The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1917-11-26
EcdliG@u.'s Mail
WATER POWER

Editor Tho star The great war
tn which our nation Is engaged will
be won not alone by food and men.
but By mechanical power as well
Without mechanical power We
could not make or move the weapons
with which We fiEht-EunH. ammu.
milton. ships and supplies Our ma.
,ional resources % power. whether
from coal. Oh OF water power. are ma.
iional war necessities. We need them
10 win the war.
Ia this gigantic struggle. our &c
cuFiiy requires us 20 use all thea.
great resources. and 20 use them
wisely and we'll The people Of tho
United States own some so 900 900
undeveioped horse power. or about
enough TO run every train. trolley
factory. mill. mino and electric pow.
-r plant wo have
For 10 years the friends OF con.
~rrvation have urged the develop.
fnsni OF public water powers In tho
public interest
But development has been held
back b a little group Of water Pow.
cr maEuatrn ami their friends In con.
Ersas. who hA., blocked all l~ginla.
ton which would not give them
these valuable properties forever
and FOR nothing.
Today. when tho nation needs all
lin resources. the Same mon who
have been blocking reasonable water
power legislation own and ar. hold.
Ing millions % water horse power un.
Developed and out Of use while clam
orink for more.
Tho time has come when such Oh.
H;ruction threaten. the nations safe.
~ and success. We need tho desel.
opmcnt Of these power. In war even
more than Ia peace. Al the coming
session % congress. sound water
power legislation should DO enacted
as a war measure. based upon prin.
ciplss fair TO all sides. Thesc princl.
pies ! believe 20 b. briefly as fol.
lows.
90 The thing ia do with water
power IN to develop H. whatever re.
iaris or restricts the development of
public water powers on terms fair TO
tho public Ia REains, public policy
and hostile 20 tho general welfare
ca Water power belongs 10 tn.
people. Tho sites wher, II IL pro.
duced should always DO held In pub.
lie hands. for only no can effective
control In the general interest DO Sc
cured.
~ where public development, In
not desired. the right 10 use water
power sites should be leased for peri.
DDS long enough to permit sound. at.
tracuve and profitable investment.
but never longer than 80 years. At
tho end Of each lease. all rights
should return TO tho people who gave
them.
90 In order to protect the consum.
or against cItortion. rates and serv.
ice should be regulated by federal au.
thority when state or local authori.
ties fail TO do 40.
90 Reasonably prompt and com
plete development and continuous op.
GRAFTON. subject 90 market conditions.
should be required. Already millions
of water horse power are held out OF
use 20 further monopoly by private
corporations.
90 Corporations Of individuals who
make money out Of rights granted by
the people should share their profits
with the people
ca The public has n right 20 com.
piete information about every bust.
ness based on the use OF public prop
erty.
Theae arc the principles for which
the friends Of conservation have
been contcnding. Many water power
men believe them 10 be fair and
sound. They will. hope. commend
themselves to you as wise and rea.
sonable. am writing TO ask your
support for immediate legislation
based upon them. when congress
meets.
This is no time TO give away public
assets necessary for the welfare of
our people. both in tho war and aft.
err the war; and we should no longer
tolerate the sclfishness OF private In.
terasts. which take tho dog tho.
manager position that they must have
these water powers on their own
terms. or no one else shall use them
at ALI
As the president has said: The SUI.
preme test OF the nation has come.
We must all speak, act and serve
together" Sincerely yours.
CLIFFORD PTNCHOT.