The new era., 1910-09-15

grant perpetual sas@sats - rights -
way from water SOURCES over Dabos
iands for the primary pafposs ef tfsA-
don and such electrical current - may
b i1cidsntslly dsvsiepsA but NJ sfa1e
can b made under thAs stAtuts 70 80.
Germs whose primary Durposs y ssose.
ating and handling elsstrsaity. The stat-
ute OF no1 authorizes the secretary Of
the interior to Issue rsvocabls permits
over ths public lands to electrical power
companies. but this statute 10 wosfully In
adequate because II does NOT authofiss
the coiisction Of . chargs or M term
Of years. Capital 70 slow 70 invest in an
sntsrpriss founded on . permit rsvocahas
at win.
II u the plain duty Of the so*srnmsat
TO sss to II that In the utilization and de-
velopmsnt Of all this immense amount
OF water power. conditions shall be i'm
posed that will prevent monopoly and
Will prevent s1tortionAte charges. which
arc the accompaniment Of monopoly. The
dimculty Of adjusting the matter il 40
csntuated by the relation Of the power
sites to the water. the fall and now Of
which create the power. In the states
whore these sites are. the riparian own
er does not control or own the power In
That power 10 under the control and with
In the grant Of the state. and generally
the rule IL that the frst water user 10 en-
titled to the enjoyment. Now. the pos
session OF the bank or water-powsr site
over which the water 10 to be conveyed
In order to make tho power useful. gives
70 tts owner an advantage and certain
kind Of control over the use of the water
power. and It 10 proposed that the govern.
ment in dealing with its own lands should
use this advantage and lsase lands for
power sites to those who would develop
the power. and impose conditions on the
leasshold with reference to the rsason-
ableness OF the rates At which the power
when transmitted. IL to be furnished To
the public. and forbidding the union Of
of othsrs made for the purpose of monop-
oily BY forbidding assignment OF the
lease save by consent OF the government
Serious dimculdes are anticipated ~
some In such an attempt on the part of
the general government. because Of the
sovereign control of tho state over the
water power in its natural condition. and
the mere propristorship Of the govern
rusnt in the riparian lands. Il u con-
tended that through Its mere proprietary
right In the site. tile central government
has no power to atfcmpt to exercise po-
lice Jurisdiction with reference to how
the water power in river owned and
controlled by the state shall be used. and
that 1t II . violation Of the states rights
I question the validity Of this objection.
l ne government may 1u1pOeo 0Hy Souus-
tions that It chooses in Its lease OF Its
own property. even though 1t may have
the same purpose. and in effect accom-
plish Just what the state would accom-
plish by the exercise of Its sovereignty.
There are those (and the director of the
given . great deal OF attention 10 this
matter. 10 ono of them) who insist that
this matter Of transmitting water power
into electricity. which can be conveyed
all over tho country and across state
lines. il 4 matter that ought to b. r.
tained by the general government. and
that It should avail itself of the owner
ship OF these power sites for the very
purpose Of co-ordinating in one general
plan the power generated From these
government owned sites.
Arguments Against idea.
On the other hand. It IL contended that
It would relieve q complicated situation
II the control of the water-powsr site
and the control of the water were vested
in tho same sovereignty and ownership.
VIZ, the states. and then were disposs1
Of for development to private lessees un-
der the restrictions needed to presSrvs
the interests Of the public from the e1tor-
tons and abuses Of monopoly. Therefore,.
bills have been introduced in congress
providing that whenever the state au-
thorities deem . water power useful thsy
may apply to the government Of the
United Staten for grant to tho stats
of the adjacent land for . water-powes
site. and that this grant from the fed
eral government to the state shall con-
tain . condition that tho state shah
never part with the title to the water
power site or the water power. but shan
lease It only for . term Of years not ex-
ceeding fifty. with provisions in the
lease by which the rental and the rates
for which the power 10 Furnished to ths
public shall be readjustsd at periods les
than the term of the lease. say. every ten
years The argument 10 urged against
this disposition of power sites that leg1s-
lators and state authorities are moro sub
ject to corporate influence and control
than would be the central government; IN
reply 1t IL claimed that \ read1ustmsat
of the terms of leasehold every ten yeazs
would secure to the public ana the state
Just and equitable terms.
do not express an opinion upon the
controversy thus made or q preference
as to the two msthods Of treating water
power sites. shall submit the matter to
congress and urge that one or the other
OF the two plans be adopted.
have referred to the course of the last
administration and Of the present one in
making Withdrawals Of government lands
from entry under homestead and other
laws and of congress in removing all
doubt a. to the validity Of these with
drawals a. q great step in the direction
Of practical conservation. But 1t IL only
one of two necessary steps to effect what
should be our purpose. 1t has produced
. status quo and prevented waste and ir-
revocable disposition OF the lands until
the method for their proper disposition
can be formulated. But It 10 of the ut
most Importance that such Withdrawals
should not be regarded A. tho final step
in the course of conservation. and that
the idea should not be allowed to spread
that conservation II the tying up Of the
natural resources Of the government for
what ought to be done with these means
Of promoting present general human COM
fort and progress. For, II SO. II Is certain
to arouse the greatest opposition to con-
servation az . cause. and II It were .
correct expression Of the purpose Of con-
servationists 1t ought to arouse this op-
position. AZ have said elsewhere, the