Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1911-06-29
WATER POWER
FIGHT STARTS
QUESTION AS TO RIGHT OF DIS
PosAL AFFECTS HIGH DAM
PROPOSITION,
AT MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL
contended That Nation Has No Right
Over NavigabIe treams, Belong
ing to State In
+ stead.

ing to State In
\ stead.
Washington, June 26.-Has the gov
eminent of the United States the right
to dispose of Waterpower that is Great
ed incident to the action Of the gov
eminent in placing dams in navigable
streams to promote navigation? Is
the government restricted to the ex-
penditure of money in promoting nav
gation, in the interest of interstate
commerce? Shall Waterpower rights
which may be developed thereby con-
tinue to be the property Of the states
Or of the owners of lands AUDITING on
The streams?
This new feature of the discussion
Of the rights of the federal govern
ment in connection with the move.
ment to improve navigation and to
conserve the WaterpoWer on the
streams of the country is engaging the
attention of senators from all parts of
the United States. The Importance of
the question will be apparent to the
citizens Of Minneapolis and st. Paul,
who have noted the efforts that are
being made to secure to the cities and
to the state Of Minnesota the right to
use surplus water that would be Great,
ed in connection with the construction
of a high dam at the Twin Cities.
Already it has come to be we'll I'M
derstood by members Of the Minneso.
ia delegation in congress that when
the proposition is presented next win.
ter for contract for the use of this
will be vigorous opposition among
senators who declare that the federal
government has no right to enter into
such engagements.
Stated by Mr.. Roosevelt.
This question rose out of the agita.
ton which aroused the country during
President Roosevelt's administration,
and which was part of the conserva.
ton and reclamation ideas to which
his administration gave great impetus
throughout the country. It was Mr..
Roosevelt's doctrine that the federal
government controls waterpowers in
navigable streams and that even in
cases where dams are allowed to be
built by individuals or corporations,
under such limitations as would be
placed on the construction to prevent
interference with navigation, that the
government Should place specific limi-
tations upon the use of the power en-
gendered by such dams and the prices
at which such power should be sold.
This branch Of the conservation doc.
trine was stohtly resisted by the com.
mittees Of both houses of congress.
They declare that whatever rights the
government has over navigable
streams begins and ends with the
right of navigation. and that the use
of water in streams belongs to the
state or to the owners of land ada
cent to the streams.
Now comes the later view of the
matter, which is emphasized in expires.
sions by many western states, includ-
ing Chairman Clark, of the senate ju.
dietary committee, and Senators Hey.
burn, Dixon, and Jones in the western
states and Bacon, Reed and Smith
from the southern states, who declare
there is no authority in the constitu-
ton of the United States for the fed
eral government to control the sur
plus water, even in connection with
dams that have been constructed by
the federal government. In other
words, if Faterpower results from
such construction Of public improve
ments, the use of such power belongs
to the states or to the riparian own.
ers.
It is said that under decisions of
the supremecourt of the United States
there is authority for the claim that
where the government makes such in.
ternal Improvements the resulting wa.
terpower is tie property of the FEEDER.
al government. It is certain, how.
ever, that th&e will be a lively dis.
cussion of tht matter when import.
ant waterpow4 projects are devel
oped in connlction with dam con.
struction and Measures are advanced
authorizing the federal government to
contract for thep Use Of such power.
New Mexico and Arizona Statehood.
Washington, Jine 26.-Fhe senate
committee on territories voted to 3
| to report favorabk the house resolu.
| ton admitting Nek Mexico and Art
IONA to statehood with the provision
that the Arizona constitution contain.
/ ing the judiciary re&1l shall be resub.
mitted to the people,
MANY HURT IN WRECK.