Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-11-19
WATER POWER IS
OWNED BY TRUST,
! STATES P|NCHOT
Former Chief Forester Tells
Conservation Congress Mon
OpOIy Must Be Checked.
JOINS STIMSON IN CAUSTIC
PROCUREMENT REPORT
Calls Concentration of Water
Control Dangerous Po-
IiticaI Power.

w WASHINGTON, Nov. 19.-Gifford
Pinchot, former chief forester of the
United States, leading champion of
: government control of water power
rights, scored in the National Con-
servation Congress todayan d sue
ceeded In forcing before the conven-
ton the minority report of the COM
mittee on water power rights.
With former Secretary of the In
terror Walter l.. Fisher in the chair,
Former Secretary of War Stimson,
who Joined with Mr.. Pinchot In the
minority report yesterday, moved for
a suspension of the rules that the
water power question might be dis
acussed from the floor. Scores Of dele
gates who favor the majority report.
which would combine national with
State control. with less restriction on
water power grants, protested. Mr.,
Fisher ruled that motion to suspend
the rules was not debatable, and 1t
was carried amid loud cheers.
Mr. Pinchot read the minority re-
port and thereby opened the general
debate.
!. Chnmpioned by Senator Burton.
Senator Burton, OF Ohio, cham
pioned the policy of strict national
control of all water power rights
and urged the delegates not to get
into an ''unseemly squabble between
State rights and national control"
1T is impossible" said Senator Bur-
ton, that State control should ade-
uuately solve this great national
problem. In this matter we are con-
Quoting no crusade against capital
but there must be recognition of
the danger of monopoly and a desire
to provide for public welfare in the
use of this great national asset"
Some delegates challenged the
signature of Joseph N Teal, of Port
land, Ore, to the minority report, as
serting that Teal had written letter
to George F. Swain, chairman of the
water power committee, expressing
approval of the majority conclusions.
Professor Swain told the convention
that judging from the letter he
thought that the majority had right
to claim Teal.
THE majority had a perfect right
to tn nix Mr.. Teal was with them at
the time that letter to Professor
Swain was written" returned Mr..
Pinchot. AT that time Mr.. Teal had
not received the report of the mi
nority. ! sent Mr. Teal a copy of our
report and yesterday received tele-
gram from him In which he said:
4 know you are right and will back
you up That message came to me
several days after Mr.. Tears letter
to Professor Swain"
Shafroth Backs Majority.
Senator shafroth vigor ously de-
tended the views OF the majority on
the water power question.
Senator Shafroth urged the dele
gates to heed the words of the late
Justice John NJ. Harlan, Of the Su-
Dreme Court, whom he quoted: b.
National government for national
AFFAIRS. State government for State
affairs, and there will follow q de-
,veiopment great indeed. That is the
rock upon which our government is
founded"
Henry l.. 5timson, replying, de-
.rlared that In the suggestion of the
minority the federal government
would not seek to thrust itself in ad-
vance of local authorities. but that
there were many cases where local
control could not be exercised in
which federal control could.
Senator Thomas urged that water
power franchises be granted iby the
State, not for profit but for control.
r With the declaration that the water
power of the United States was rapid
~ passing under monopolistic con-
LfOif 1tfIOfu flncnOt, former CPleI
forester of the government, told dele
gates that stern methods must he
adopted to offset the tendency. His
address was accepted by some of the
delegates as a defiance to those who
are said to seek the loosening OF Fed
eral control and an extension of the
regulatory powers of the individual
States.
IF the public rights cannot be
Recognized without conflict" said Mr..
Pinchot with emphasis. then we
shall have to fight, and IL we have to
light now Is the time"
The defeat of Mr.. Pinchot in a pre-
lin nary skirmish was the important
event of the first days session of the
fifth annual meeting of the National
Conservation Congress.
BY a vote of to 0 the conservation
committee on water power crushed
Mr. Pinchot's opposition and present
ed a report to the congress condemn
ing the present policy of the govern
ment toward water powers and urg-
ing as rapid development as would
be commensurate with the public In
I, terests.
Mr.. Pinchot, cooperating with
Henry l.. Stimson, of New York, ex-
secretary of war and a member OF the
committee on water powers. signed
"A sharply worded minority report,
which is the rallying cry of the ex-
ltreme conservationists today.
Henry S. Graves, head Of the