Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-04-22
| NAMES WATER
POWERS IN DANGER
Interview with Percival P.
Baxter of Portland. Member
of Maine Legislature.

this to say:
The people of Maine have just be-
gun to appreciate what their water
powers mean to them. They now
realize that the future of the homes,
farms and industries of the State is
vitality concerned with the proper
solution of the Water Power ques-
ton. A crisis has arisen which de-
mands prompt action. Names Wa
ter Powers are in danger of being
taken from her. There is bill
pending before Congress which if
passed in its present form, Will take
the control of these Powers from the
Maine Legislature and will place it
in the hands of the proposed Fed
eral Water Power Commission"
This bill would annul the law of
the State, would do away with the
States policy to retain Names Wa
ter Powers for the benefit of Maine
People, and all the work done in the
pastfour years to protect these Pow
ers would come TO naught. A Com
mission sitting in Washington, COM
posed of men having little regard for
Names welfare, would dictate how
our Water Powers are to be devel-
oped, where the electricity general
ed from them would go. and who
should have the benefit derived from
it.
ANY stream or river that is nav
isable' would come under this Fed
eral law, and this word "nayigable"
is construed SO broadly in the bill
that it covers all the sources of all
rivers that are navigable at any
point The Saco. kennebec, Andres
coggin, Penobscot, ST. Croix, and all
| the smaller rivers that sooner or
later empty into the sea would be
included. There are few, if any,
streams within the State that are
| not ''navigable" at least in some
small portion of their courses, and
that is all that is required under this
bill. This means that the headWat-
ers of all Maine rivers, the Rangeley
| Lakes, Moosehead and all the lakes
| and streams that empty into these
| lakes and flow from them would
come under Federal control.
| NO one could build dam or de-
velop a Water Power in Maine with
out a Federal license, and the law is
so Worded that dam sites and water
powers could virtually be contiscated
| by foreign corporations coming into
Maine under Federal license.
THE scheme is well planned and
large interests are behind it. Al
ready inspired articles advocating
| this Federal bill are appearing in
| Electric Journals controlled by the
big Water Power interests outside of
Maine. These articles openly pro-
pose to do away with restrictive"
State laws. referring especially to
| Names policy of keeping her Water
Powers for her own people
The newly created Maine Water
Power Commission is fully alive to
| the situation and has taken up the
matter aggressively and boldly. 1t
has been in communication with
Senators Hale and Fernald who arr
to fight this Federal bill until it is
properly amended to protect Names
| interest.
THE Maine Commission by this
act alone has justified its creation
and deserves the support of all Maine
citizens. Senator Hale has tcle-
graphed that he will do his utmost
to protect Names interests. and
Senator Fernald has assured the
! Commission he would do the same.
Some of the Congressman from
| Maine are doing all in their power
to secure an Amendment and n pub
! lie sentiment can be aroused this
| dangerous bill may yet be amended
Citizens. organizations and newspa-
pers loyal to Maine ought to lend a
hand. The Portland Chamber of
Commerce has already acted and
, other Chambers should follow suit.
Several of the Water Power cor
porations in Maine have become in
terested for they realize that al
though they might take power out
of the State under this Federal bill,
they would be in serious danger of
losing control over their own prop
critics, and would be hampered in
their development if United States
officials were given arbitrary pow
ers over them. The right to take
power out of Maine might prove of
small importance to these corpora
tions when compared with the trou-
blesome interference OF Government
officials. Many of these corporations
are doing all in their power to OPP
pose the bill, especially the manufac-
turing corporations who are not in
terested in going beyond the borders
OF. the State, While those who want
to take power out of Maine prefer
for the present at least to leave this
question to be settled by the State of
Maine rather than by Congress. The
price of Federal control is too great
a price for these corporations to pay
for the privilege of being allowed to
take their electricity out of the State.
THE plan is this: a super power"
electrical transmission line is to be
built from Maine to New York and
beyond, connecting ten states on the
Atlantic sea- board Maize is to sup
ply this line at it's northerly end so
that her great sources of heat, light
and power will flow southwark to
feed the great cities and industries to
! RosIndale Woman Recommends