Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1913-07-17
THE BIG POLITICAL QUESTION
IN WISCONSIN.

over the water powers of Wisconsin
This is the paramount issue in stat,
politics, of which the income tax con
tention of last year was but an Incl
dent. On the one side is the public
welfare and right; and on the otaei
side is private profit and bad prece
dents.
OF course it is vast question and
some phases of 1t are puzzling to the
ablest lawyers. But there are some
points about it that the average man
can plainly understand; and under
ing these points, the good citizen is FIJI
ly competent to determine which side
in the contention is right, and which il
wrong. II is sufficient to consider a
few things said by representatives. of the
water power interests.
Before the senate, sitting ms II com
mittee Of the whole, Theodore Brazeau
of Grand Rapids, appearing for the
water power owners, said that 500, :
100000 of water power is annually
wasted in Wisconsin because of non
development. This alone shows that
the question is vast and far reaching.
At the same hearing Thomas c..
Bundy of Eau Claire, also for the
waterpower owners, said
- II the water powers are developed
in our life time, it will be by private
enterprises, and for private purposes"
1.-THE reason is that the industries they
serve are not public utilities, for the
most part, and neither are the water
powers.
All Of the representatives of the wat
or power interests ask that charters
to construct dams be granted in the
good old way; and they also ask the
power of condemnation. And right
here appears the weakness of their side
of the case. Private property can not
lawfully be taken expect for public
purpose. In 1874, when the Wisconsin
supreme court, with e. G. Ryan, G. j.,
upheld the first state law regulating
railway rates, great lawyers of the
nation commented upon this then
unprecedented decision. Some cen
sured and some commended the court.
Jeremiah s. Black was then still alive,
and, in an article in The North Amer
lean Review he very strongly approved
of the WISCONSIN decision, because, he
said. private property being taken for
the construction of a railway without
the consent Of the owner of the land,
the operation Of railway must of
necessity be n public purpose, subject
to regulation and control by the
government This reasoning. which is
now universally accepted as correct ),
must hold good us to water powers, as
we'll rs to railways.
A committee of senators, of whom
Paul Husting is chairman, have with a
great deal of labor. and with the advice
ofthe best counsel in the nation drafted
bill which aims to deal fairly with
the owners of dams and yet safeguard
the interests of the state. This bill
ought to pass, But to its passage
representatives of the water power in
terests interpose many objections. One
very common objection takes this
form; They contend that the com.
mittee bill would retard developments
while under the terms of bill which
they themselves have drafted develop
ment would be accelerated, with a
great indirect benefit resulting to all
the people. But there is question of
right and wrong in the matter which
should be considered before develop
ment is bought ut too great price. 1t
has been said that the condition of
slaves We're better under kind master
than when freed and turned ont to
shift for themselves. But slavery was
wrong absolutely wrong. neverthe
less. One poor freedman was asked il
his last condition was not worse than
his first; and his reply was, That jolt
of slavery is still open" 1t would be
very poor policy to surrender the rights
of the state in its water powers for any
promises of temporary gain or ad'
vantage, which might come through
seedy development, or exploration.
In their bill the senatorial committee
aim to settle the water power question
in spirit of fairness and justice, and
with due regard to twentieth century
industrial conditions. Let it be st