New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-31
TAFT FOR CONSERVATION
Stands by Protection Of Water
Power for Nation.
AT WAR WITH DEMOCRATS
Through Secretary Stimson
President Opposes Giving
Rights Without Pay.
From The Tribune Bureau. ]

From The Tribune buredu1
Washington, July 30.-Practical conser-
walton OF the water powers Of the. coun-
try. despite the interference and hostiie
attitude OF the Democratic members OK
the House. is demanded In policy set
forth by President Taft. through the Sec
rotary Of War. in a communication sent
to-day to Representative W. c. Adamsoh'
chairman Of the House Committee on
Interstate and Foreign Commerce.
The letter was prompted by the report
OF the committee on the omnibus oaih
bill in which Is discussed the administra-
tion's objections TO the measure In us
present form because OF the freedom WIN
which the Democrats would give away
valuable rights without compensation ana
without any protection OF the future
rights OF the government.
Erbodied in the controversy Is funoa-
mental principle Of conservatism i''
which President Taft Is contendihR' tha'
g. that Congress shall not reckess'y
turn over 10 private interests water power
rights and thereby put in danger the rish'7
Of the country and menace possip'e ~"
movements. II appears to De nsh' VIC
tween the administration and graspins
,ntarects aided by the House Democrats
ord rrobably will develop into a nationai
Issue.
The statement is made In the report
Of the committee that the objections mace
hv Secretary Stimson before that body
were contrary TO the Views held by Pres'-
dent Taft and the chief OF engineers
Reulving to This misstatement, MT ot''n'
son cmphaticaIly declared to-day 'I'a'
tb.. nrotests against reckless Distribution
NJ valuable water power rights were w
line with the Presidents policy OF con-
servation and were made with MS iu'i
approval
ARMY engineers have been instructed
To report in every case where prN"'e
project seemed to contravene the rish's
of the whole people In the matter Oh usins
water power sites. as n consequence the
War Department has mass Of data on
which IN base the fight with the Demo-
Gratis in Congress. .,;.,
After pointing out that Under SANCTION
NJ Congress the slack water" method OF
IMPROVEMENT is being applied already 10
very many rivers. including the ONO the
Nonongahela, the Muskingum, the Little
Kanawha, the Great kanawha, the bls
Sandy and the Kentucky, Secretary SLIM
son says.
Most of the dams thus constructed VIII
creute water power OF commercial value.
NOW. u ~ manifest that unless the COM
morclal value OF water power thus ere,
ated can be applied BY Congress toward
continuing and extending this method OF
irnnroyerncnt OF the stream in question
"A very much greater financial puroei,
FOR the Improvement of the stream WIN
fall upon the general taxpayers or inc
country and Will therefore. necessarily
retard and postpone ne improvement or
hand. II Congress ayails itself or THIS
asset and applies Il 10 the Improvement
Of the navigation of orr rivers, the ma
ton will be very much more speedhy
placed ia the condition of having all OF
its rivers available for commerce.
Secretary etimson declares that the
chief OF engineers has reported that
every one OF the rivers included In tho
omnibus dam bill is susceptible of Inn
provcment by the slack water method
and that each OF the dams for which the
permit is asked will create pool which
NAV be made available for such Improve
mont. He asserts that unless the bill Is
amended so as TO give the Secretary %
War authority to exact proper compensa-
ton for the right thus created, and 10
apply It TO the future Improvement of
navigation Of the river by other dams, he
does not believe II will DO possible TO
exact such compensation.