Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-08-23
Washington
H Y ' LETTER
Il BY = WALKER
State Rights and Water Power
BY n WALK
Star stan Correspondent.
Star Bureau,
METROPOLITAN National Bank Bldg
WASHINGTON. Aug. 90.

Metropolitan National Bank bidgv
WASHINGTON. Aug. 90.
Service OF notice by the governor of
New Hampshire that the State will in
sist upon retaining control of the water
power and sites along the streams,
in the big area of woods and noun
tains the government has just
bought as part of the White House
forest reserve in that state, is look
ed upon as raising a sharp issue that
will be fought out in the near future
between State rights and Federal
power. Generally, the States have
given away their water powers, lands
and other natural resources, to ex-
ploiters, without much return to the
public.
Under the conservation policy in
augurated by Roosevelt, the Federah
government has established the idea
that these natural resources should
be developed for the public good
rather than for private gain. In the
plan for an Appalachian forest re-
serve. Congress has made a big APP
preparation, and purchases have been
begun which look to the acquiring
az mountain and forest lands con-
trolling the headwaters of most OF
the rivers and streams OF Importance
along the Atlantic coast.
IT is the governments purpose to
use these areas not only for for
estration but to conserve stream
flow. and apply methods of storing
and regulating rainfall to prevent
soil erosion, floods and droughts
part of the resources. which are OF
great value are, of course, the water
powers along these streams. New
Hampshire is the first State to deny
the right of government TO THESE
water powers, and this may be the
beginning OF the big fight between
state rights and Federal rights that
will have to be fought out shortly.
Senator MARITIME explained today
why he had resigned from the Senate
committee on the Philippines.
Il was a member of eight commit
tees" said he, land didn't have time
to look after ali of them anyway Be
sides. | have little interest In the
Philippines. | have always looked
upon them them as a sort of national
infliction. to be gotten rid of as soon
as possible, and have always regret
ted that we had to take them.
81 said something of this sort one
day I'm the presence of Senator SHAFT
roth. of Colorado. who replied that Jle
was interested in the problem of the
islands and if didn't like or care for
my place on the committee, he would
like to have it. So I resigned and
Shafroth has the place. He's pleased
to get it, and I'm glad to get rid OF
It,"
Former Mayor Adolph Lankering.
of Hoboken, who has been in Wash
g.. lav
transfer of his son, who is in the
marine corps, to the Brooklyn navy
yard. met Congressman a. o. Stanley,
of Kentucky, yesterday. in the House
restaurant and the two men at once
formed n close alliance. The mutual
bond they discovered is Stanley's
anti -eoupon bill. which would put
stop to the distribution Of gift coupons
with cigarettes and tobacco. Stanley
thinks this gift system gives the to-
bacco trust much of it's power to
throttle competition. and Laundering
agreed with him heartily, and planned
with the Kentucky man to arouse in
terest in the measure among societies
with which he is identified in New
Jersey.
After a FIGHT that has been continu-
Gus for nearly twenty years, Detroit is
on the verge OF municipal ownership
of her trolley lines The fight, begun
by the late Governor Pingree. when
he was mayor OF the city. has been a
succession of political campaigns and
lawsuits based on technicalities, that
would give Il PHILADELPHIA lawyer an
attack of insomnia to follow In all its
details. 1t was even necessary to
amend the constitution of the State to
permit municipal ownership. and
when this was done, the trolley inter
ests went so far as to try to have the
courts decide that the constitutional
amendments themselves were uncon-
stitutional.
A large proportion of the several
hundred miles of trolley roads in the
city are owned by companies whose
franchises have expired. The remain
ing franchises will expire within q
few yea' ; There are trolleys aggre-
eating ABOUT sixty miles of lines
which have operated for several years
with three-cent fares. Until the final
arrangements for municipal owner
ship are completed, the other compa-
MES have agreed to sell seven tickets
for twenty-five cents. with universal
transfers. The plan for municipal
ownership contemplates three-cent
fares and transfers to all points with.
in the city, which covers almost as