The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-12-16
AUDITOR CHASE
OPPOSES DAM
OF LICENSE TO
MINNESOTA POWER & LIGHT
COMPANY AT CABO LAKE OP-
POSED BY STATE AUDITOR
CHASE In LETTER TO ATTOR-
NEY GENERAL HILTON.

NEI GENEkAL HILL ON.
Opposing the extension of a lic-
ense by the Federal power commits
sion to the Minnesota Power &
Light Company FOR the construction
of dams and the impounding of the
waters of Gabbro and Bald Eagle
lakes and Isabella river in Lake
county, Ray P. Chase, state auditor,
has written to Clifford L. Hikon,
attorney gen raj suggesting the nee
essity of a state water power policy
and asking that Minnesota take part
in the consideration of power apph-
cations now before the commission.
In his letter to Mr.. Hilton, Mr..
Chase declares that he can find no
record that this state has been notl-
fed of the pending application or
of granting of a previous petition
which has resulted in the construc-
ton of two dams, the flooding Of
state lands and the destruction of
state timber.
AS land commits sioner of this
state, Mr.. Chase says he questions
the authority of the Federal power
commission, or any injudicial Fed
eral tribunal, to hear, try and deter
mine questions involving the use and
ownership of such public waters as
those involved within the state. He
denies that the commission has pow
er to take from the people of Min
n sofa the right the public now has
to the free and unobstructed use of
the waters and to transfer the right
to any public service corporation,
firm or individual.
Mr.. Chase specifically requests the
attorney general to make an appear
ance before the commission to OPP
pose the grant for extension of the
license. If the commission has au-
thority to transfer the rights there
should be compensation to the pub
lie for the loss of its property rights,
he suggests.
Asserting that the state is in need
of definite policy, Mr.. Chase said,
when Minnesota reaches its great
est development, all lands and each
acre of land, waters and each acre
of water within its boundaries will
be devoted to the use for which they
are best suited This is true for
watersheds, streams, lakes and wat
erfalls, Just as it it is for farm
lands, timber lands, mineral lands,
for peat, clay loan and sandy soils.
Restricted Use of Land.
Fertile agricultural lands, close
to markets, roads and schools, and
adapted to high degree of cultiva-
ton, should not be utilized for rails
ing timber. Less fertile lands, un-
cleared, far from markets, roads and
schools, should not be used at this
time for farming, and neither the
state nor individuals should foist
them on uniformed homeseekers as
desirable agricultural lands: A
sound, sane, sensible state policy
would require that the land first
described above should be devoted
to raising forest products.
'1n the same way, lakes and
streams and waterfalls of little seem
ic beauty and slight recreational
value, but located where the supply
of water, the demand and conse-
quent market for power, and con-
ditions in general favor the de-
velopment of water power, should
be utilized for industrial purposes;
while other bodies of water of great
er scenic beauty, with a flow or
supply intermittent or inadequate,
located where the immediate sur
roundings combine to create set
ting of outstanding recreational
value, should be preserved in their
natural state.
Expert Judgment Needed.
To determine the use for which
lasds and waters are best suited re-
quire expert judgment. The ques-
ton demands and merits considera-
ton and decision by an agency at
once authoritative, competent, i'm
partial, unprejudiced, disinterested,
worthy of having public confidence.
Power to determine the relative
potential values of land and waters
and for what purposes they are best
suited should never rest in the hands
of self-seeking private interests, en-
thusiastic but uniformed partisans,
demagogues, or the prejudices of
the Incomplete.
sit is vitality important that Min
neSota formulate and announce a
definite land policy, applicable to
publicly owned and privately owned
tracts alike, and that it do so now.
1t is equally important and more i'm
mediately necessary that the state
determine it's policy relative to the
public waters within its boundaries
in order that some government de-
partment or official there 81 all be
given authority to hear, consider and
decide questions pertaining to theuse
of these waters and the co-ordinated
Herewith authority rests now with
any state agency, that fact should be
ascertained that, at the nexs legis-
tive session, the need may be sup
piled through constructive thought
and concrete, remedial legislative
action"
Discuss Questions.
Mr.. Chase goes into an extensive
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