Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-01-25

! for developing only forty tnouSanN
horsepower and converting it into eie.
, tr;city just accommodated few VIZ
wanted to get the power at cost 50
to spite q local producer OF eiec'i'1
! ity.
Nv bill was based on the people
deed OF ownership and with their rights
protected at every point. All the iiiu
/ chinery was complete in the oil "
take over all water power ana at o'ie0
derive an income for the people WHO
own them and that all might siare
! equally, as is their right, and 50 ue-
yeloped and let for revenue that shaii
benefit all alike, With over TWO MI
! lion horsepower all occupied ana iel
for less than one-half it cost TO pro-
duce steam power, would bring III
revenue of sixty million dollars year
! as soon as all was developed ana LEI.
! There is enough already developed to
bring in at once about ten million
! dollars to start with. Ten million
dollars year would build all new
dams, pay the fiowage and repair
rights, then there would be enough to
pay all the municipal expenses OF the
/ cities, towns and State, doing away
! with all taxes forever, build good solid
macadamized roads and then divide a
good sum each year to every man,
woman and child.
( would ask the people how they like
this plan. 1t is feasible: it is honest
Il straightforward honest business
proposition, fair and just to all alike.
! Now comes Mr.. Percival z. Baxter of
Portland and demands that the Cover
nor call an extra session of the Legis-
! lature in order to take these great
water powers away from the people.
and get changes in the State charter
so as to pay out great sums of money
to anybody else than the true owners.
This plan is to deprive the people Of
the right of ownership and loss of their
share of the rental for horsepower.
Now l declare that there is not one
single horsepower in the State Of
Maine developed or undeveIoped, bur
what is the property of the people.
Every dam that has been butt on any
waters O. rivers in the State has been
built by trespass upon the peoples
porperty, and no person who owns
land BY the side Of any water in the
State has any right or claim what
ever to the water or powers thereon.
Then in Heavens name why does
Mr.. Baxter or others want to force the
people TO pay for what they already
own? Is that common sense or rea-
son? Tax the people just to pay MIL
lions out to interests Just because they
say or lay claim that they own the
powers just to rob the people of all
they can?
Six years ago I told the Legislative
committee that all these water powers
must be developed so as to furnish
! light. power and heat solely for <He
benefit of the people in the State, as
they would need it all for the upbuild-
ing of our own State, and that the time
would come inside Of ten years that
they would need it all so as to heat
their houses and furnish power and
light At the present crisis in the coal
situation the people begin to see that
was right i'll my statement The
peoples rights in the water powers
must be respected justly honestly ana
equally. And there can be no law
passed or constitutional change that
can deprive the people Of these rights.
1t is vitality important and necessary
that all our water power be developed
ana placed on the market to be sold
to those who wish heat right and
power within the limits of the State
only. And the only way to legally ac-
complish this is to create a commission
as provided by my bill presented to the
last Legislature. And one thing must
not be overlooked, no matter how the
powers are developed. the people are
entitled to and must receive their pro
portional part of the revenue for each
and every horsepower used. no matter
how or by whom it is used.
\. e. TRACY.
Auburn. Jan. 23, 1918.