Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1918-05-31

anee of my duties as chairman Of
the committee on interstate and
foreign commerce. I am also chair
man Of the new water power com
mittee, created at the request Of
the president. to have considera-
ton of all bills, both of the house
and senate, providing for the de-
velopment Of hydro electric en-
ergy, to conserve the fast falling
coal and fuel oil supplies of the
nation, and 20 relieve the great
power shortage in the eastern sea-
board states, SO badly needed at
this time 10 the production of
ships, munitions and other war
supplies. After several months of
the most arduous labor the water
power committee will Immediately
begin final consideration OF the
senate bill, commonly referred to
as the Shields bill, which passed
the senate in December last, but
as it passed the senate it provided
for water power development only
on the navigable rivers. It will
be amended so as to apply also to
water power development on the
public lands and forest reserves,
so as to harmonic with the recon.
mendation Of the president; that
all water power legislation should
be embraced in one act to be adj
m!nistered by a commission com.
posed of the secretaries OF war,
interior and agriculture. As soon
as is practicable the amended SEN
ate bill will De reported and passed
in the house. When passed in the
house and sent back to the senate,
it can and will immediately be
sent to conference. AS chairman
| must necessarily be member of
the conference committee and can
not possibly serve as a conferee
without remaining here. If ! do
not remain here the conference
cannot be completed and the bill
cannot be passed before adjourn
ment.
10 addition to these numerous
house Craftsmanship duties and re-
sponsibilities, ! am the ranking
house member and vice chairman
of the joint senate and house COM
mittee, created in response to the
recommendation of the president
in his annual address to congress
two years ago, to investigate the
subject of the government control
and regulation Of interstate and
foreign transportation, the efici-
ency of the existing system in
protecting the rights of shippers
and carriers and in promoting the
public interest, the incorporation
or control of the incorporation Of
carriers, and all proposed changes
in the organization Of the inter
state commerce commission and
the act to regulate commerce; also
the subject of government owner
ship of all public utilities, such as
telegraph, wireless, cable, tele-
phone, express companies and rail
roads engaged in interstate and
and foreign commerce. and report
as to the wisdom or feasibility Of
government ownership of such
utilities and as to the comparative
worth and efficiency of government
regulation and connrol as compared
with government ownership and
operation. While much valuable
work has been done by this COM
mittee, its labors are far from com
pletion. necessarily must devote
much of my time to the work Of
this committee.
| suppose that when you wrote
your kind and respectful invita-
ton to make list of appointments
for joint debates with you cover
ing the whole district, that you
did not know how pressing and
how important my official duties
are with regard to necessary and