The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-01-26
CROWD ENJOYED
SPIRITED DEBATE
Twin City High Dam Subject
of Verbal Contest
LEACH VS.. NELSON
Discussed From Various Angles
Contentious Raised BY
Speakers

Dealing with The disposal of the
power 10 be generated at the dam
built by the United States govern
ment betW Gen st. Paul and Mime
apolis and Mayor Arthur Nelson OF
st. Paul last evening engaged in a
joint debate at MankatO Armory
before an audience estimated 10 be
1900
The meeting was presided over
by Mayor W. 4. Beach Of Mankato,
who introduced The speakers. Mayor
Leach of Minneapolis laid partiCu
lar stress on his idea of saving the
water powers OF the state for the
present and future generations and
not letting them become the prop
erty of private corporations. Mayor
Nelson did mot dispute the right of
the people 10 have choice in the
disposal Of their God given reSourc
es. but thought that the leasing by
the government 70; those powers TO
private corporations would not in
the Strictest sense take away the
rights of the people. Both execu;
tiyes proved themselves to be ora
tors of no mean ability. The APP
plauSe received by each speaker
was about equal For that reason IL
actly which one of the mayors was
in the greatest favor of Mankato au-
dience. Each mayor spoke half
\ hour and then follow ed with ten
minute rebuttal.
Seated on the stage were the two
bonored guests of the evening and
members of Mankato city council
including Mayor Beach.
Opening of Debate.
Mayor Leach in opening his part
of the debate said that when he was
elected to the office of mayor in
MINNEAPOLIS, he found founding on
\ his doorstep in the form Of the high
dam power proposition. He figured
that the child belonged 60 the cities
Sof ~. ailf and Minneapolis and the
lFniyersity OF Minnesota. Here the
sspeaker went into the history which.
finally led UP to the construction OF
the high dam, The, proposition had
been started away back in 1866.
The first idea had been 10 erect two
dams. but this plan was abandoned
and the United States government
erected a single high dam on the
Mississippi river Mayor Leach said
that he believed that the use OF the
dam in generating power rightfully
belonged TO the largest number OF
people TO be served and the univer-
Lsity of Minnesota. Both cities had
contributed to the cost or aparlan
rights and the university had con
tributed its share in securing the
lands needed for overfoage.
The speaker called attention 10
he fact that the Northern states
Power company lad appeared before
the federal power commission ana
made a proposition for the power
10 be generated at the high dam.
Believing as he did. that the power
rjghtfuily belonged 10 the city OF
MINNEAPOLIS and st. Paul and the
university of Minnesota, Mayor
Leach said that pressure was
brought to bear on the federal DOW
er commission to not grant the lease
to the Northern States Power com
pany. and the government had de-
cided to hold up the letting OF the
lease in order to have both OF the
twin cities come TO an understand
ing as to the disposition of the pow =
err Colonel Leach believes that the
bower should be divided fifty fifty
between the two cities and the state
university.
Admission BY Leach
Mayor Leach admitted that st.
Paul lis a better lighted city than
Minneapolis. For that reason Min
neapolis " ould want TO use one hall
of the power for the lighting OF the
city. Minneapolis does not object tt
what St. Paul will do with its one
half of the power. but the speake!
asserted that St Paul wants 10 die.
tate TO Minneapolis what it shall do
with its one half OF the power.
Mayor Leach intimated that the
proposition put up 10 the fedora
government by the city Of st. Paul,
had behind il the fayoring of turn
ing over the power at the dam 10
Henry Ford. The speaker SAID
that he did not believe that IT Is
right to turn over the interests OF
the people TO any private corpora
tion without first getting the con
sent OF the people. He said that ne
wanted the people to make the de
csion.
The Minneapolis mayor said That
one reason for coming To ,ianSdlo
10 conduct a joint debate On me
high dam power, was the Tact mat
Mankatu Is in inc s"mc fix, as The
city OF Minneapolis when ii comes to
paying for power. which is furnish
cd by the Northern state
company. He alleged that Mankato
s is paving two TO three and nearly
Ave times too much for its light
and electrical energy. He cit n m
Stances of where the rate for cleo
fric light and power was much low
or The speaker said that it IS now
high time SIat the people OF the
state take some accounting OF the
water power OF Minnesota. II is
lime that il % co-- n cd II the
mower is 10 be turned over o Fri
yate corporations. thTe at least
should be string on it. Mayor
Leach said that he hoped that II
Henry Ford gets the power general
cd AT the high dam that it will pc
under terms the same as any other
manufacturer Cheap power Is the
only thing that will develop 4.
state of Minnesota. }
Mayor Leach said that the high
dam Is the opening wedge for the
ICanflnued On Pane Seuhnl