Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-01-15

"i.u coHtTOlS the ldHu along the stream
from which the power is to be convert
ed and transmitted, owns land which
is Indispensable to the conversion and
use ri that power. 1 cannot con-
ceive how the power in streams flow
ing through public lands can be made
availa ple at all except by using the
land itself as the site for the construc-
ton OF the plant by which the power
is generated and converted and secur-
ing right of way tfIereover for trans
mission lines. Under these condi-
tions. if the government owns adjacent
land-indeed, if the government is the
riparian owner-it may control the
use of the water-power by imposing
proper conditions on the disposition of
the land necessary in the creation and
utilization of the water power.
The development in electrical appli-
ances .or the conversion of the water
power into electricity to be transmitted
long distances has progressed so far
that it is no longer problematical, but
it is Il certain inference that in the
future the power of the water falling
in the streams to a large extent will
take the place OF natural fuels. In
the disposition of the domain already
granted. many water power sites have
come under absolute ownership, and
may drift into one ownership, so that
all the water power under private
ownership shall be monopoly. If,
however, the water power sites now
owned by the government-and there
are CROUCH Of them-shall be disposed
.,,.;,, h6, ~ q
mcnt OF their capital in such way as
to prevent their union for purposes
of monopoly with other water-power
sites, and under conditions that shall
limit the right OF use to not exceeding
fifty ears with proper means for de-
termining Il reasonable graduated
rental. and with some equitable pro-
vision for fixing terms Of renewal, it
would seem entirely possible to pre-
vent the absorption of these most use
ful lands By power monopoly. AS
long as the government retains con-
troll. and can prevent their improper
union with other plants, competition
must he maintained and prices kept
reasonable.
In considering the conservation of
the feature that transcends all others,
including woods, waters. minerals, is
the soil of the country. 1t is incum-
bent upon the government to foster
by all available means the resources
of the country that produce the food
of the people. TO this end the con-
servation of the soils of the country
should he cared for with all means
at the governments disposal. Their
productive powers should have the at
tention OF our scientists that we may
conserve the new soils, improve the
old soils. drain wet soils, ditch swamp
soils, levee river overflow soils, grow
trees on thin soils, pasture hillside
soils rotate crops on all soils, discover
methods for cropping dry land soils,
find grasses and lcgumes for all soils.
feed grains and mill feeds on the farms
where they originate. that the SOILS
from which they come may be enrich
ed.
A work of the utmost Importance to
inform and instruct the public on TINS
chief branch of the conservation Oh
our, resources is being carried on sue
cessfully in the department. of agri-
culture, but it ought not to escape
public attention that state action in
addition to that of the department OF
agriculture (as for instance III the
drainage of swamp lands) is essential
to the best treatment of the soils III
the manner above indicated.
The act by which, in semi-arid parts
Of the public domain, the area Of the
L. h hoan an1arOp1 from 16D
to 800 acres has resulted most benefi-
cally in the extension of dry farm
irg," and in the demonstration which
has been made of the possibility,
through a variation in the character
and mode of culture of raising sub
stantial crops without the presence OF
such d supply of water as has hereto
fore thought to be necessary for agri-
culture But there are millions or
acres of completely arid land in the
public domain which. by the establish
ment of reservoirs for the storing OF
water and the irrigation of the lands,
me-: be made much more fruitful amt
productive than the best lands III a
climate where the moisture comes from
the clouds. Congress recognized the
Importance Of This method OF artificial
distribution of water on the arid lands
by the passage Of the reclamation act.
The proceeds of the public lands crc-
ates the fund to build and it was lett
to the Secretary of the Interior to de-
terminc what projects should be select-
ed among those suggested and to d.
rect the reclamation service. with the
funds at hand and through the engin-
GERS in it's employ, to construct the
works.
No one can visit the far West and
the country of arid and semi-arid
lands without being convinced that
this is one of the most important
methods of the conservation of our ma
tural resources that the government
has entered upon. 1t would appear
that over thirty projects have been I'M
dertaken, and that few of these are
likely to be unsuccessful because of
lack Of water, or for other reasons, but
generally the work which has been
done has been well done, and many inn
portant engineering problems have
been met and solved.
One of the difficulties which has aris-
en- is that too many projects in view OF