Arizona republican., 1918-09-05
HOUSE REJECTS SUGGESTION IF
 THE PRESIDENT
Recommendation That Net
 Investment be Paid for Power plants Taken by
 Government is Retained
Republican A. p. Leased Wire1

W WASHINGTON, Sept. 4.-The house today rejected President Wilson's slg- sestion that the recapture clause of the administration water power bill be amended to eliminate the provision for paying the net investment in the event that power projects are take under federal, state or municipal control at the end of the lease periods. The rec ommendation of the water power com mittee was retained, the house defea.- ing, 96 to Fl, proposal by Representa- tive Ferris of Oklahoma, that far value" be substituted for met invest ment' as ur"ed by the president.
 Representatives of power interests had asked for the retention of the net investment provision. contending that under the presidents proposal power promoters could not obtain capital.
 Immediately after the vote, MT. Fer ris offered a substitute covering vir- tually the same ground but making the provision somewhat broader. It was rejected.
 Pass Measure Today Chairman Sims said no attempt could be made 70 vote again on the amendment in the house and indica- tions were that the measure would ne passed tomorrow with the net invest ment retained. It was said an attempt would be made to reach a compromise in the senate
 Chairman Sims and MT. Ferris in | urging adoption of the fair valuation | clause based their argument on the | ground that the net investment feature would make recapture so onerous that private interests would have a perpet- ual franchise MT. Ferris said the lat | ter plan excluded the right of pubic ownership.
 i Critcises Presidential Interference"
 In the debate today. Representative Sinnott of Oregon. criticised what ht termed presidential interference witt legislation. In all war legislation Il. said he had supported the president and in other matters had given carefu and respectful consideration to what. ever he had said to the house.
 Without assigning any reason ax. eept an erroneous one" he said 'th, president asks us to abandon the worl or the power committee and insert til, fair valuation clause. This is a subiec on which the president could not nav. had complete information unless h. had spent many months of investiga tion.
 When to Re-4rd Utterances
 When his utterances bear evidenc, Of the presidents mature and thought ful consideration. they are persuasiv, and should not be disregarded excep for the most cogent reasons. But whe, they bear upon their face positive eyi I dence that they are not the result c mature and deliberate consideraiio, they should be disregarded accordingly
 AS an illustration of his intemper ate utterances we have too proud t fight, the republican party has no had an advanced thought in twent- years and Senator Chamberlain , guilty of distorting the facts"
 Not In Possession of Facts
 Considering the water power meas ure, MT. Sinnott said the presiden was not in possession of the exac | facts"
 Representative McArthur of Oregon said he. would oppose all attempts t insert a government ownership claus in the bill, declaring there already too much government ownership.
 The house went on record today a favoring the fifty year lease perio with the government or any munici pality having the right to take eve power projects at the expiration c leasing period upon payment of the ne investment. An amendment by Repre- sentative Ooremus of Michigan. :;iv ing the government the right to talk over the projects at any time va voted down.