The Washington times., 1911-02-11
PROMISE TO FIGHT
FOR WATER POWER
Conservation Advocates and
Opponents of Alleged
Trust Organizing.
TWENTY VALUABLE
RIGHTS INVOLVED
Contention That Bills Before Con.
gress, If Passed, Would Reverse
the Roosevelt Policy.
By JUDSoN C. wELLIyER.

More than twenty water-power bills
are being pressed in Congress, in the
determined effort to pass them In the
remaining days OF the session.
advocates on conservation of water
power and opponents Of the alleged wa-
ter-poWer trust declare that, IL passed
these bills will reverse the Roosevelt
policy in regard to water resources ana
power rights.
opposltlon Is organizing, and a fight
Is promised. The measures pending in
Volve some very valuable water rights
Oh which the biggest concerns the Long
Sault rapids, in the St Lawrence river.
This Is an International PROPOSITION. the
rapids being at the point where the
river leaves the American-Canadian
boundary and enters Canada. IL is said
that this power Is the greatest available
one in the world for present develop
ment, with a possibility Of 50o,0OO-horse-
power.
There is small prospect that the inter
ests which seek this power will succeed
at present, because the Canadian Con-
seryatlon Commission is watching the
matter and is meeting success in block
Ing the movement in the Canadian par
lament. The promoters, however, inv
sist that they are entitled to rights on
TIE AMERICAN SlQe OIL the river, from
the American shore to some small ISL
ands, under an American grant without
any international limitations.
How Roosevelt Construed Act.
The general act of 1906 determining
conditions surrounding water power
grants provided that after a license is
granted for building dam, plans must
be approved by the chief of army en-
gineers, who may stipulate conditions
to protect the public's present and fu-
ture interests. The Roosevelt construc-
ton of this was that charges could be
demanded in the conditions made by
the chief of engineers, and the right 10
fix rates could be reserved. But there
was no claim that time limits on the
use OF the power could be fixed, because
Congress retains in such charters the
right of repeal at any time.
This goes rather farther than the pres
ent Administration has indicated, and
opposition to the present bills urges that
80 long as there is uncertainty about
the powers Of State and Federal gov
ernment to regulate-sc long, in short,
as these powers remain in the twilight
zone-each bill ought to contain pro-
vision that should give the state all
powers not specifically reserved by the
nation. This is one of the points on
which opposition Is based.
In 1908 President Roosevelt vetoed the
famous Rainy river dam. bill. Then the
water-power seekers picked out the
James river bill and got 1t passed, and
again he vetoed, sending in his famous
message declaring that investigation
had proved that a Wter Power trust
existed, and was fast getting control of
water power all over the land
Caused National Sensation.
That message caused a national SEN
sation, and much of its allegation has
been established since as facts accepted
by the business world. The Rainy
river bill was passed over the veto, the
promoters agreeing to the conditions
imposed by the President.
Low the effort Is being made to have
the James river bill forced through, in
the expectation that President Taft will
sign it, II this happens, it will be con-
st-ued as tantamount to a reputation
Of the Roosevelt policy, and as opening
the way to getting water powers on
easier terms.
When the Long Sault bill came up in
the House a few days ago. Representa-
tive Sulzer of New York protested
against it, and it finally failed, because
1t gave a ninety-nine-year privilege In
steal Of a fifty-year one 4.
The broad question now presented iS
whether the water-power conservation
plan, which was first advanced under
the last Administration, is to be aban-
doned. Conservation's friends insist
that there is danger of this, and de-
mand that every water-power bill be
subjected to a test on its own account