New-York tribune., 1922-11-23
Smith Calls on
Power Board TO
HoldUIpPe errr,its
Wires Newton TO Delay Ac-
ton on Issuing Licenses
for Private Development
of Energy Until Jan. l
Cites Voters Decision
Would Reserve NiagaraFalls
Grant 30 State; Acts as
Private Citizen, He Says

Govcrnor-eieet Smith, who is TO de-
part to-day for the South for short
vacation. telegraphed last night to At
torrsy General Charles b. Newton. as
a member OF the State Water Power
Commission, asking the commission to
resrain from granting license TO any
concern for the development of any of
the water power resources of the state
until after he takes Office.
He was impelled to take this action
by Information that the commission
wss TO meet to-day in Albany and
nigh. grant license to a corporation
for the development Of power from the
Niagara River below the falls. Mr.,
Smith IS pledged 70 state development
OF water power.
The state commj ssion consists of
Speaker II. Edmund Machold, of the
Assembly; Attorney General Newton,
Frank VI, Williams, State Engineer
and Surveyor; Senator Lusk, as
speaker pro TEN of the Senate, and
Alexander Macdonald, of st. Regis
Falls. All Of the members with the
exception OF Mr.. Macdonald and Mr..
Maehold will go out OF Office January
platform lays down q policy directly
in conflict with that advocated by Gov
ernor-elect Smith. Governor Miller
advocates the licensing system under
state supervision, Govern or-elect
Smith holds that the state itself should
own, develop and operate water power
resources. His telegram to Attorney
General Newton follows:
Text of Wire to Newton
at has been called to my attention
that the State Water Power Commits
sion is to meet in Albany tomorrow
morning at 10 o'clock. have been fur.
ther informed by newspaper article
chat IT is the intention of the commits
sion to act upon some applications for
licenses 70 develop electrical energy by
private corporations. The paper that
read says there is possibility that
license may be granted to some com
pany to develop energy from the
waters of Niagara below the Falls.
Before and during the campaign /
took decided position with regard to
he development of electrical energy
rom wetsr power owned by the state.
[ have held that it should not be given
70 private companies for private de-
Seiopment, but should, on the other
hand, be developed By the state itself
under state ownership and state con
.foi for the benefit OF all the people of
The state,
Il would therefore ask you, in view
IF the decision of the people at the
polls following the campaign in which
ms subject was distinct issue, not to
grant any license Or permit to private
corporations for development Of elec-
rical energy from water power re.
Jourees that belong to the state. and
permit that subject TO be dealt with by
he meaning administration in accord
nee with the explicit promises made
turing the course Of the campaign"
When it was suggested to Mr.. Smith
hat he might be doing an unprece-
deEted thing in attempting to dictate
Democratic policy to a Republican
commission over which he has no
jurisdiction, he said:
am taking this step as citizen,
believing that am acting in the public
interest. That power grant below Nj
sgara Folls, ! am informed. is worth
millions OF dollars, and / think it
ihould be developed by the state and
owned by the state. | think that out
soing officials should not take it upon
themselves to issue T. grant cf this
eharacter, as license such as the
commission has power to grant may
run for fifty years. Three members
u the commission are going out of
office the frst OF the year.
Asked If the Smith administration
could not revoke the permit il the
State Commission should see fit to