Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-01-10
DRAFTS
WATER POWER BILL
Provides Elaborate Plan for De.
veloping This Great Ma
tional Resource.

Washington, Jan. 4.-President Wilson
laid before a conference Of House leaders
tonight the draft Of . bill designed to
establish a DEFINITE legislative policy to
develop tho nations water power, 3S.oO,o0
horsepower Of which. II is estimated by
government engineers, II wasted annually.
The result Of the conferences was plan
to create special committee OF the public
to take over all Jurisdiction OF water
power problems now dealt with by var
ious committees, and to pass the Presi-
dents bill promptly in the House ana SEND
It to the Senate with the administrators
support behind It.
The President told the conference Of his
interest in water power legislation ana
urgent hope that both houses would
speedily enact the new measure. drawn by
the interior. war and agricultural depart
ments. He said the bill was designed to
reconcile divergent views which have In
terfered with necessary legislation.
The bill follows closely the provisions Of
the Ferris bill. which has twice passed the
House but failed through opposition in the
Senate Participants in the conference ex-
pressed the view that with unified House
support and with the stamp Of the Presi-
dent special favorable action in the
Senate now was to be expected.
The bill provides for a commission to
be composed Of the secretaries Of war,
interior and agriculture. It proposes to
lease the water power privileges on pub
lie lands, Indian lands, national forests
and in navigahle streams for not exceed
ing so years when the project may be
taken over by the United States. again
leased to the original lessee or leased to
a new lessee. All property owned and
held by the licensee at the expiration Of
the lease, valuable and serviceable In the
development or distribution Of power. to-
gether with any locks or other aids to
navigation constructed by the lessee, may
be taken over by the government upon
the payment of the face value not to
exceed the actual cost Of the property
taken plus such reasonable damages. as
may be caused by the separation Of the
property from valuable property not
taken.
Provision IL made for regulation by the
federal water power commission Of inter-
state power and power In any State where
no State regulation is to be had. 1t re-
quires lessees to pay reasonable annual
charges Of not less than ten cents per
water power horse power per annum.
All receipts from these water power
licenses are to be placed in the federal
treasury. The bill provides that 50 per
cent. of the proceeds from national forests
shall be expended in construction Of roads
in those forests; so per cent. OF the re-
ceipts from public lands are to be placed
in the reclamation fund: 80 per cent. of
receipts from navigabls streams to be
expended in the maintenance and opera
ton of dams and other navigation struc-
| lures Of the United States and that all
proceeds from Indian reservations shall
=, be placed to the credit Of the Indians.
The bill embraces features Of both the
Ferris bill in the House and the Shields
! bill in the Senate.
Those attending the White House con-
ference were Representatives Ferris OF
Oklahoma. chairman. and Raker. Hay
den. Lenroot and LaFollette Of the pub.
lie lands committee: Representatives Sims
chairman. and Montague. Esch. Doremus
Hamilton and Parker of the interstate
commerce committee; Representatives
Pou. chairman. and Garrett and Foster
of the rules committee, and Representa-
tives Lever, chairman. and Haugen ant
Anderson Of the agriculture committee.