Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-02-02

eminent mining q sufaeient quantity
Tor the nary.
I have already recommended to on
gress the establishments Of a form of
commission government for Alaska.
The territory IL too extended. Its needs
are too varied and It's distance from
Washington too remote to enable con-
gress to keep up with It's necessities in
the matter Of legislation of a LOCAL
character.
which accompanies that of the secre-
tary of the interior, points ct certain
laws that ought to be adopted and EN-
what I have said as to the
Immediate need for a government OF
much wider powers than now exists
there II It can be said to have any
government at all.
/ do not stop to dwell upon the lack
of provision for the health of the In
habitants and the absence or inade-
quacy Of laws. the mere statement Of
which shows their crying need. only
press upon congress the imperative me-
cessity for taking action not only to
permit the beginning OF the develop
ment OF Alaska and the opening OF
her resources, but to provide laws
which shall give to those who come
under their Jurisdiction decent protec-
ton.
Lower Colorado River.
There is transmitted herewith a let
ter from the secretary of the interior
setting out the work done under joint
resolution approved June %, 1910. au-
thertxinq the expenditure OF 81 .0o0.O0 0
or SO much thereof as might be neces-
sary. to be expended by the president
FIR fhe puruose Of protecting lands and
property u the Imperial valley aEo
elsewhere along the Colorado river In
Arizona. The money was expended
and the protective works erected, but
the disturbances In Mexico 81 delayed
the work and the floods In the Colora-
do river were so extensive that a part
OF the works have been carried away.
and the need for further action and ex-
pendfture of money exists. / do not
make a definite. recommendation at
present. for the reason that the plan to
be adopted Tor the betterment Of con-
ditions near the mouth OF the Colorado
river proves to be SO dependent on a
free and fun agreement between the
government OF Mexico and the govern
nlent Of the United States as to joint
expenditure and joint use that 1t is un-
wise to move until we can obtain some
agreementswith that government which
will enable us to submit to congress a
larger plan better adapted to the ext
gencies presented than the one adopt
ed. Tt Ia essential that we act prompt
.ly, and through the state department
the matter Is being pressed upon the
attention Of the Mexican government.
Meantime a report Of the engineer in
charge, together with a subsequent re-
port upon his work by a body of ex-
perts appointed by the secretary of the
interior, together with an offer by the
Southern PACIFIC railroad to do the
work at a certain price with a guaran-
ty for a year, and a comment upon
this offer by Rrigadier General Mar
shall, late chief Of engineers, United
States army. and HOW consulting en-
gineer of the reclamation service, are
all herewith transmitted.
Water Power Sites.
In previous communications to con.
gress | have pointed out two methods
by which the water power sites Oh
nonnavigabie streams may be CON
trofled as between the state and the
national governments 1t has seemed
wise that the control should be CON
centrated in one government or the
other Is the active participant In SUI
psIvisiIg It's use 4 private enterprise.
In most cases where the government
owns what are called water power
sites along nennsvigable streams,
which are really riparian lots. without
which the power Id the stream cannot
be used, we have a situation as to
ownership that may be described as
follows. The federal government has
land without which the power In the
stream cannot he8transnuted into cleo
trieits and applied alta distance, while
1t is claimed that the state under the
law OF waters rs 1t prevails in many
of western states controls the use
of the water and gives the beneficial
to the first and continuous user.
In order to secure proper care by the
state governments over these sources
of power 1t has been proposed that the
government shall dssd the water pow
ef site to tbs state on condition that
the site and all the plant upon 1t shall
revert to the government unless the
state parts with the site only by a
lease, the terms of which 1t enforces
and which requires a re%valuation Of
the rental every ten years, the full
term to last not more than fifty years.
A failure OF the state to make and en-
force such leases would enable the
government by an action of forfeiture
to reeove the power sites and all
plants that might be. erected thereon,
and this power Of ~penalizing those WHO
succeed to the control would furnish a
motive to compel the observance Of the
policy of the government.
The secretary of the interior has sug-
gested another method by which the
water power site shall be leased di-
rectly by the government to those who
exercise a public franchise under pro-
visions Imposing a rental for the wa
49,. rnvza- 80 assausn a fxrus5 IA yua sw.