Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-01-21
IS POLICY HONEST
OR CONSTITUTIONAL
IS QUESTION ASKED
Washington. ID. c.
January, 10, 1924.

January, 10, 1924.
Hon. Charles L. Quincy.
Chairman,
Public Utilities Commission
of Maine.
My dear Chairman Quincy:
Before continuing this welfare part
of the argument, which includes the
economic and engineering reasons
why Names present water power
policy doesn't pay, i wish to tell why
l think II is not even passably
honest.
You are far better qualified than I
to judge of the constitutionality of
Names transmission law. but l
am well aware of the trend OF re-
cent judicial opinions and havo vet
to meet anyone west OF kittery, and
indeed / rarely meet one within our
State. who believes that this Maine
law would stand the test of an APP
peal TO the higher courts. Maine
electricity and West Virginia gas are
forms of energy that must enter
freely into interstate commerce:
But back Of any recent court de-
cision stands the whole BACKGROUND
of American history. The United
States IS not simply a political con-
federation--it IS an economic union.
state lines are commonly more ac-
cidental than logical; they are not
economic barriers. There are no
custom houses along the Maine
New Hampshire boundary. Any
economic embargo other than a nee
essary quarantine against disease
suggests war and discord between
nations and surely Is not expressive
OF peace and union of States. In
tfese days even nations distant from
each other are coming together in
their realization or economic inter-
dependence and Il is an anachronism
for adjacent States to draw apart.
Our State motto loses its force IL
Maine pulls off IA the wrong direc-
ton. Now that hundred and
forty-five years have passed since
the articles of confederation were
signed, isn't 1t tlre that VIC put .he
accent on United" rather than ON
"States?"
Even IL we had the legal right To
set q barrier between States or IL
we could evade the effect of the I'M
constitutionality cf the Mo,no law
by legislating the prohibition into
each new charter granted 10 n power
company. has Maine the moral right
to plead her own need of water
power as a reason for excluding any
one else from its use? How long
could Maine wood lots last II
Pennsylvania placed an embargo on
its coal and the half-million tons
and more OF anthracite failed 10
come annually into the cities and
towns of Maine? And let no one
think Of water power as a substitute
for fuel in combating a real Maine
! winter: IL all the rivers OF Maine
were fully harnessed and hitched up
to the house heating load alone. the
electricity generated. even regard
less Of its cost. would not be any
where near enough 10 heat Maine
homes. I'D.
We have three practical sources OF
| energy-coal. oil, and falling water
Maine has goodly share of one
and none of the others. II Is well to
! take this account of stock when we
| talk about nonexport of electric
energy. What would freight rates be
| IL the railroads of Maine had moi
| the bituminous coal fields OF West
| Virginia, Maryland. and Pennsyl-
| yania to furnish motive power
Would our Maine potatoe have be-
come so large a factor in interstate
commerce II energy from Other
| States had not been available Il
help haul trainioads of potatoes Il
market? recall hearing in New
England some criticisms Of Penn.
| sylyania placing special tax on hel
| anthracite, practically an export tar
| on the shipments Of this favored
| coal to Maine and other States, and
az I believe In the free exchange
Of commodities among the severa
States. condemn the Pennsylvania
anthracite tax almost as much as
| condemn the Maine nom transmis
sion law. However. ! can not gran
the same privilege Of criticisinl
| Pennsylvania to those who believ'
that In her own statute Maine Il
within her legal and moral rights
There = ouch . thing ~ inter