Gilpin observer., 1916-05-25
MR.. PlNcHoT FALLS
OUT WITH HIMSELF

WI
And now the estimable Mr.. Pin
chot Is quarrehng with his own ma
tional association OF conservation
, lists, because that body believes in
maintaining some measure of local
sovereignty with respect to the con-
troll, regulation and taxation OF water
power plants. BY SO declaring him
self, Mr.. Pinchot confesses what ev-
eryone has known from the begin
ming, that conservation" Is a name
intended to conceal a program of
own association does not agree with
him. the whilom forester will be
forced to follow the example of his
delighted brother Amos, and organ
ize political party of his own. The
cause of Mr.. Pinchot's disaffection
I is the Shields bill, which was late
ly passed by the United States SEN
ate. This measure does not direct
ly interfere with the affairs Of the
West, but it presents certain issues
which will concern the public land
states when the senator's take UP
the consideration of the federal land
leasing question next winter. The
following principles have been incor.
porated in the Shields bill. which
concern the use of water power on
navtgable streams: First, that the
plants and lands upon which the
water power plants are to be situated
shall be subject to taxation for state
county and school purposes; second
that the right to control the charges
for THE water power shall be vested
in the utilities commissions of the
states; third, thai the naional gov
ernment 81 all have no voice in the
determination of the rates to be
charged for powe. nor shall the fed
eral government make any charge 70
the use of the flowing water of a
navigable stream. 1t is very clear
that Mr.. Pinchot's objection to these
provisions is OF political, not of an
economic, nature. The question
which is u9permost in his mind re.
lates to the control OF these greai
public u,iliti,s by the bureau of chiefs
Of Washington, d. c. On the other
hand. the people of the West, while
opposed to the leasing of WATERPROOF
e. sites on the public domain as an
unconstitutional procedure, are bounf
to feel that, If the courts should
overthrow the legal traditions rffect
ing our public lands. the investment
of the control over water-power
plants in the people of the states
Immediately affected would he bet
ter than placing ourselves in the
hands Of the autocrats OF Wall Street
and the bureaucrats of the national
capital. The precedent set by the
Shields bill will necessarily be follow
ed in the case of western power
sites, If the country ever comes to
the point of adopting this revolu-
tionary policy. So much for Mr.. Pin
chot's attitude. For our part. it will
be dangerous to ourselves If the West
ever accepts the land-leasing pro.
gram in any guise whatever. The
whole theory is wrong and unjust
and it should be set aside forever. II
1t should ever come to pass that the
entire electric power service of the
United States is directly controlled
and regulated by central authority
in a sociaistic manner, the West
wpuld of course be forced to accede
to the universal system, but the
present program is one which aims
to Introduce diversity of ownership
end control and an economic Unequal
ity as between the people Of the
East and those of the West. The
| West win never willingly agree to
accept hamdicaTe Of such nature
| Mining American.