The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-09-06
(7) WATER-PoWER SIT,

(O WATER-PowER sIyz
Prior to March 4. 1909, there L.
on the recommendation of ,ba
ton service. withdrawn from ,s,'
entry. because they were regzrdS +,
full for power sites which ourSf {
be disposed Of as agricuI,u,s1
tracts amounting 10 about IoSN<
The Withdrawals were hastily -.
q great deal OF land X
not useful for power sites. NJ
10 Include the pouer
twenty nine rivers in nine ststs1
that time 3,iI5.it2 acres hays
stored for settlement Of tbs +
4 ,000.0 00G. because they do nol /
power sites: and meantime A..
been newly withdrawn l,oi5 ssi =
vacant public land and 2il ,0o7
entered public land. or a total n
S99 acres. These Withdrawals -
time TO time cover ell power +.
cluded In the first Withdraw;
many more, on 135 rivers and 4
states. The disposition Of ,bss
sites involves one Of the mosl r
presented in carrying 3
tlcal conservation, The forssf
under a power found In the stslu
leased a number of these poysg
forest reserves by rcvocable -.
no such power exists with q.
power sites that are not locala .
forest reserves. and the revOct.a
tenn OF leasing is. of course, not h
factory one for the purpose Of
the capital needed to put In pr,xr
for the transmutation OF pogss
The statute OF 1891. with "a
ments, permits the secretary 0! b
terror to grant perpetual easen.
rights of way from water sour
public lands for the primary pu1|
irrigation and such electrical Gun
may be incidentally developed, 4
grant can be made under :hls h
to concerns whose primary pc1I
generating and handling electndf7
statute OF 1901 authorizes the e
of the interior 10 Issue revocahls h
over the public lands TO slectri11
companies, but this statute Is q
inadequate. because II does moi al
the collection OF a charge or ay 4
OF years. Capital is slow 10 d
an enterprise founded on a pergl(
cable at Will.
Need Of New Laws
The subject Is one that calls q
legislation. It has been thou
there was danger OF coHlblnariQ
tain possession OF all the power q
to unite them under one control
ever the evidence OF this. or lack 4
present we have had enough ezrI
to know that combination "
profitable. and the control OF
number OF power sites would ts1'
holders or owners 10 raise ihs J.
power at will within certain a
and the temptation would prom
tract investors. and the danger
nopoly would not be a remote o..
However this may be, Il N
duty of the government TO see
In the utilization and deyelopme
this immense amount OF @a!1
conditions snail be imposed that
vent monopoly. and Will pre'e
tlonate charges. which are lLe
niment of monopoly. The ull
adjusting the matter Is accem
the relation OF the power s.s
water, the fall and flow OF WHY
the power, In the states wns
sites are. the riparian owner
control or own the power IN M
which flows past his land
is under the control and within
of the state, and generally u
that the first user is eDttleo
joyment. Now, the posse
bank or water power site Owe,
water is TO be conveyed In orasi
the power useful gives 70 ny
advantage and a certnin Slnu
over the use OF the water Pos,
is proposed that the governmsn'
Ing with Its own lands snoulg
and lease lanos -
sites to those who Woulu ~
power, and impose cono'uyh
leasehold with reference 20 n
ableness OF the rates at "hs.
er, when transmitted. IS tu
to the public. and foroidame
OF the particular power Wiui ~
tion Of others made for tne -.
monopoly by forbidding essls
the lease save by consent u
ernment. Serious difficulties s,S
pated by some in such an o.
the part of the general soss,rJ
cause of the sovereign evnI In
state over the water power ~
condition, and the mere plv51m
OF the government in tne I,b ,sb m
II is contended that thruas .M
right in the si'. AZ
has no power ,r,,h n
exercise police jurisdiction yIsI|
to how the water power 10 ss,oiI n
and controlled by the stale ~ ~
and that i, Is a violation ,'a;t7 ~
rights | question the Vaiiuv
objection, The government m,
any conditions that II ssouSS 4
OF It's own property. even IN q
have the same purpose ano
Just what the stsus r.
complish by the exercise " ,ha So
ty. There are those lahS, l,r So
the Geological survey. M,;srtId |
has given n great deal OF I'm ID
matter. is one OF themJ; W WI" n,atf
this matter of transmitting
into electricity. which can 80
all over the country ana %, d
lines, Is a matter thai ousn o.sornns|
Iained by the general go'9 20 IN
that IL should avail itseii for
ship OF these power sites II ors
purpose OF co-ordlnating " n
plan the power generates
sovernment-owned shes.
Question of State Hls.
On tho other hand. II lsi,cstsd Is sTud
I would relieve a co'npnc,asr.p5
{ the control OF the Wa sr HsH
md the control OF the Wa md n
n the same sovereignty anu ven
liz. the states, and then .,e i'd
IF for development TO prisNSd TO
Ter the restrictions neeoSsu nee srprp
he interests OF the pubic li ,iv
Ions and abuses OF monopoa' In
bills have been introohcee.h .hs
that whenever .,ar a u
horities deem a water poMvmenl
nav apply 10 the govern 70
United States for gra"s Sad
If the adjacent land lor from
iite, and that this grah' I'D
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