The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-28
States Rights Issue Made
Basis of Battle Against
Pinchot Forces
STATE WANTS ITS
POWER DEVELOPED
In Protesting Against Federal Inter-
ference, However, State Should
Assure Protection of It's
Own interests
BY c. e. STEWART

by C. E. STEWART
Washington, November 27.-(Special) |
The recent conservation congress held
IN Washington brought to climax the
contest in that body between the two
schools of thought prominent in that or
ganization over states rights.
1t also resulted in the dissolution of |
the conservation congress as a national |
organization. There was such a clash
of uncompromising opinions as between
those who follow the Pinchot idea and |
those wh5 do not, that It was impossible |
for them longer to work together in har-
mony.
Most of the western and southern
states that had real representatives in |
tho conservation congress have with |
drawn from the Organization. There were |
several western states represented that |
voted with Pinchot, but the representa-
tives, it is charged, were employees of the
forestry service, and under the domina-
ton of Pinchot, and did not represent
the true sentiment of their constituents.
OF course, the conservation congress
amounts to little, except as a molder of
originally intended to be devoted to the |
conservation of our natural resources. 1t
has been largely used as a vehicle to
advertise Clifford Pinchot, who has as
many "bug house. ideas on conservation |
as Representative Hobson has on a big
navy and votes for women.
Nation Wide Interest
Nevertheless the struggle over the |
question of the right of a state to reg
ulate it's own internal affairs in that
body attracted nation wide interest, and
as Alabama and her water powers were
the principal factors in the fight, it
served to attract attention to those vast
resources and naturally prompts the in
quiry if that state has neglected to pro-
tect her people. in her anxiety for the |
development of her water powers.
OF course Alabama wants her water
power developed. Every citizen rejoices
at and applauds any movement to this
end. He does not concern himself about
who Is developing it, whether it be a
great water power trust-as is charged
or merely a corporation subscribed to by
private capital and created by private en-
terprise. is claimed. Nor does it mat
ter.
To paraphrase statement of a great
American citizen in whose policies and
trend of though democrats do not as a
whole subscribe but who must be rec
ognized as a man keenly alive to pro-
gressive principles big business has
come to stay" So the people of Alabama |
are not frightened by the statement that
it is a great water power trust that
seeks to develop her power, but they are |
entitled-and that in the begnning-to all |
the safeguards that the state government |
can throw round them.
Must Enforce Square Deal
For it is well known that corporations |
big and little trusts and otherwise, must |
be made by law to give the people |
square deal, especially when they are en-
gagged in line of business that because of
its nature is more or less monopolistic |
This has been the experience of every |
town and community in the state, and in
all other states. in their dealings with
public utility corporations, and it Is just
as well to have clear and distinct char
ter and articles of regulation to begin
with
Neglect of states to protect their
people along these lines has given the
excuse and some justification for the
contention of Pinchot and his followers
that 1t Is the province of the federal
gov ernment to step in and afford the
protection to the people that has been
denied them by their own state.
Probably Exaggerated
1t is charged by Pinchot and his
crowd that the water power trust which
is seeking to Bottle up all the wa
ter power resources of Alabama have
obtained concessions from the state
without any strings tide to them what
soever, either as to regulation or maxi
mum charge for their power, or IL tax
on the power developed, or to the
amount of development that they must
make. They charged that this same
concern operating in other states after
having obtained the power and getting
control of the most If not all Of the
available power in certain territory,
would develop only such portion of that
power as would net them large re-
turns and like the proverbial dog in
the manager. hold the rest undeveloped
as sure and effective means Of
stifling competition.
Inasmuch as they furnish the facts |
and figures to bear out their state |
ments along these lines as to the eX-
perience of other states and commu- |
mites, 1t Is apparent that these state |
ments are worthy of some considera-
ton. While the people of Alabama may
Il
states rights, there is no real reason
in overlooking their own protection in
their fight to keep the national gov
ernment from performing that func-
tion.
OF course Pinchot's statements re-
garding Alabama may be exaggerated.
1t would occasion no surprise IL they
were, for most of his public utter
ances are eXtrayagant in the extreme
But no harm can come in investiga-
ton and no corporation can legitj-
mately object to the demandt of a state
for a guarantee of fair treatment to
the people in return for an actual gift
of one of the peoples greatest as
sets. If they do object, then 1t is
better to defer the development of
these resources for a few. years until
they can be handled by some concern
more favorably disposed.
Some of Alabama's most influential
and most patriotic business men are
however, interested to some extent in
the corporation which is working to
develop the water powers of the state
They declare that they do not object
to state regulation; on the contrary
they want 1t. If it is the right kind
OF regulation-that is all the people
ought to ask, but In fairness to che
people and to the corporation the
widest publicity-in view of the
charges of the Pinchot crowd--should
"a given tn tho terrns of oil oo,,oau