The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-16

Washington December IA definite
AM comprehensive water-p power policy
Tor streams upon the public domain
and naVigable streams not In the pub
De, domain Is urged BY the Secretary
OF the interior. Walter L. Fisher. as
the most important subject pendiny
before Congress and the country. IN
his annual report submitted to-day 20
President TAFT
other legislation which Secretary
Fisher rec0mme nds as important TO the
welfare Of the country embodies ar
enlarged application OF the leasing
principle as applied TO the public do
main in general. a comprehensive
teasing iaw. for coal, oil and other
mineral lands. and laws providing for
the classss station Of public lands at
corGing to their respective character
Istics and appropriate uses and ad-
ministrafion ia accordance Herewith
Secretary Fisher also declares In favor
Of legislation for the Development OF
the transportation facilities ana the
coal lands OF Alaska. and for the with
drawaI from entry OF public lands in
the West needed 10 conserve the water
supply at the sources OF streams He
recommends the retirement and pen
sioning Of the civil employees OF the
government. Most Of his recommen-
cations are in renewal and emphasis
OF those made in mis- previous annual
reports.
As TO a water-pOwer policy. he says
that IL must be made certain that
those who receive special privileges
connected with water-pOwer develop
ment shall in fact proceed by appro-
PIRATE degrees and within approprf-
ate times TO develop the available
having due regard to the possibilities
OF marketing the product
Public Must Get Its share
We must make certain. he con-
-inues that the electric energy thus
created shall be made available to the
community in appropriate ways at ap-
proDriate prices. II il Is not 10 oe
,se5 for the benefit of the community
bur Is 10 he devoted directly TO the
private purposes and personal acNan >
tage OF the permittee. some methoc
must be found by which the pupht
will receive its share of the pToh's
which the permittee may make oNtI
"a abov. that which Is necessary
"a rcasonable inducement for his
investment.
ire ,resenr law. n. asserts. neither
,,-on,o,es development nor protects the
nublic interest in an effective manner
ana he attributes this principally u"
.ha fact that a permit Is reNocapie d,
any time and without sPecinc reason
~ calIs IL a serious and unjustihabie
,.l,stacI. to the development am
utilization Of one the nations greatest
natural resources" He declares th@'
conditions and limitations should DC
defined by statute on wnich per'"'.
sbo,r5 be issued. and only for breach
ha Ea-fCGNf4-
90 FEDERAL as against state con-
,-ol az watcr-power concessions Or
streams which are not nav'gable. the
....-cs.-,- saws The suggestion -
- frequently by those who are IN
one uav or another representing eitheT
,,rsseut OF future investment In water
,oursr development that such power
si..s and their control should b. turned
- 40 .re rexrectiv~ states in which
,bov arc located II Is interesting y"
note however. that the ordinary cru
EMS Of these states are not az a"
.e.-,.s o~.~ Federal usurpatinn or
unjust treatment
The suspect that the real pur-
-. 81 those who urge the turning
80 OF the Federal domain 20 the
-.s,cs is that they may escape the
,o...c- ana the stronger arm OF the
t-cseral government and may take so-
vantage Of the more limited resource
and governmental facilities OF the y"
dividuai states ..,,..
,.,y-bI. some states undoubtedly
h..e wisely conserved certain Of the
lands and natural resources turneo
ov.r 20 them b. the nation the story
~ TOO often been the acquisition OF
,bose lands sns resources BY sPeci~i
interests CT individuals without sdc-
oua,e recognition 81 the public inter
ct There - no police which u ~o"le
n. wise for any state q adopt WIN
-~.,-c. - ,he.~ matters N the sdop-
,to, a,a enforcement 81 which u can
not he supplemented and assisted rstn-
q thar retarded b. the retention q