Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-05-23

River charter that the last Legis-
lature refused to pass.
Another striking example Of the
great value in water power and
storage dams 10 shown by recent
Associated Press dispatch from
Keokuk, Iowa. The Keokuk dam
cost $29.000.000. and the dispatch re-
ferred to says that by reason, of 1t
six million tons Of coal are saved
annually" and 1.-The saving in one
year would more than pay the entire
! cost Of the dam" 1t Is interesting
to note that until few years ago no
steps ever have been taken in Maine
to preserve for the benefit Of the peo-
pie such rights as belonged to them
! in the States water resources.
Private corporations gradually have
absorbed most Of the available To-
cations and are plotting to obtain the
few now remaining to the people.
Corporations Must Garry Their Share
| Of The States Burdens
Certain newspapers frequently
publish articles about developing"
the State. They appear willing. even
eager to give away all the State
owned natural resources to certain
select individuals and corporations
that want to develop them, and re-
CARELESS Of the peoples rights in
these resources these newspapers will
not rest until the corporations have
acquired them all. In my opinion,
however. the public owns valuable
water rights and is entitled to re-
ceive a proper income from them.
The State must have money with
which to carry on its affairs and pay
it's bills for hospitals. schools, roads.
and other State activities. Indus
tries as well as individuals must
bear their share Of these burdens.
1t is one Of the fundamentals of gov
eminent that all development" shall
contribute it's share toward paying
the States expenses, and develop
ment by corporation does not carry
with it any special privilege, or en-
title it to any gift of the States prop
erty. II the newspapers ideas are
carried to an extreme, all corpora
tons would be exempt from taxation
because they develop" the State.
and the common people would be left
to pay all the taxes.
Names Industries are not entitled
to, nor do many of them seek SYM
pathy or special consideration. They
were established for profit. which is
er.inently proper; they are prosper
Gus and deserve fair treatment, which
they always have received: but their
having developed" the States re-
sources does not entitle them to any
relief from the burdens that others
are forced to carry. Names great
industrial companies are a credit to
the State, but they are no more en-
titled to special privileges than are
the farmers who develop" their
crops, or the merchants who ode
velop' their business concerns.
Water Storage
In my opinion the State Itself
should control and develop storage
reservoirs, and for tho use and benefit
Of all the power owners and power
users located on the rivers OF the
State should impound the water that
is now running to waste. For the
time being it is apparent that owing
to the corporate influences that abb
solutely control the action of the leg
islature, such plan, regardless OF its
merits, cannot be carried out. II,
however. these storage rights can be
leased to private corporations on
terms favorable both to them and to
the state, development will result
and that is what is desired by all.
Under leases the State retains
actual ownership of the water re-
sources, and the question of State
storage development can be post
poned until the people fully realize
and appreciate the importance OF the
water power question. The future
will take care of that problem. II
this lease plan is adopted no title to
these rights will pass, the rights OF
posterity will be safeguarded, and
this generation will not have sacri-
feed the heritage of those who are
to succeed us, rs our predecessors
sacrificed our rights in both the FOR
ests and water powers. l want the
people Of Maine to retain their
ownership of these water resources,
so that the great advances in cleo
trica science that are bound to be
made in the coming years will accrue
to the benefit Of the people them
selves. rather than to the heirs and
successors of those individuals and
corporations that in the past, as well
as at present, dominate the political
and business destinies Of our State.
The Peoples Will is Blocked
! In accordance with an opinion OF
our Supreme Judicial Court the Leg
islature. until the State constitution
is amended. cannot lawfully enact
laws providing for water storage by
the State. For seven years I con-
sistently have advocated such an
amendment, but owing to corporate
opposition never have been able to
their decision.
| Maine is supposed to be a State
where the will of the people governs.
We have a constitution adopted by
the people in 1920 and since then
amended several times. An unusual
provision in this document makes it
possible for 62 men to thwart the will
| Of the voters. The Senate and House
consist of 81 and ISL members re-
spectively and no amendment to our
constitution can be submitted to pop
ular vote and thus become effective.
unless two thirds Of each branch of
the Legislature passes resolution to
that effect. Eleven senators and 81
representatives have the absolute
power to stop all progress, and this
very thing has been done on the
water power question. A self-gov-
erning people finds itself unable to
! change it's fundamental law because
a comparatively few legislators.
swayed by hostile and selfish inter-
ests, are able to block the way. This
| is not popular government.
| In the days when the resubmis-
sion of the prohibitory amendment
of the State constitution was a live
issue in political circles the dry
forces did not wish to run the risk
Of allowing the people of the State
to vote on the liquor question. About
that time the initiative and refer
endum came into the political arena,
and those who favored law enforc-
ment were able to prevent the
adoption Of the initiative in so Ear as
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