Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-03-29


chase Of farm machinery for COM
use.
Water Power
The importance of water power As
a great natural resource of our state
is emphasized by the present unosr-
tainty and scarcity of the fuel supply.
The State has two plain duties in this
connection: first to retain the power
within our borders for the use ana
benefit of our own people; second. 10
encourage the development Of water
power under conditions that will as
sure its availability for industrial and
household use at reasonable rates
without injustice to capital honestly
and prudently invested in such pro-
jects. Our greatest danger is the de-
sire of selfish interests outside OF
Maine to exploit our water powers for
their own profit beyond the borders
of our State. This danger was rec
ogniZed ten years ago by Governor
FernalG and at his suggestion the
Legislature OF 1909 passed a law for-
bidding tie transmission of electric
power outside the State. A power
company might sometime succeed IN
evading this general law, but evident
ly such corporation would be ooun1
by the provisions of its own chartei.
II is. therefore. my belief that all new
charters of power companies should
contain clause forbidding the trans
mission Of power outside the State
without the express consent of the
Legislature and that every existing
power company asking for an amend
meEt to its charter at any session o.
the Legislature should have his
amendment added also. Accordingly.
after the passage of a general law in
1909 il was my custom as a member
of the Legislature TO offer for this
amendment whenever the charter of a
power company appeared before Us.
and during the session of 1871. gave
notice to the leaders in both branches
of the Legislature that | would not
approve any new water power charter
nor any material amendment to an
existing charter without the addition
of this clause. This will continue 20
be my policy if have anything to 10
with another session of the LegiSa"
ture. 1t is argued against this policy
that it delays development. The same
argument was made years ago in re-
gard to Names timberlands and IL
the pursuit of supposed progress that
valuable birth-right was lost to tie
people of the State. 1t IS better 10
develop our water powers slowly than
to lose them altogether.
Our attitude should not be merely
negative, however. We should devote
ourselves to thorough and practical
study Of the problem of development.
The last Legislature for reasons
which need not be discussed here did
not agree upon a complete program Of
investigation. So far as existing
laws give us authority. we are COM
piling information regarding Maine: $
water power resou1 ces with some It
tention to cost of development
The next Legislature, should inau-
gurate rapid. thorough and cCm
plete investigation of this whole sub
ject creating some special and com
petent agency for the purpose ana
providing sufficient funds to insure a
prompt report. Discussion of the
problem of development is proper and
exceedingly timely and out of such
discussion a constructive public poi
cy will finally GROW. Let us remem-
Der in the meantime that the vital is
sue is the prevention of power trans
mission outside of Maine. Let no dis
cussion or collateral issues swerve US
from our fixed determination TO reta;r
our water powers for the use and
benefit of our own people.
Rate Regulation
Public utilities like railroads. tele-
graph and telephone companies and
electric power companies are granted
certain privileges by the public. It Is
the duty Of the State to protect the
public by insisting that rates charged
Shall be reasonable and not rendered
excessive by imitation of securities
discriminatory charges or any other
improper practices Of the utility rem
dering such service. We now have ir
the Public Utilities Commission tri-
bunal having full authority TO pas
upon such questions. II always hap
pens, however. that in any hearin!
rates for service of any public util-
ity, the public service corporation s
represented BY trained experts of lon?
experience. The people, on he othel
hand, have neither the organization
nor the financial resources to secure
proper presentation for their side o.
/ the case To meet this situation. We
have arranged for the attorney gen
eral to appear for the people at large
in all cases before the Public Utili
| ties Commission where the genera
public interest is involved. and w
have arranged to employ trained OK
perts who shall collect and compil,
| information for the guidance OF thf
! Public Utilities Commission in al
such hearings. During the preser
! year We expect to have a set Of stan
cards with which to compare exist
| ing transportation. power and Ugh
rates. AS fast as this compa rison dis
closes unreasonable. unjust or di:
! criminatory rates. the Attorney L.e,r
eral will be asked to move throu.t
the Public Utilities Commission fo'
their correction.
Taxation
Every property owner is interest &c
in fair and equitab BILE distribution 81
the inevitable burden Of taxation
This is especially true under presen'
conditions when the normal burden is
hea Willy increased by assessments fol
war purposes. This problem depend:
for its solution upon the valuation
made by the local assessors in the cit J
I or town. L'nhappily. any large prop
crty holders who may now be tax