The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-02

ELSEWHERE along Cne COLORADO river Id
Arizona. The money was expended
and the protective works erected. but
the disturbances in Mexico so 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-
penditure of money exists / do not
make a definite recommendation at
present. for the reason that the plan to
be adopted for the betterment of con
ditiOns near the mouth Of the Colorado
river proves to be so dependent on
free and full agreement between the
government of Mexico and the govern
ment of the United States as to Joint
expenditure and joint use that it is IN
wise to move until we can obtain some
agreement with that government which
will enable US to submit to congress
larger plan better adapted to the ext
gencies presented than the one adopt
ed It is 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 subsequent re-
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 Brigadier General Mar
shall, late chief Of engineers, United
States army. and now consulting en-
gineer of the reclamation service. are
all herewith transmitted.
Water Power Sites.
In previous communications to CON
gress I have pointed out two methods
by which the water power sites on
nonnavigable streams may be con-
trolled as between the state and the
national government It has seemed
wise that the control should be con-
centrated in one government or the
other as the active participant in su-
pervising it's use by private enterprise.
In most cases where the government
owns what are called water power
sites along nonnavigable streams,
which are really riparian lots, without
which the power in 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 be transmitted into cleo
trictty and applied at distance, while
1t Is claimed that the state under the
law of waters as it prevails in many
of our western states controls the use
of the water and gives the beneficial
use to the first and continuous user
In order to secure proper care by the
state governments over these sources
of power it has been proposed that the
government shall deed the water pow
er site to the state on condition that
the site and all the plant upon it shall
revert to the government unless the
state parts with the site only by a
lease, the terms of which it enforces
and which requires a revaluation 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 recover 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
ter power to create a fund to be ex-
pended by the general government for
the improvement of the stream and the
benefit of the local community where
the power site is. and permitting the
state to regulate the rates at which
the converted power is sold. The lat
ter method suggested by the secretary
Is a more direct method for federal
control, and in view of the probable
union and systematic organization and
welding together of the power derived
from water within a radius of 300 or
900 miles, I think it better that the
power OF control should remain in the
government than that 1T
should be turned over to the states.
Under such a system the federal gov
eminent would have such direct super
vision of the whole matter that any
honest administration could easily pre-
vent the abuses which a monopoly of
absolute ownership in private persons
Or companies would make possible.
Bureau of National Parks.
earnestly recommend the establish
ment of a bureau of national parks
Such legislation Is essential to the prop
er management Of those wondrous
of nature, SO startling
and 50 beautiful that every one recog-
nizes the obligations of the government
10 preserve them for the edffcation and
recreation of the people. The Yellow