The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-02-19
GOOD FOR THE SENATE!

That was excellent work which was
done by the u. S. Senate in striking
ont the Federal tax upon the Connecti-
cut river dam project. The Senate, al
most two to one, voted against this
proposed tax and by more than two to
ono it struck out from the bill the
proposition requiring the Government
to pay the full cost of reproducing its
power plant in case it would be refused
renewal Of the government lease.
Both Of these propositions were com
munistic, and If they had been adopted
they would have committed the Govern
ment to business policy which would
be utterly ruinous to its treasury.
First of all, the proposition to tax by
propositions like this, would in the
application Of the principle be paralyz-
ing to the development of all this
Western region, for no such taxed power
concerns could compete with the un-
taxed propositions that are already IN
operation, or for which the sites have
been obtained and the water appro-
priated.
The other proposition, to require the
Government to pay full price to the
company in case its lease were not
continued at the expiration of the time
chartered, would give to any concern
that fell into financial difficulties or
that was not harmoniously managed, the
opportunity to unload upon the Govern
ment whether the Government wanted
the property or not
It was curious indeed to see that even
as many as twenty-five Senators would
vote for the latter proposition. If
1t had been adopted, and if it were q
general policy on the part of the Gov
ernment, the Nation would find itself
loaded up with all the derelict water
powers in the country, for all would
seek incorporation on the same terms
as the Connecticut river concern, and
whenever one was found impracticable
the Government would be obliged to
take it off the hands Of the company,
for there would always be found some
method or reason for refusing to renew
the lease; and in case of that re-
fusal the Government would be obli-
gated to take the property, paying the
concern for it's outlay.
The emphatic vote Of ffty-three
against twenty nine in opposition to the
Federal taxation Of the Connecticut
river project was full notice that the
Senate would not stand this form Of
conservation faddism. And lucky it is
for all this Western region that the
Senate took that stand.
Secretary Stimson bewails the Sen
ate's action on these two points. But
since his objections are simply faddy,
and based on an impractical conserva-
tion sentiment, his opinion can safely
be disregarded, precisely as the Senate
Idisreghrded it, There is no reason what.
ever why the people of the East should
be in the least anxious with respect to
the action taken by the Senate on this
question. That action is in strict accord
with the practice Of the Government
heretofore, under which the country has
developed greatness and strength
which has seemed a miracle to the
world, Our public land and water
policies have been the great factor in
making the United States the leading
power of the world. There is no reason
whatever for changing the law and the
practice; and, in so far as any efforts
have been made or action has been
taken by way of changing the old rule,
| those efforts ought to fail, and the ac-
tion ought to be discontinued.