The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-24
PINCHOT ASSAILS
WATER POWER GRAB
Saws Secretary HOustOn's Re-
port DiSprOves Claims Of
Big Interests.
WANTS CONGRESS- TO ACT

clifford Pinchot, president Of the Ma
,,ou,l Conservation Association. gav
a. the following statement yesterday
"Thc report on water power just
made to the Senate by the Secretary of
Agriculture completely and finally dis
proyes the one and only plausible argu-
nen' If the water power ~grabbers.
The, have everywhere asserted that
ite refusal TO give them valuable public
prortrty forever and for nothing was
dtscouraging capital and preventing de-
,elupuent.
In the press, at conventions. In cx-
peusivcly bound volumes distributed
free. before committees of the House
and senate, the grabbers a repeated
their claim that to safeguard the rights
Of the public was to stop the develop
men, Of water power. And they have
persuaded many men, some OF them In
high official position. to credit their
s,or, and even to repeat 1t as their'own
belief
"Nnw comes Secretary Houston's re-
rort and destroys their claim officially
and courlusively. y decent regard for
the public interest does not hamper de-
velopment.
Reasonable safeguards for the peo-
pe and reasonable inducements for the
capitalists have worked we'll together. In
The precise localities where safeguards
for the people have been best observed.
Ia these same places the investment of
capital has increased fastest. The last
Argument Of the grabbers is exploded.
"The wisest and fa.rcst regulation OF
the Development and use of water power
n tn. public interest is on the national
forests hN the Forest Service. Secre-
t1ry Hnuston's report, the most search
,rg aud exhaustive ever made of the
water power industry. shows that in
1915 nearly one-half ,i2 per cent? OF
The water power developed in the West
Was under Forest Service regulation.
"it Is there. IN tn" eleven Western
s,stes. that this regulation has been
and is now most extended and most
effective. In these same eleven West
srn states water power development
from 1902 10 1912 was nearly five times
AZ rapid as in the rest OF the country.
Since 1912 the annual increase in West
ern water owe development is greater
than ever.
Most striking OF all the report shows
that whore the water power grabben
have complained most loudly about the
retard.ne Of development by the con-
servation movement, just there, in
Washington. Oregon and California, de-
yelopment has gone on until it is now
actually IN excess OF market require
rents. What these men really are after
IS not development. but the control OF
water powers for speculative urpose
and TO escape Government regulation hy
acquiring the ownership of water power
sites.
This is proved by the fact ;hat a few
groups of water power interests are
holding undeyclored ut this moment
water power to the amount OF four mil
tons Of horsepower. That Is 20 say,
me water power m~ouopolis,s are holding
out OF Use more than hal; as much as all
10 developed water power in the whole
United states.
"on january " Secretary Hous,on's
-onort was referred to the Senate Com
r''ee on Printing, There is grave
Danger that is publication will We held
~ until too late to affect legislation now
NNfo",. Congress. The revelations o: The
report rs to the growth Of mono1oly
and tie facts as 10 development In water
power are so damaging 70 l'e water
power interests that serious effort vii
he made 20 smother IL Every Conten.
ZION As 20 waite" power mad by the
National Conservation Association * by
Nis r-po'' established and confirmed"