New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-16
CALLS FOR DEFINITE
WATERPOWER POLICY
sscretary Fisher Declares This
The Most important Subject
Before Congress.
WANTS BETTER LAND LAWS
s.vors Legislation for Develop
nent of Transportation Fa-
cilities and the Coal
Fields of Alaska.

.A,,g,on. Dec l5.-A definite ana
,obensive waterpower policy for
'O- ros IN the public domain and navi-
~. streams not on the public domain,
srssd by the Secretary of the Interior,
wsl,sr L. Fisher, as the most important
80, pending before Congress and the
a.,rv in his annual report, submitted
aov 10 President Taft.
o,hs, LEGISLATION which Secretary Fisher
amends as important to the welfare
,,s country embodies an enlarged APP
Ss..aon OF the leasing principle as APP
va, 70 the public domain in general;
F.,sbensive leasing law for coal, oil
"a o,ber mineral lands, and laws PRO-
.s,ng for the classification of public
"a according 10 their respective char
'.,.Jstcs and appropriate uses and ad-
,inistration in accordance herewith
s.cretary Fisher also declares in favor
=, ,sgislation for the development of the
...nsnortation facilities and the coal
Ids Of Alaska, and for the withdrawal
,om entry of public lands in the West
...s.3 10 conserve the water supply at
=. sources of streams. He recommends
=, ,s,,reuent and pensioning Of the civil
,,n,oves Of the government. Most OF his
communications are in renewal and en-
...Ss Of those made in his previous an
rusl report.
A 10 a waterpower policy he says
,A., II must be made certain that those
Who receive special privileges connected
With waterpower development shall IN
aet proceed by appropriate degrees and
within appropriate times 10 develop the
available waterpower TO its highest ca
rscty. having due regard to the possioih-
dss Of marketing the product he con-
t1ues:
We must make certain that the eiec-
me energy thus created shall De mace
AVAILABLE 10 the community in appropriate
Tays at appropriate prices. II IL is not
"a he used for the benefit of the commu-
rlty but is TO be devoted directly 10 the
pryate purposes and personal advantage
Of the permittee, some methoG mus. ~. Ue
found by which the public will receive
rs share OF the profits which the per
mlttee may make over and ABOVE thdl
which Is a necessary and reasonable IN
ducement for his investment
Present Law Defective.
The present law, Secretary Fisher as
rrts, neither promotes Development
nor protects the public interest IN an
Elective manner" and he attributes TINS
uincipally TO the fact that a permit Is
.r.voca bile at any time and without spe-
sse reason" He calls IT serious ana
obstacle TO the development
and utilization OF one Of the nation
restest natural resources" He declares
that conditions and limitations should De
defined BY statute. on which permits
should be issued, and only for breach OF
yhich they should be cancelled.
As TO federal as against state control OF
water power concessions on streams
rhich are not navisable. the secretary
says:
While some states undoubtedly have
wisely conserved certain OF the lanus
and natural resources turned over 10
Them bv the nation. the story has too
often been the acquisition OF these lanus
and resources by special Interests OF IN
dviduals. without adequate recognluoh
Of the public interest. Inere is no pony!
which il would be wise for any state 10
adopt with respect TO these matters in the
adoption and enforcement OF when IL
cannot be supplemented and assisted
rather than retarded, by the retention IN
federal lands Of the powers ana the
property now held by the nauon' II Is
precisely this policy of practical coop
Grafton which should be put into effect.
There is no real conflict between the ma
ton and the states upon the subject.
In general, all of the streams which are
susceptible Of waterpower development
are also Of great importance Tor donesuG
nse. for irrigation and for navigation. All
Ct them depend TO some degree upon pro-
tsction and aid OF some kind of FORM
some source for one or more OF these
uses Increasingly that source tends TO
Be the nation and not the states.
Land Classification.
secrstsry Fisher emphasizes the rec
cmmendation made in his annual report
last year for the need of comprehensive
land classification and Of administration
based thereon. The existing statutes ne
says. attempt 10 recognize In very gen.
sral and Ineffective way the fundamental
differences between the different classes
Of agricultural lands still remaining In
The public domain. The present system
b not flexible enough TO recognize the
differences, he declares; and greater
difficulties are found in the present laws
or lack of laws with regard to other parts
Of the public domain. especially our tim
Der lands, our grazing lands, our water
power and reservoir sites and our lands
Containing coal Oil, gas, asphalt potash
mtraes and phOsphates.'
Secretary Fisher recommends the "adop-
ton Of constructive legislation with re-
spet to water power development and the
eoTrol and the comprehensive application
athe leasing system TO the development
q our public coal, oil. gas. asphalt, nj
nte, potash and phosphate lands, with
Spropriate provision for the protection
prospectors during a reasonable ex-
t"fation period preliminary to the leas-
as Of the land" He points 10 the fact
mat In the Appalachian Mountains the
Nauonal Forest Reservation Commission
now buying lands upon which timber
on be raised but not good for agricult-
@si purposes, for conserving the waters
The heads of navigable streams. He
eoptinues:
A. y rs inexcusable 10 permit public lands
ms character 10 be acquired now Dy
sr,h,sste interests when we are spending
ssa.onS moneys 10 buy just such lands
T. Shere. and may have to repurchase
a. ne future the very lands from Whlch
soVernment is now parting.
q -nere are public lands in the West In
bos.hhliiar situation TO those now being
rs,st9nt IN the East. and these should De
ihs ..sd oy the government In order tnat
tsc, streams whose headwaters they pro-
ay De made as useful as possible.
Of 81, snl informed that there exist areas
ss.Dhc lands on the headwaters OF
tbs saa IN the West, and particularly In
sio southwest, which should be with
1911 from entry hecauae IL their &C