The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-03-30
WATER POWER
BILL ENDORSED
BOTH SIDES HEARD
BY LEGISLATORS
Hinton Ch a mber of Com
merce Unanimous for Pro-
posed Legislation
(By ]. 4. EEEDn

Charleston. W Va MIrCH -. {. y.
Raiiey, an attorney O. Hinton. W. Va
-eprrsrl.nr 'hr ,hamber OF commerce
of TIA; p'.,r" added impetus +" ihe move
70 push a,roSS Il hvdru-".Cctrt' d"Nc."p-
rncut bill tonight. when h" appeared be
fore ;hc jntn; s"nat" and house com
m,t.cs on forestry and conservation in
,ltc-"St o. the measure. Mr. EaiIfE
stated that n" unanimous endorsement
oc tn" chamber had been given 10 the
hil,.
clinton i the c!ty most concerned,
and out OF ,he eos members o: III"
chamber there was not on" man VIII"
did not support thr hydro-H,cctric b.i!.
x-Audttor John :. par$t who VAS
also among tho supporters OF the Till.
stated that he believed the ;:m" AaS
come Tor the Enactment &c such law.
The state has The chance now to
,icvc.op her immen>" natural resources.
she may not have !, next year or St
any other time. Nearly every other
STATE m tho union has progressive wat"A
power laws. vet West Virginia. with her
immense resources ~ without ad"Qu:Gt"
,"giSla;icn along thcS" lines. Th"r" -
no time to dr,ay now. The ChtnC" mas
Offered itse;f. and tAi9 l"gtS!atur". com
;.,Scd Of sensible men cannot refuse
Y"
Bliss McC-umm. Of Preston county.
now practicing Law ia charleston. TO-
lowed parst on IA" !!"or. He declared
that the opponents oc ;hr law had used
fla'
they were using now E"ie-r!nG ~ n
>p"ech ;ha, Gorvcruor MaCcorN!" had
made h. said IL hard that same
speech on ~" floor OF ia" Senat" IN
1918. when Governor Mar' 'orhi" opposed
IA" bill T." the same reason. There
has been no chang" ami 10 advance
mrnt dur."g tn" past eight years"
Arguments against the Enactment or
the porpoScd Legislation were made by
Former Governor W. 4. MacCork!e and
Clyde J. Johnson. of Charleston.
"Th" advocates Of the h!l!,' Johnson
said 'havo gon" over the ground SO
thoroughly and p!accd the Skids 50
carefully tha: opp"s'iton from any on"
il inr:irrtual. In spite of this belief,
] want to appear before the co;nmit:r'
70 say t.:at aS y priNat" citizen Of West
Virginia | do NOT want 70 $"c the biN
passed. Il would make West Virginia
n mere power hous" 10 ran the wheels
that are turning money into the Golfers
Of other states.
Others who smoke with regard TO ;hc
measure were EXLrOvernor w. 4. Nc
CorNS, who also opposed =: c. y. BN-
.ngs, Of W'hcclINS who * connected
with the powc- company mos; viia"y
interested: N a. Lynn, president OF the
W"S: Virginia Power & Transmission
COMPANY. 4 MiS% M'IrUni, OF Preston
county: "x-Auditor lohn :. narS' and a.
\. Rai,cy. Of Hinton. all Of whom ad-
vocatcd rs passage.
Killings. who opened tn" discussion
after Senator jesse \ R,"ch had called
the meeting ~ rrd"- pointed out thai
the measure WAS a needed ono and thai
Tho bill. as drafted. had been drawn
with the intention OF protecting the
rights OF u" r"oplc OF tMe STATE" He
traced the history OF water power. and
stated tina: undc- the present laws Il
waS impoSSihl" to develop III" power Of
the stat. Th~ proposed law. h" said.
would remedy these conditions.
Mr. Johnson. who followed him. cen
tered. the discussion upon the future
under this measure. I. does not. h"
said safeguard West Nirgtn!a'S -ea! IN
,craSts. citing 500; zion IS Of the present
law. which would &c repealed. and
West virginia companies shall have the
right to develop Ne power sitrS and
that the state shall have ~" light "a
regulate th" Lis;r:hu:ioH NJ the power
produced such a provision. contained
in the original grant OF tho right I" do
vclop should n" continued. 10 proven
\ situation arising IN ~" futHrr such ~
prevented the enforcement Of IA" step
toe gas law.
Mr. Lynn VINO followed him stated
that the company was willing to submit
10 an amendment similar I" III" on"
suggested.
AT least" h" said Il. could D" con
s:d,rHd. There is u" advantage 20 hr
obtained. however. by demanding that
only West Virginia corporations he
gwen the right 20 develop"
Governor Mac Orkl.'s address was 70
IN" criNc; that tNr hill as drafted was
!u:rnGrd TO serve selfish interests: that
it took no aCcoun: OF tGr leeds .: West
Virginia. and that tim" IS n""d~d 10
evolve n perfect nca sur.
l:Oth Mr.. CCt'rGm and Mr. DarS'
stated that proSrcSSI." atitud" wi'H
regard :" water power dcv"lnpm"H; -
the pan wh!c.r should u" aduI,:rd. Mr.
Ehiicy'S 'alk applied :" ~" position
taken by II" citizens u! Hinton. whom,
hr says. favo-s t..