupno
lands for the primary purpose OF irrlsa-
ton and such electrical current as may
| he incidentally developed. but no grant
can be made under this statute to con-
| Germs whose primary purpose Is geheI-
| ating and handling electricity. Inc stat.
ute of 1901 authorizes the secretary Oh
the interior to issue revocable permits
| over the public lands to electrical power
| companies, but this statute is Woe1uily IN
adequate because 1t does not authori@e
the collection of q charge or fix a term
Of wears. Capital Is slow to invest III an
enterprise founded on a permit revocaDio
at will.
1t is the plain duty of the government
to see to it that in the utilization ana oe.
velopment of all this immense amount
of water power, conditions shall Dc I'm.
posed that will prevent monopoly anc
will prevent extortionate charges, "nlch
are the accompaniment OF monopoly. Inc
difficulty Of adjusting the matter ID &C
centuated by the relation or the po"e.
sites to the water, the fall ana now Oh
which create the power. In the STATES
where these sites are, the riparian own
err does not control or own the power In
the water which flows past nus land
That power Is under the control ana Will
in the grant of the state, and generahy
the rule Is that the first water user ID en-
titled to the enjoyment. Now. the pos
session of the bank or water-power site
over which the water Is to be conveyed
in order to make the power useful, gives
to its owner an advantage and a certaln
kind Of control over the use or the water
power, and 1t is proposed hat the govern.
ment in dealing with its own lands snouio
use this advantage and lease lanos iof
mower sites to those who would develop
the power, and impose conditions on the
leaschold with reference to the reason
ableneJs of the rates at which the power
when transmitted, is to be furnished 10
the public, and forbidding the union OF
the particular power with a comoihalion
OF OtlGTS IIlhQc " lAi0 ~ POSS
oily by %forbidding assignment OF the
lease save by consent OF the government.
Serious difficulties are anticipated py
some in such an attempt on the part OF
the general government, because OF tne
sovereign control Of the state over the
wafer nower in its natural condition. and
the mere proprietorship of the govern
ment in the riparian lands. 1t is con-
tended that through its mere proprietary
right In the site, the central government
has no power to attempt to exercise 70
lice Jurisdiction with reference to how
the water power in a river owned and
, controlled by the state shall be USED, ano
!, that II Is a violation of the states rights
7 question the validity Of this objection.
, The government may impose any comm
tons that it chooses in its lease OF us
own property. even though II may nave
. the same purpose, and In erect accom-
: plish just what the state would accom-
: plish by the exercise Of its sovereignty
O There are those land the director OF the
geological survey. Mr.. Smith, VINO mas
given a great deal of attention 10 TINS
> matter Is one Of them) who insist tina
:. this matter of transmitting water powel
into electricity, which can be conveyed
. all over the country and across sta:s
lines. Is a matter that ought to be re-
J. tanned by the general government ah'
that it should avail itself OF the owner
=, ship Of these power sites 1or the YER
purDOSe or CO-OrClndtHS III OhO
= plan the power generated from INES
government owned sites.
II Arguments Against Idea.
II On the other hand. it is commended tina
l. IL would relieve a complicated SITUATION
IN II the control Of the water-powef SIT
l. and the control of the water were Veste'
re in the same sovereignty and ownership
le viz. the states, and then were DISPOSE
Of for development to private lessees un
,e dor the restrictions needed to preserv
r the interests Of the public from the extor
Ill tions and abuses of monopoly. There1ore
70 hills have been introduced In consreS
providing that whenever the sIaue au
to thorities deem a water power uselui tne
le NAV apply to the government OF TN
@ I-ai+oa states for a grant to the stat
r ~ the adjacent land for a water-powe
,e eita and that this grant from the 1eo
eral government to the state snaA cor
is tain a condition that the state sna
he never part with the title TO the "a,ei
at mower site or the water power, but sna
IN o,so a. onlv for a term of years not e1
Mt ceadine fifty. with provisions IN II
Iease hv which the rental and the rate
for which the power Is furnlsheo 10 IN
nublic shall be readjusted at perloos ieS
n than the term of the lease, say every te
ITS ynors The argument is urged again:
.se This disnosition of power sites that lesl
he lators and state authorities are more SUI
lily iect tn corporate influence and contr.
ONl ~
IS than would be the central governments
renlv II is claimed that a reaoJustinei
ais of the terms Of leasehold every ten yea
in would secure to the public and the sta
as inst and equitable terms.
do not express an opinion upon u
IRE controversy thus made or a preIereh'
Ia: az to the two methods of treating wate
mower sites. I shall submit the mater
Try congress and urge that one or the oth
os- of the two plans be adopted.
have referred to the course OF the Ia
hIa administration and Of the present one
CT making Withdrawals OF government ian
70 from entry under homestead ana ON
re laws and of congress in removing q
,n+ doubt as to the validity OF these VIII
'or drawals as a great step In the olrec.p
ct of practical conservation. But II Is on
one of two necessary steps to erect wh
=; should be our purpose. 1t has proouc
"a q status quo and prevented waste ana
NV revocable disposition of the lanos un
a. the method for their proper dlspositl
can be formulated. But it is OF the !
most importance that such wltnoraws
-, should not be regarded as the nnai 81
IN the course of conservation, anu III