Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-08-26
ECONOMY STATES FIRST PROBLEM
GOVERNOR DECL ARES IN ADDRESS
AT YORK COUNTY FARM BUREAU


July 1st, 1923. OF the end of June
we completed one fiscal period and
this is a splendid opportunity for us
to begin to take account of stock
and see whether or not the appropri-
atoms made by the Legislature have
been expended wisely. Through the
State Auditors Office I have called
upon every department head and
upon the head of every State institu-
ton, to render an account of just
what has been spent by that depart
ment or institution during the six
months period. In a short time
shall issue a statement taking the
people of the State of Maine into my
confidence, and this statement will
show them just how we have man.
aged for the first six months of my
administration. 1t is for the public
interest if the people of the State
study these figures, so that they will
know something of the States finan-
cial condition, for if you would only
take an interest in the financial af-
fairs of the State and learn what is
going on. you can advise and help by
means Of your experience and coun-
sci.
Water Powers
I have identified myself. in the
minds of the people of the State of
Maine. with one question perhaps
more than with any other. and l want
to tell you something about my ideas
on the water power question in the
State Of Maine. The water power
question is net one solely for the
state of Maine. Every state IN the
Union is discussing 1t and the Federal
Government has taken an active in
terest in It, 30 frcm this il is seen
that all over this country people are
discussing what to do with and how
powers. This is very important and
during the war it was brought right
home to us in the State of Maine es-
pccially because we were anxious
about our fuc! supply
believe that the people Of the State
should share somewhat in tho benefits
to be derived from the water power
, developments of the state. You all
! know that the lakes of Maine. which
we term the storage reservoirs of
the State, belong to the people Of the
state of Maine. We all arc Joint
owners in these sources of ou~ water
power. believe that the State
should control the water from those
lakes. should build dams and hold
back the water that now goes TO
waste. SO that the people located on
the rivers that flow from these lakes
may derive benefit from that water
when they need il.
water power as you all know Is
not of any particular value unless d.
velOped. We want to have water DOW
ers in Maine on which we can RELY.
and if We can get 4 certain howage,
from a certain lake for 800 days in the
year, then the water powers that have
that lake as their source become of
value. The only way that we can do
this is to control the sources of orr
water powers so that the tremendous
mead obtained in spring and autumn
7 may be held in reserve and thcn dis
tributed evenly as needed during other
seasons OF the year. I do not know
what the future holds in store for the
state of Maine in the water power
question. ! am only looking at the
present I believe that the State. at
the present time should dcvclop one
or TWO storage reservoir locations and
see how they work out and if tho,-
prove successful. we can continue tho
work, Beyond this we need not 90
Tor the present and those who fo1Iov
us can enlarge or restrict the states
pphcy as they sec fit. The cXpendt-
ture WILL ! believe. prove a souna
business investment, and the money
, invested will come back TO the tax
payers in the form of rental Under
such plan we can sell that watcr
over and over again to all the water
power users On the river below the
dam.
ms appears to me to be a very mild
FORM OF public ownership: it is more
properly called, Public Control" II
docs not involve taking over private
property. it simply means that tho
people of the State may devotion what
already belongs to them and that is
lakes Of Maine
Nhcn began on my work on
Names water powers | had tbrco
cardinal points in mind Two of these
nave been adopted as definite State
policies. and the third still remains To
be decided. The first issue that has
boen settled about the water bowers
OF Maine is this; we have established
the state policy that the water powers
OF Maine shall be kept within tho
state Of Maine for the benefit of the
people OF Maine. That we have set
tled, and ii has taken three legislative
sessions and a long fight to do If T
| 'hihk that any individual or corpora
/ 'loh approaching us with project
which means the taking any of our
power for uses outside the State
would meet with a cold reception.
nave occasion to go to Boston fire.
qu"ntly, and whenever go into GER
tain large banking institutions there
. .'e question of water power is
brought up and my stand regarding
the matter seems TO create an atmos-
Phere that is antagonisttc. am
CRITICIZED for the attitude that l have
taken. Massachusetts business inter-
, csts nave very jealous eve on the
water powers of Maine. and the people
outside or Maine are just as deter
ihlned to obtain our rights and privi-
leses as we are TO retain them. You
nave read of the so-called Super-
Power Line. Tho persons back of this
want TO take all of the water mowers
= OF Virginia and the South AtIapti,