The Washington times., 1912-02-02

navigatle streams. which are really
IN the stream cannot be used, we haN
situation as to ownership that may be
described as follows: The Federal Gov.
eminent has land without which the
muted into electricity and applied at O
distance, while II IL claimed that the
State. under the law of waters as II
prevails ~ many Of our Western Stetcs
controls the use Of the water and gives
The beneficial use to the first and con.
tinrJus user.
in order to secure proper care by the
state governments over these sources
Government shall deed the water-power
site to the State on condition that the
site and all the plant upon II shall
revsrt to the Government unless the
lease. the terms Of which It enforces
ana which requires revaluatton Of the
rental every ten wears. the full term to
last not more than fifty years.
Action Of Forfeiture.
A failure Of the state to make and en-
force such leases would enable the Gov
ernment by an action Of forfeiture to
recover the power sites and all plants
that might be erected thereon. and this
power Of penalzing those VINO succeed
TO control would furnish a motive to
compel the observance Of the policy of
the Government
The Secretary Of tho Interior has sug-
gested another method by which the
water-power site shall be leased d.
recuy by tho Government to those who
exercise a public franchise under pro-
visions imposing a rental for the water
power to create a fund to be expended
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
method suggested by the Secretary IL
q more direct method for Federal con-
troll, and IN view Of the probable union
and systematic organization and weld
wa water within a radius Of 800 or 100
miles, think II better that the power
Of control should remain in the Ma.
tional Government than that 1t should
such a system the Federal Government
would have such direct supervision of
the whole matter that any honest ad-
ministration could easily prevent the
ownership in private persons or COM
panies would make possible.
National Parks Bureau.
] earnestly recommend the establish
ment OF a bureau of national parks.
Such legislation Is essential to the
proper management OF those wondrous
manifestations OF nature, 30 startling
and so beautiful that everyone recog-
nizes the obligations Of the Government
to preserve them for the edifcation and
recreation OF the people. The Yellow
stone Park, the Yosemite, the Grand
Canyon Of the Colorado, the Glacier
National Park. and the Mt. Rainier Ma
tional Park. and others furnish appro-
We made anything Hike adequate prep
aration for the use Of q park by the
public. That case is the Yellowstone
Every consideration Of patriotism and
the love Of nature and OF beauty and Of
art requires US to expend money enough
to bring all these natural wonders with
step in that direction Is the establish
ment Of q responsible bureau which
shall take upon itself the burden of su-
pervidng the parks and Of making
Recommendation as to the best method
OF improving their accessibility and USE
fulness.
Cost of Living.
There has been a strong movement
among economists. business men. and
others interested in economic investi-
cation to secure the appointment of an
International commission to look into
tho cause for tho high prices Of the
necessities of life. There is no doubt
but that q commission could be ap-
pointed of such unprejudiced and Inn
partial persons. experts in investiga-
tion of economic facts, that q great