Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1914-02-25


OF control Of the water power In
the navigable streams. Is Uncle Sam
10 aave control over water power
leases, or is ii TO be vested hereafter
IN the legislatures OF the individual
statesg The majority in congress be-
iieves in states rights. The conserva
uonists say that il the matter be
turned over entirely TO the states. mo-
nopoiy will rejoice and the public will
be robbed
In December there was a National
Conservation congress held In Wash.
ington. II was supposed to be com.
posed OF delegates devoted entirely to
the plan to keep the command of wa
ter power sites in the hands OF Uncle
Sam. However. there were good
many delegates present who II was
charged were representatives of the
water power people. and who were
present for the sole purpose of trying
10 thwart conservation under federal
authority.
There was hot controversy in the
conservation congress. but finally a
resolution introduced by Clifford Pin.
chot pledging the congress to the prin-
ciple that the people would draw a
revenue from their heritages was put
through by an almost unanimous vote.
II was evident that those who were op-
posed to the plan did not care to put
themselves on RECORD. as voting against
something which IL put into effect
seemingly will give the entire people q
return for the power site rights which
the government may grant.
Water Power Lease Bill.
There is today before congress bill
which is intended TO give TO the indi-
vidual states the right to lease water
power sites on navigable streams with
In their borders. Uncle Sam is sup.
posed TO have control OF navigable
streams and therefore the conserva-
tionists say that giving the states pow.
er to govern in the matter is taking
away from the federal government q
| constitutional right and that the result
will be, state legislatures being more
easily reached than national legisla.
ture. that monopoly will get hold of
the water power sites and the people
will get no return for that which Ia
inheritently theirs
Within six months the United States
| Supreme court has handed down two
| decisions which prove as conclusively
as Supreme court decisions can that
the United States has complete con.
| troll of the power in navigable streams
and that II can exact payment for It's
use. One case came out OF Michigan
and the other out of Utah.
! Recently limitations have been
| printed that the president OF the Unit.
ed States is in entire sympathy with
the Democrats in congress who want
to give water power to corporations
without payment TO the whole people
for its use. The president is states
rights man, but IL is not believed he
has expressed himself as in favor OF
such a plan The Pinchot men say
the report almost unquestionably Is
being spread in order TO make the peo
pie OF the country believe that a man
In whom they have confidence thinks
the scheme as outlined by the majority
in congress is righteous.
ConserVationists on Guard.
The conservationists in Washington
are wakefu to the situation. They
know everything that is going on and
1t is known that II congress attempts
to do what a subcommittee apparently
intends that 1t shall do. there will be-
| another fight in the center OF a field
with as much interested onlookers as
there were when Mr.. Pinchot and his
| followers attacked Mr. Ballinger and
his followers.
The Democrats say that they are
progressive and are conservationists.
The followers of the school OF Clifford
| Pinchot deny that the Democrats are
telling the truth. The conseryationists
say that to put 'Ile water site matter
in the hands Of the states is TO throw
away money and to make monopoly
certain. N water power legislation I'm
! the form in which the majority In con.
! gress seem to want TO enact It is put
| through and signed by the president.
1t is declared by the conservationists
that one pledge in the Democratic plat.
form will have been shattered. that
monopoly will rejoice and that the PEG.
| pie Of the United States will have
! their pockets picked.
! On the other hand the Democrats
| say that the states can be depended
! upon 90 safeguard their own rights
/ and that there is no reason why the
! federal government should enter into
the confines Of any one state to regu.
late the affairs OF its people in the wa.
| ter power matter