Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-04-07
AND MAINE DEVELOPMENT
HAITS

No more gratifying report has
come out from the Slst Maine Leg
islature than that on Thursday which
told Of an agreement to get together
and arrange for a united effort look
ing to the development Of Names
resources.
Then came the Governors mes
sage. In that, claim was made OF
the adoption of a new policy, the in
PRODUCTION of a new era. The Gov
ernor stated: 1T means that never
again will a private corporation OBJ
tain storage rights from the State
under A deed or transfer. but that all
such rights, in all probability. here
after will be granted on a lease I'M
der which rental accrues to the
State and under which there are
proper safeguards to protect the in
terests Of the people"
This was far from clear. In this
instance the State owned some land
on the site of the proposed dam. 1t
was within the right Of the State to
sell this or lease it. In the Kenne-
bee charter there was provision to
sell; in the proposed compromise it
was provided to lease. That was all
which the state had to lease. If, in
the future. a water storage PROPOSE
ton comes up and the State doesn't
happen to own any of the lands az
fected thereby or to be taken there
for 1t isn't evident that the State
would have anything to lease, any
thing on which to base rental.
Surely under the Constitution it can
require no rental of the water run
ming in our streams, but the casual
reader OF the Governors message
might easily think 1t could.
With any such conclusion it is
not to be expected the industries
concerned would agree and they do
not agree. Mr.. Wyman states the po-
sition Of the Central Maine Power
Company in his letter to the Govern
or, published in another column. The
statements of some Of the legislators
will not get into print. A moments
consideration Of the situation will
convince most that it was not strange
some Of them should feel grievance.
A measure, which had been under
consideration for nearly three months,
which followed the policy under
which such development in this
State has been made, and which I'M
der that policy has not been found
TO be defective or unreasonable, they
had approved. The alternative offered
to them was to defer development
while seeking popular approval of
policy for State ownership and de-
velopment in place of private own
ership and development. They acted
under the established policy. They
thought delay of enterprise to be I'M
wise. The Governor vetoed the
measure. They insisted and he de-
manded a referendum.
The Governor had told them he had
been studying this problem for seven
years and he insisted on State owner
ship and management. But now, in
the closing hours, without consulting
them, he was asking them to accept
a so-called compromise said to have
been brought about in conference be-
tween himself and representatives
of the companies concerned. fol
which he claimed certain things
which, however. the companies now
est deny and refuse to accede to. II
seems they do not think the Gov
ernor could substantiate his claims
before the courts but they refuse te
appear even to agree to them
There was not opportunity for the
LEGISLATURE to give this matter the
consideration it's evident Importance
seemed to warrant. Why should II
have been deferred until this late
day? What was the bug under the
chip, the colored parsonage under the
woodpile?
Something like this appears to have
been passing through the minds OF
many of the lawmakers. and 1t 1.
not difficult to understand why this
should have been. And IL one will
but place himself in the position OF
the lawmaker he will probably com.
prehend why he voted to repeal thai
original charter and clean the slate
They had found the charter good and
endorsed it, the Governor had con.
demned it and had proposed a substi'
tute and made a lot Of talk about q
million dollars in rentals which hi
has not succeeded in finding anyone
10 pay under the conditions de-
sscribed in his message. A tangled
akein. but the Legislature isn't the
one that tangled 1t. Is 1t any won.
der that 1t throws the matter up ir
disgust to let VIII msoever wishes t
undertake the untangling so about it.
And meanwhile the development
OF Names resources halts. Th<
prospect Of taxes on new enterprise,
and developments doesn't even exist;
protection from drouth or flood the
Kennebec valley will have none. NJ
rentals are coming to the State from
leased State lands, f. ON privilege t.
develop electrical power or from ex.