Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1920-08-24
Interview with Mr. BAXTER.

Interview with Percival P. Baxter of
Portland on the recent decision Of the
West Virginia Supreme Court of Ap.
peals relating to the shipment Of cleo
tricity In Interstate Commerce.
The disturbing problem Of how TO get
enough coal to heat the homes and run
the factories OF Maine impresses upon
Maine people the necessity Of immedi-
ately doing something about Names
water powers.
Maine annually imports more than
1880, 900 tons of soft coal and 660, 1000
tons of hard coal. Most of the soft coal
is used In factories and mills for power
purposes. Every ton of soft coal used
for power In Maine is wasted because
there Is more than enough water power
now running to waste to turn every fac
tory wheel and railroad car in Maine.
The Maine Legislature In 1917 put an
amendment prohibiting the export of
water power from the state on every
water power charter that came before
that legislature, and the states policy
of keeping these water powers at home
was thereby established. This policy
was re-affirmed by the legislature OF 1919.
In 1920 both party conventions indorsed
this policy In their platforms. Previous
to 1917, Maine passed the so-called law
of 1909, which sought to prohibit the
export of power, but the validity OF this
law has always been seriously ques.
toned.
A recent case in the West Virginia
Courts has an important bearing on the
Mot nj k,a k<.f
Appeals Of West Virginia has decided
that the transmission of electricity from
state to state is "interstate commerce."
From this it follows that q state like
Maine cannot pass laws regulating or
restricting the shipment of electricity
from state to state because the United
States Congress has exclusive jurisdic-
tion over Interstate commerce. This
means that the Maine Law of 1909 is
unconstitutional IL this West Virginia
case is sustained in the United States
Supreme Court. Such q decision will
cause no surprise to many Maine law.
yers, but the people of Maine in'such an
event must face serious situation.
If the Law of 1909 proves to be un-
constitutional according to the West
Virginia case, any water power corpora
tion in Maine whose charter does not
absolutely prohibit the export of power
can run its wires to New Hampshire
and from there take its power to Massa-
chusetts, New York, or elsewhere at it's
pleasure. Public sentiment would be
aroused by such an act but public senti.
ment could not prevent 1t. The only
remedy for the situation Is to have q
water power corporation restricted by
an amendment to its charter, such as
the Baxter Amendment OF 1917 and 1919,
herein referred to, and this amendment
will prevent taking power out of Maine
in such way that the United States
Supreme Court cannot overrule 1t.
Maine can save her water powers In this
way and in this way only. This amend
ment is all that Is needed and will stand
even though the earlier Law of 1909 is
set aside by the courts.
Names neighboring states feel the
shortage of coal and the water powers
of Maine present, to them an inviting ap- |
pearance. When soft coal brings from
$500 to $4,000 per ton 1t is easy to
understand that water powers acquire
tremendous value and Names neighbors |
are ready to pay the price for them.
Plans have already been made to take
power out of Maine. These plans have
been temporarily laid aside, but not
abandoned.
Maine's water powers should be used
to the fullest extent for the benefit OF
Maine people. The day of high priced
fuel has come to stay, and 1t is the same
with high priced transportation.
Shall Maine continue to import g.
$50 900 tons of soft coal, hauling 1t from
500 TO TOO miles, sending the cars back |
empty to the mines another 500 to 100
miles, when the Saco, Androscoggin,
Kennsbec, Penobscot and other Maine |
rivers can be harnessed to do sll the
work which this coal does and much
more besides? |