Evening star., 1918-02-06
VIEWS OF BUSINESS
SOUGHT ON PROJECT
U. S. Chamber of Commerce
Asks for Opinion on Water
Power Development.
IN SHAPE OF REFERENDUM

Business men throughout the country
today were asked by the Chamber of
Commerce Of the United States to eX-
approve or disapprove development of
water-power resources.
The referendum vote will be watched
with interest in Washington. i'll view
of the bill recently introduced in Con-
gress providing for construction of n
power plant for the District at Great
Falls
! A committee of the United States
| chamber recently Investigated the wa
ter-power question and reported in
favor of its development The report
carries only Endorsement of the COM
mittee members, however, and does not
bind the chamber until the affiliated
organizations in each state have voted
on the report. The principal recon-
mendations of the committee are:
Recommendations of Committee.
THAT federal legislation encouraging
the development of water powers should
be at once enacted.
"As to all developments, whether
within or outside the public domain, a
separate act of Congress should not as
at present, be required for each devel-
opment, but the authority to issue per-
ment or commission deSi ignated for that
purpose and under conditions protective
of the interest of the public and of the
investor.
Permits should be issued for a period
of at least fifty years, unless, at the
option OF the applicant, a shorter pc
ROD IS agreed upon, and should be
lrrevocable except for cause.
"A toll should be imposed by the gov
ernment only on power developments on
- h lffr fnr
water improvements maintained by the
government Such tolls should be based
upon the horsepower actually devel-
oped, used and sold. The tolls should
be reasonable and proportionate to the
benefits actually derived
If public lands form only a small
and incidental part of the entire de-
veiopment, the licensee should be en-
titled to acquire the right to use such
lands, paying the government fair and
Just compensation for such use.
Right to Recover Property.
AT the expiration of the license
period the government should have the
right to recapture the property for it.
self or for a new licensee upon the paw
ment of fair and just compensation Tor
the property and for all dependent
property, if taken; and if the dependent
property is not taken, then fair and
just compensation should be paid for all
severance damages. Provision should
be made that, all things being equal,
the original licensee have priority over
any new licensee.
AT the expiration of the license
period the government should, %
agree with the licensee as to the terms
of new license, CD recapture for it
self for new licensee, (3) continue the
license under the original terms
Rates and service should be reeu-
lated by state commissions where the
service is interstate. and only by fed
eral authority where the service is in
terstate and the commissions of the
states which are directly concerned do
not agree or there is not state COM
mission.
The exercise of any federal jurisdic-
ton over the issuance of securities
would be unnecessary and unwise.
mo preference should be allowed as
between applicants. whether a munich
pality or otherwise. which amounts to
the granting at the expense of the gov
ernment of subsidy creating unequal
competition in the same market"