Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-11-19
FORCES MINORITY REPORT BE.
FORE NATIONAL coNsERvA.
rIoN CONGRESS.
MUST DEVELOP POWER
UNDER PROPER SAFEGUARDS
Former Chief Forester Declares Con.
troll Of Water Power Of United
States is Concentrated = Opposes
Plan Of Increasing Right Of States
to Govern Control Of Water Power.


chot, formerly chief forester of the
United States, leading champion of the
government control of water power
rights, scored in the National Conser-
walton Congress today when he sue
ceeded in forcing before the conven-
ton the minority report Of the COM
mittee on water power rights.
With Former Secretary OF the Inter-
ior Walter L. Fisher in the chair. form
er Secretary OF War Stimson, who
Joined with Mr.. Pinchot in the minority
report yesterday. moved a suspension
OF the rules that the water power ques
ton might be discussed from the floor.
Scores Of delegates VINO favored the
majority report, which would combine
national with state control with less
restriction on water power grants pro-
tested.
Mr.. Fisher ruled that the motion to
suspend the rules was not debata Bile,
and 1t was carried amid loud cheers.
Pinehot Opens Debate.
Mr.. Pinchot read the minority report.
and thereby opened the general debate.
Senator Burton, OF Ohio. championed
the policy Of strict national control Of
all water power rights. and urged the
delegates not to get into "an unseemly
squabble between states rights and
national control
Tt is possible" said Senator Bur-
ton. that state control should ade.
Quately solve this great national prob
lem. In this matter we are conducting
no crusade against capital but there
must be recognition Of the danger OF
monopoly and the desire to provide for
public welfare in the use Of this great
national asset
Concentration Of Control.
Nr. Pinchot declared that tha de-
velopment OF power under proper SAFE
gurd1 was the greatest necessity In
the whole water power situation" He
quoted figures collected by the federal
bureau OF corporation and the National
Conservation Association tended to
show that the concentration Of water
power control had not nearly doubled
in the last two years.
In the last seven years." he con-
tinued. the concentration Of control in
the ten greatest groups has increased
about seven times faster than the total
Of all water power developments in
the United States. Commercial power
In this degree Is political power, and
there lies the greatest danger.
1T is argued that the concentration
Of water power control Is increasing
greater than power development be-
cause high risks and low returns keep
capital away. But, according to the
figures published by one Of the ten
greatest groups in the last ten years,
the net earnings Of the gas and electric
companies in the United States have
not dropped below 8 per cent as against
Az per cent for the railroads and 7.79
for the industrial corporations.
THE control Of any source Of me-
chanical power-coal. oil. natural gas,
water-carries with it control over the
industries that require the power, as
the rapidly increasing combination OF
water interests electric light and street
railway companies will illustrate.
Passing Into Few Hands.
Under these circumstances we find
that the control of water power busi-
ness. like the control Of the oil busi-
ness, the meat business, and the an
thracite coal business, Is passing into
few strong hands.
Like coal, meat and oil, mecha nical
power from falling water is a necessity
to modern life. Control over a neces-
sity Of life is control over the people
who must have that necessity. Private
monopolization Of any necessity OF life
means control over the people without
responsibility to the people. It means
also the power to increase the cost OF
the necessities OF life and therefore the
cost Of living"
Development Not Checked.
Mr. Pinchot concluded with denial
Of the assertion that full and complete
regulation Of water power would check
their development.
Chief Forester Graves dwelt on the
activities Of the forest service, detail
ing the assistance being given thru Il
to settlers. stock men, and others, while
at the same time conserving the ma
tons assets. He said the work could
be made even more efficient II the
states would let the federal govern
lnent assume its full responsibility OF
leadership.
Mr. Sterling told Of the strides being
made on the part Of private forestry
in the United States. This he regarded
as Of gratifying Importance because Of
it's effect on the future timber supply
Of the country.
JUDGE soUELcHEs RoeiNo ACT.
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