The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-11-12
CONSERVATION BILL PASSES.

W HilS lAlC aNhNAAAANh SA I
was fastened upon the war and
events growing out of it, the House
Of Representative passed bills OF the
first Importance to the country, es-
pecially to the West. These are the
bills providing for lease of water
mower sites and of coal, phosphate,
oil. gas, potassium, and sodium land
on the public domain, commonly
known as the conservation blils.
Passage by the Senate and approval
b, the President of the law providing
that Alaska coal land be leased
proves their acceptance OF the leas-
ing policy. Hence we may expect the
Senate to pass the other bills at the
session beginning in DECEMBER, II
time permits. The Government VIII
then be launched on a new career as
a great landlord, and the secretaries |
of War and of the Interior will begin
to do the greatest rental business IN
the world.
There are two water-power bills,
one relating to construction OF dams
nm nayigable rivers and the other re-
lating to power sites on public land
along non-navigable streams. botn
provide for lease for fifty years at
rentals to be fixed in the one case by
the Secretary of War, in the other by
the Secretary of the Interior. Leases
NAV be renewed at the Secretary
discretion or the plant constructed
under them may be acquired by the
Government after three years notice
or NAV be leased to new lessee,
states. cities and counties having the
preference. The former lessee is to
he compensated for tangible proper
ty but not for intangible property,
such as good will. The value is to
be cost, less depreciation, and is to
be fixed by the Secretary and the les
sees, or, in case they disagree, by the
United States Court. Combination Is
forbidden and not more than SO per
cent of the current generated at any
plant is to be sold to one party.
Leases without charge may be given
to municipal corporations or not in
excess of twenty-five horsepower to
individuals or associations for do
nestle, mining or irrigation use.
The question around which most
controversy has ragged is that OF rate
and capital regulation. The House
vests control in Secretary of WaI
or of the Interior in the case OF les
sees serving a territory or two OF
more states, or a single state which
has no regulative body until such
body is created, but in the case o.
power sites on public lands provision
, is made for regulation in the future
by "such body as may be authorized
!, by Federal statute"
Tie contenticn # those who adVo
cate state regulation is that rate
/, should be controlled entirely by tn
] states. Where power is transmitted
: across state lines, they favor agree
S ment between the states on rates, Tn
t constitution permitting interstat
n treaties with approval of the Gov
7 ernrent.
$ The royalties from waterpower a
we'll as from coal and other mlnera
lands are to be used in reclamation
i and when repaid by settlers, are I
he divided equally between the GOV
ernment and the state. The latte
u are to use them in education an
= public works.
l. The passage of these bills,
measures along the same generi
, lines is rendered more important
y this time by the European war. III
development of our conserved r
sources would aid greatly in rende
;s ing the United States independent
- Europe for our supply of many cor
~ modities now cut off or curtalle
r. We could produce phosphate in mar
Western states, potash in Callforn
. and sodium in Oregon and 9TH
= states. BY the use of waterpower '
- could manufacture all the nltraI
i we need and have surplus for e
- mort. The conservation bills and u
re war combined may give the develo
~ ment of the West an impetus whl
bo will compensate for the long peri
to of stagnation caused by the poilcy
III reservations .-Oregonian