The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1912-07-24
Vice President Mcfarland on Dam
Proposition.

Proposition.
The following letter from Mr.. J. Horace
Mcfarland Vice President of the Penn
sylvania State Branch of the National |
Conservation Association, to the editor of
the REPUBLICAN, has so much good solid |
sense in it and is so appropriate to the
present state of affairs con cerning the
water power propositi on now rife in this
end of the State that we take the liberty |
of publishing it In full, and hope the
writer will not oh iect, since the matter is
OF such vital concern to our people:
DEAR SIR: i have yours of July l5.
did not expect that my letter to Mr..
Wheeler would be printed. Neverthe
less said nothing that did not and do
not fully believe,
find it hard to get people TO under
stand that the state must, if it is TO be
just to its citizens, exercise its strong
hand upon the water powers. | find it
also hard to haYe patience with the con-
slant cheap fallacy which one hears as to
so much water running to waste" every
day. Those who think without thought
are constantly making this statement,
and in their minds they compare natur-
al passage of water with mine from
which the coal is being taken and instead
of going to good use is being used, let us
say, for filling or in some other improper
fashion.
Thus these apologists for the grabs that
the Water power people are constantly
putting over on the state honestly believe
that water which is pursuing its God-ap-
pointed course is going to waste, and they
say so.
Now, as a matter of fact, the waste
comes when the water is diverted to pri-
vate use and private benefit rather than
| to the benefit of the whole people. The
water is constantly and automatically
renewed resource. No one by taking
thought can add to its volume as 1t falls
from the skies or can seriously decrease
its evaporation as the sun takes it up Its
cycle is constant and sure and in the
hands of the Almighty-and as yet not
quite in the hands of the almighty dollar!
1t does not run TO waste when it is un
used, because it is constantly, automatic
ally, smoothly and without expense re-
newed for us. 1t does not resemble coal
or ore or the forests, the first two of which
can never be renewed to any extent what
ever, and the last of which can only be
renewed by some seemingly difficult
action.
do believe in the proper and co-ordi-
mated utilization of the dynamic power
contained in falling water, but desire
this use so safeguarded in the interests of
tho people that it is not made altogether
means of special advantage to few.
do also believe that those who are
willing to risk their possessions in the
development of water power ought to
have an adequate and satisfactory reward,
but only on the same basis ~ has been
we'll determined in the United States in
respect TO the things required by the pub
lie and upon the supplying of which the
| Supreme Court has pronounced in lis
statement that capital so invested is en-
titled only to a fair return upon that
actually used in the service of the public.
Now this means that the state, a. look
at it, should rent these water powers, un-
der supervision as to the safety, character
and economy Of the development, and un-
der supervision as to the charges for the
power produced or the water sold for any
use. That is, the people should have
some consideration. They now get no
consideration.
Furthermore | believe that the water
powers of the state should be catalOgued,
mapped and considered by the state As n
whole, so that such development through
/ individual enterprise by therenting plan,
as will! inevitably in time come to pass,
should be upon co-ordinated plan and
not by random.
If such plan existed this Tionesta
Clarion scheme would meyer have gotten
further than the projection stage, firmly
believe, Yours truly,
j. HORACE MCFARLAND.