New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-08-23

Private corporations 10 gain con-
troll OF public resources have pro-
cured the writing of textbooks for
the public schools: have subsidized
lectures pretending to give to the
country their own honest and I'M
baised advice: have employed as
their agents former public officials
and have endeavored to mislead
public opinion by tine retention OF
the services of leaders of the COM
munity in various parts Of the coun-
try. Highly paid lobbyists. pene-
trated into every state and into the
legislative halls OF the nation itself.
Public Ownership
As against propaganda. it is the
duty of the democratic party to set
up truth. The ownership of some
of these great water powers is IN
the nation, of others in the sew raj
states. These sources of water pow
err must remain forever under pub
tic government. they should remain
under federal control Where they
are owned by an individual state.
they should be under control OF the
state, or where they are owned ny
states jointly. they should be under
the control of those states.
Wherever the development, the
government agency, state or federal
as the case may be, must retain
through contractual agreement with
the distributing companies the right
to provide fair and reasonable rates
to the ultimate consumer and the
similar right to insist upon fair and
equal distribution of the power.
This can be secured only by the alb
solute retention by the people OF
the ownership of the power by own
ing and controlling the site and
plant at the place OF generation.
The government.-federal. state or
the authority representing joint
states-must control the switch that
turns on or off the power 30 greed
lily sought by certain private groups
without the least regard for the
public good.
l shall carry into federal admin
stration the same policy which
have maintained against heavy odds
in my own state. Under no circun-
stances should private monopoly bs
permitted to capitalize for rate
making purposes water power sites
that are the property of the people
themselves. 1t is to me unthinka BILE
that the government of the United
States or any state thereof will per-
nit either direct or indirect allen
alton of water power sites
Colorado River
Electrical energy generated from
water power as an incident to the
regulation Of the flow of the Colo
RADIO river is the common heritage
of all the states through which the
river flows. The benefits growing
from such development should be
equitably distributed among the
states having right to ownership.
The duty of the federal govsrnment
is confined to navigation. | am of
the opinion that the best results
would flow from the setting up OF
d Colorado river authority. repre-
sentative equally of all the states
concerned. The development should
he by the states through the agency
of this authority by treaty ratified
by congress.
, Muscle Shoals
: 1t will be the policy of my ad-
ministration while retaining govern
r ment ownership and control. to de.
velop a method of operation fol
e Muscle Shoals which will reclaim
: for the government some fair rev
, enue from the enormous expendt
e ture already made for Its develop
0 ment and which Is now complete
e waste. In this way the origina
: peace time purpose of the construc
), tion Of this plant will be achieved
v The nation will be reimbursed, agri
culture will be benefited by tn
h cheap production of nitrates 70
g fertilizer and the surplus power will
q be distributed to the people.
n The remaining public natural re
sources now under control of tn
federal government must be admin
istered in the interests Of all OF tn
y people.
. Likewise a complete survey an
I study of the remaining undevelope
: public resources of land. coal, O
/ and other minerals Is greatly needle
e and should be undertaken.
IT The United States because Its pee
= ple use more wood than any othe
l. on earth is therefore more depend
l. cnt on the forest than any othe
e, great nation. At the same time "
IF are the most wasteful of all peopl
Is i'll the destruction Of our forest RI
u sources.
lie The use Of our national forests fc
m recreation should be greatly extend
ID ed. l also pledge myself to give tn
lie same continuing interest and supper
ID to national park. reforestation an
at recreation program as have brougl
ID about the establishment Of 4 grei
ID conservation and state park systel
D. in the state of New York.
% 1t was Grover Cleveland who fir
20 made our national forest and col
b. servation policy into 4 great publ
question Theodore Roosevelt follow
ed in his footsteps. What these t~
i. men began must be continued ar
II, carried forward.
Labor Policies
=. The American people constitute
!, structure OF many component part
-; One of its foundations is labor. TT
=. reasonable contentment of those vi
toll with the conditions under whit
they live and work is an essenti
~ oasis of the nations well-being. tt
-. welfare of our country therefore d
I'll mands governmental concern for Il
=" legitimate interest of labor.
o' The democratic party has al~a
p recognized this fact and under q
''o administration of Woodrow Wilso
III a large body of progressive legisI