The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-02-12
House Committee at Work
on Measure Designed to
Protect Public Rights
SUBSTITUTE FOR
THE SHIELDS BILL
Essential Safeguards-Favors Lease
of Dam Sites for Fifty Years Or Less
to Be Revocable.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12.-Plans are
being made to push the administration
water power bill III the house as soon
as the railroad bill is passed. The
specially created water power commit
tee OF IS members, formed of six mem
bers each from the committees on in
tcrstatc and foreign commerce, agri-
culture and public lands Will be called
by Chairman Sims to shape the bill
favored by the president. \ sub-com-
mittee will submit suggestions for any
changes that may be required
The new bin will be substituted for
the Shields bill, which has already
passed the senate
Representative Scott Ferris of Okla-
homa, a member OF the committee, saws
the administration measure cmbodies
the essential of an adequate water
power policy. In a statement he has
outlined the important features which
should be enacted into law as follows:
''First-No legislation, executive or
der or department ruling should permit
the paterting or the title in fec to
pass out # the federal government I'M
der any conditions.
Second-The dam sites should be
leased for period of time no longer
than % Gears, without any entangling
alliances or PHRASES difficult to under
stand.
Third The recal ture provision
should provide that all on-perishable
property, such as land. water rights
dam sites, good Will and so forth, should
90 back 70 the federal government at
actual cost, and that all perishable
property IN connection with the plant
should come back to the federal govern
ment at the end of the lease al its
fair value
"Fourth-Strong, clear, well-under-
stood provisions should be inserted in
the permit for violation Of the condi-
tions thereof
Fifth-Provisions should be insert
ed IN The lease requiring diligence and
prompt construction Of the plant so
that the property may not be held for
speculative purposes.
SiXth-A ROYALTY or rental for the
use Of the dam sites and the property
Ct the federal government should be
required in all eases except for munie-
qualities which furnish current to con
sumers without profit
Seventh-Thc federal government
should ut all times maintain the para
mountcy, 50 1t viii have fnll control
over water powcr to the end that the
natural monopoly of the water flowing
from the highlands ~ the lowlands and
/ nOtInU l.o.l- 70 ]
not be monopoly of one man or set of
men.
| Eighth Annual reports should be
enacted from the power companies.
Nlnth-The federal government
! should reserve to itself full power 10
fix rates for service, Capitalization.
! bond issue and so forth, in interstate
| projects and, where there is no bubble
utilities commission for this purpose,
lii mira state projects.
Tenth-Eaeh lease. permit or con
! sent OF congress should contain pro
vision that upon proof that any such
! perhlttees, leSsees or grantees have con-
Spred TO prevent the development of
water Powr to limit the output Of al
| feadF constructed plants the lease
| should be revocable in a court of com
| Petcnt jurisdictions
Water power is q natural monopoly.
! Only few can have it; therefore. the
| people must have something t. do with
! the control Of it There are from %
| eoo.oGo to 40,0oo,0Go horse power OF
| Iydroelectric energy in the United
! states. only 6.oo0,00o OF it i'll use.
mike other power nothing is con
snmod III the using. Water is but in
4
| teriupted to turn a turbine wheel, ana
then turned loose into the stream below
where 1t IS utilized for irrigation, do
mFStle purposes, and the myriad of 9th
ef uses to which water can be put