The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-24

are 20,00O,000 horsepower of water and
only 100000 developed.
I'm the Columbia river valley, be-
tween the Rocky mountains on the east
and the Cascades on the west, there is
sufficient water for all purp oses of the
present day and for generations to
come, including the operation of all
the railroads and irrigation projects
we shall ever build. That water power
is so great that if 10000 horsepower
of 1t on an average should be devel-
oped every year 1t would take 2400
years before all of 1t would be In use
and when once In use it would be so
for all dime. If we were to harness
100000 horsepower year it would re-
quire more than 240 years 20 develop
all of it,
Much Power Needed
water powers are local and confined
in their operation to comparatively small
areas. Each community needs power to
manufacture its raw materials. If the
land upon which these powers are To-
Gated Is restored to entry under exist
ing laws, the titles for the most part
will go to bona fide settlers living in
the several communities, and will largely
be developed by local capital. Water
powers on public lands are not located
in cities, but in the wilderness or in
the sparsely settled districts, and If the
power should be large one it will take
many years for its full development. No
man can afford to devote his time and
money developing such a power under
a leasehold. He needs the title in fee
simple. He Is not building for himself
alone but for posterity.
1.-The government should cancel its with
drawal of those lands and dispose of
them to the people who need them and
will use them. In the very nature of
the case there can be no monopoly In this
matter. The states respectively own the
water in the rivers within their bounda-
ries, subject only to the right Of naviga-
ton, which is controlled by the federal
government. This principle is so gen.
orally recognized that every well read
lawyer is familiar with the decisions IF
the courts justfyfng it.
Power to Regulate
Each state has full power to regulate
the water powers within its boundaries,
and the federal government should either
give the settler the title in fee simple
to those lands or turn the lands con-
tanning water powers and coal and min
erals, over 10 Tile Stdlc. Ic pics POi-
Icy is retardng development and prog
ress must soon cease unless 1t can be
changed The people should be given
every opportunity to develop the coun-
try in which they live. AS the state
already owns the water why should 1t
not own the land also? All these lands.
with coal and mineral and other de-
posts should be turned over to the states.
which alone have the power to take and
to regulate the industries that may re-
suit from these mineral resources.
Many water powers in our territory,
including a large number along the Snake
river, have been withdrawn by the gov
eminent recently, and the result today
Is that numerous projects to establish
manufactures are held up Capitalists
and owners of factories in the New Eng
land, eastern and middle western states
would operate more mills and plants in
our country, but under existing regula-
tions, which I hold are unlawful these
men cannot secure the land they must
have II they are to develop the power
Under the old law, which gave any per-
son the right to select land and develop
power the water power of the east has
all been developed. 1t is in private hands
and has been from the beginning.
Opportunity for Many
what we desire is opportunity for
any man in the United States to come to
our country and get water and other
wise assist in developing our resources.
We do not want the country standing idle,
and the water running to the ocean as
IL has been doing for countless thou
sands Of years. The way to get popu-
lation, wealth, revenue, cities, manufac-
turing establishments. churches and
schools into our country is to develop
these water powers. Spokane. now a city
fC 1aat1t
on an immense water power There are
many other equally valuable water pow
ers in the northwest and they ought to
be developed. We should have cities of
from $4,000 to 10000 all over the western
country and we would have them If per-
n1itted to develop the wealth at our
DOORS