The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1916-10-12


undeveloped waterpower in our nav
igable streams equal to twice the pow
er Of every kind now used in the
United States. II is a huge prize.
For years the waterpower interests
have been fighting 10 seize IL, and the
conservationists 10 save II for the
people.
A watcrpower measure, the Adam
son Bill. came before the House in
1914. 1t favored monopoly, and gave
the special interests, for nothing, the
public water power on navigable
streams. Nevertheless Wilson en-
dorsed it.
On its way through the House, the
bad parts Of the Adamson Bill were
stricken out, and the public rights
were secured. Thereupon Wilson re-
versed his previous stand, and endors-
ed the amended bill. This good bill
then went to the Senate, where it was
shelved, and the indefensible Shields
bill was reported in its place. The
Shields bill give away the public wat
erpowers forever and for nothing
Both Roosevelt and Taft vetoed bills
drawn on the same principle, Yet, by
another reversal, the Wilson Admins
tration got behind it, and when a
widely circulated public appeal was
was made to the President for his
help to defeat it, he refused.
As to the waterpower on the public
lands, there is but one reversal instead
Of two Wilson first, by the mouth of
member Of his cabinet, endorsed the
Ferris bill, which was mainly good.
II was replaced in the Senate by the
Myers bill, which is thoroughly bad.
Among other things this bill actually
throws the Grand Canyon, the great
est natural wonder of America, wide
open to individual appropriation. New
ertheless, Wilson reversed himself in
order to give it in the same way his
endorsement.
Both as to waterpowers on navig-
able streams and on public lands, the
last reversals leave the Administra
tion standing with the special inter-
ests against the people.
The Phelan oil land measure, would
hand over to private individuals who
have no legal rights the valuable oil
lands set aside as reserves for the
Navy. The Navy Department has
made public announcement that the
mere threat of the Phelan bills pas
sage has caused it "to seriously con-
slider the advisability Of abandoning"
the policy of constructing oil burning
ships Only oil burning ships can de-
velop and maintain the high speeds
required in modern war, and without
them no navy can be even second
class. The Secretary Of the Interior
actively supported this surrender of
national safety to private greed. The
Secretary of the Navy and the Attor-
ney General opposed it. Wilson re-
mained neutral and did nothing.
Because Wilson refused to take
sides, or took the wrong side, the
question whether the people or the in
terests shall win or lose in the Shields
and Myers waterpower bills and the
Phelan oil bill is still unsettled. These
bills are still before Congress, and
viii pass or fail at the coming session.
The public waterpowers and the effic-
iency of the navy are at stake. There
can be no compromise between the
men who would grab the public re-
sources for private profit, and those
who would conserve them for the use
of all the people. Either the interests
will get them or the people will keep
them. There is no middle ground.
To sum up, as in many other matters
the promise made was not performed.
Instead of progress in conserving our
resources, the last two years have seen
bitter and often losing fight to hold
what we had. Wilson talked well, be-
gan to act well, and then, yielding to
the political pressure Of the special in
terests, went back on conservation.
Sincerely yours,
CLIFFORD PINCHOT.