The San Francisco call., 1910-12-29
PROTECTION OF
States Water
POWER SOUGHT
Reversion of Sacramento Valley
Sites Is Proposed by
Legislation
Special Conservation Committee
Would Prevent Monopoly
by Syndicates

Reversion to the state OF Sacramento,
valley water power sites with a poten-
tial development of upward of 100000
horsepower, filed on by the Martin-De
Saba syndicate. would be one OF the
the measure to be proposed by thsa
special committee on conservation ap-t
pointed by the republican state centraL
committee
The commit which is headed by
former Governor George c. PardeeN
will return partial report to the leg
islative conference today. II 1t does
not take the form Of the submission OF
completed bill or bills the report viii
be an outline of the general provisions
of the legislation to be requested and
recommended by the special committee.
WOULD RESTORE SITES
Chester H. Rowell. a member OF the
committee apd president OF the Lin
coIn-R Roosevelt league. said yesterday
that the adoption OF the recommenda-s
tions made by the committee would re-
power sites representing millions OF
horsepower held in the name Of a sin
gle syndicate. the Martin-De Saba con-
cern.
The bill or bills to be recommended
by the special committee will provide
that no water filed upon for power
purposes shall be granted for a period
Of mora tho, D
ward feature viii be the provision that
no water hled upon for purposes other
than power shall be utilized for power
except by special and additional grant
The bright particular feature OF the
legislation to be proposed by the spe-
c1al committee, and which is expected
10 result in great reversiOns to the
state IS that covering development OF
sites already appropriated In sub
stance those provisions viii be that
all water heretofore appropriated un-
der existing laws and not already nut
10 beneficial use or IN process of de-
Nelopment IN proportion to the magni-
tude of the enterprise for which it was .
appropriated, shall be deemed unap-
propriated. That is to say. if a COM
pany files on sites capable of develop
ing 100000 horsepower, it's develop
ment of 100000 horsepower, the en-
ployment of half dozen men and as
many wheel barrows on the remainder
of the sites will not suffice as evidence
of its intention to put the remainder
to immediate beneficial use.
SHOULDN'T WITHHOLD POWER
The Martin-de Saba syndicate"
said Rowell, has filed on and is hold
ing sites representing several millions
or horsepower. 1T has developed some
thing like 100000 horsepower and is
developing another 100000. Beyond
that it is not prepared to use the sites
II has Med on and it should not be per-
mitted to withhold from the public and
from beneficial use power that it can
not employ"
Under the laws to be proposed by the
special committee all rights acquired
viii be subject to the states right to
nix and regulate rates and to change
the charges to the public from time to
time. Renewal of rights for periods
not to exceed % years are to be subject
10 the consent OF special commission
charged with the control Of the whole
question OF water grants. That com
mission j sto include the governor.
to be appointed by the governor and to
serve without compensation.
RAILROAD LEGISLATION
Legislative affirmation of the railroad
commissions right to initiate rates is
the keynote of the legislation sought
by the special commission on railroad
legislation, which includes the members
elect of the railroad commission and
the attorney general.
The constitution gives the commits
sion the right to initiate rates. said ,
.Commissioner elect John NJ. Eshelman
yesterday. We want the legislature
to recognize that right and to get us
away from the maximum rate pro
visions OF the law enacted by the last
.lGGtSlatHra he
is going to represent all the people for
the next four years
Attorney General U. S Webb said
last night that the special committee
was working along the lines followed
Dy the administration rate bill which
was defeated in the last legislature.
The radical difference between the ad-
mlnlstration bill and the Wright bill.
which became law, was in the maxi
mum and minimum rate provisions. The
Wright law provides for the estab-
hsnment of maximum rates above
which the carriers may not charge, and
leaves them free to cut those rates.
AFTER STAFFORD'S JOB
The small army Of applicants for w.
v. Stanord'S berth as president OF the
harbor commission has received two no.
table recruits in the persons OF J. H.
McCallum and George Renner Rem
ner has been prominent figure in the
Draymen's association and was one OF
the generals in the opposition to the
teamsters' union in the memorable
strike that made itself felt through
out the United States McCallum was
chairman Of the convention held BY the
municipal league of independent re-
publican clubs in 1909. II is, under
stood that he has the backing of the
lumber interests, with which he is as
sociated, and prominent Lincoln -Roose-
velt leaguers. headed BY Rolla v Watt