New-York tribune., 1910-01-20
THE WIN WASHINGTON
From The Tribune Bureau

iFr"rii Inc Tribune BureauI
Washington. Jan. 1s-Czovem,o,. tz,,s.,es
1oFeihor For'' Governor Draper and other
state executives took occasion at tbe meet
ing of the Board of Governors. to-..,- =,
emphasize The fact that the authority of the
federal government over rivers and streams
is limited to the conrror of navigation and
that control Of water power is vested solely
IN the state. Their proposition was received
in some quarters as a discovery fact
which had not been considered by the ad-
Vocates OF federal conservation. II is doubt
less true that this fact has been ignored by
conServationists OF the Pinchot school few
OF whom regard the limitations OF the Con-
stitution worthy OF much consideration:
but that is not true of the present admin
istratiol. On the contrary the hills drawn
by Secretary Ballinger and advocated bv
President Taft give due weight TO the an
thority Of the states over streams, and it is
for that reason that Judge Ballinger's bill
expressly provides that where an easement
TO land available as power site is granted
by the government the recipient shall, as
Tsart compensation therefor transfer to the
United States the necessary water rights TO
permit of the estimated power develop
nlent Those with due respect for
the Constitution do not question the owner
ship by the state of the water, except as Il
shall be used for purposes of navigation On
the other hand. the extent to which that
ownership can be asserted, once the land
along the stream passes into private owner
shin and along with 1t the riparian rights
is not entirely clear. The scheme of this
administration, therefore, provides that the
federal government shall retain title to such
land and the riparian rights accruing there
70. that the individual who would develop
the power shall obtain from the state the
right 10 use the water for power purposes
and Dlen transfer such right TO the federal
government in exchange for an easement
permitting the use of the necessary land.
Such process would prevent the alienation
by the state OF its control of the water TO
any one other than the federal government,
and ii, in turn, would retain that title in
perpetuity and merely grant the right 10
use il under conditions which would effec-
tively prevent monopoly. The sincere advo-
Gates Of conservation hope therefore. that
the governors will not press the rights of
the states so far as TO prevent any effective
conservation Of this source of power
Fred bennett, Commissioner of the Gen
eral Land Office, appeared before the Com
nlittee on Expenditures in the Interior De-
pa-tuenu to-day TO answer the charges
made by Mr.. Hitchcock, the Democratic
Representative from Nebraska So far as
the inquiry went, Mr.. Dennett answered
all questions TO the entire satisfaction of
the committee. He expressed regret that
Mr.. Hitchcock was not present, and the
Democratic Representative was promptly
pointed out 10 him, whereupon the Com
missioner called the attention OF the Ne
braskan 70 the fact that he had been
guilty OF giving wide publicity to malicious
and wholly unfoUnded runors, the falsity
OF which ne could have ascertained at any
time by merely taking the trouble TO come
10 the General Land Office Mr.. Hitchcock
evaded the charge. and replied TO the Com
missioner. u think I can get together"
Although the committee did not have time
70 go into ali the charges. the members
subsequently, expressed themselves as con-
WINGED that Mr.. Hitchcock had merely lent
the weight OF his Endorsement TO a group
OF baseless ano. in many instances, silly
runors the tatrle OF discharged messen-
gers and the gossip OF jealous female en-
ploves. Some members said, moreover
that they believed the investigation of the
Balllnger- -Pinchot controversy would reveal
nothing more worthy OF the attention OF
Congress and the credence OF the public
than Mr. Hirchcock's "rurors.'
The German Ambassador called at the
Department of State to-day and submitted
TO Secretary Knox the memorandum OF his
government regarding the tariff charges
Germany is willing TO concede. These DO
not unfortunately. provide for the elinlna-
ton Of that undue and unjust discrlmina-
ton against American cattle and American
meat products which has long been the
occasion of dissatisfaction 10 this country,
and the situation is uuquestlonably dis
couraging. although the ambassador and
Secretary Knox refuse 10 abandon hope
OF obtaining satisfactory adjustment OF
the points Of contention Both feel II 70 be
their duty TO DO everything i'll their power
10 avert tariff war, and 10 that end Will
not abandon hope until every 2Xpedlent or
diplomacy has been exhausted As has
been pointed out in this column, however
the serious difficulty which corfronts the