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CONSERVATION 



Secretary Ballinger's Recommendations 



From a bulletin containing abstracts from the 

 annual report of the Hon. Richard A. Bal- 

 linger, Secretary of the Interior, the follow- 

 ing passages are quoted : 



POWER SITES 



In anticipation of new legislation by Con 

 gress to prevent the acquisition of power 

 sites on the public domain by private persons 

 or corporations with the view of monopoliz- 

 ing or adversely controlling them against 

 the public interest, there have been tempo 

 rarily withdrawn from all forms of entry 

 approximately 603,355 acres, covering all lo- 

 cations known to possess power possibilities 

 on unappropriated lands outside of National 

 Forests. Without such withdrawals these 

 sites would be enterable under existing laws, 

 and their patenting would leave the General 

 Government powerless to impose any limita- 

 tions as to their use. 



If the Federal Government desires to ex- 

 ercise control or supervision over water- 

 power development on the public domain, it 

 can only do so by limitations imposed upon 

 the disposal of power and reservoir sites 

 upon the public lands, the waters of the 

 streams being subject to state jurisdiction in 

 their appropriation and beneficial use. I 

 would, therefore, advise that the Congress 

 be asked to enact a measure that will au- 

 thorize the classification of all lands capable 

 of being used for water-power development, 

 and to direct their disposal, through this 

 department, under substantially the following 

 ■conditions : 



1. That the title to such lands be reserved 

 in the Federal Government, and only an 

 easement granted for the purpose of develop- 

 ing and transmitting electrical power for pri- 

 vate and public use, and for the storage of 

 waters for power, irrigation, and other uses ; 



2. That such easement be granted for a 

 limited period, with a maximum of at least 

 thirty years, and the option of renewal for 

 stated periods upon agreed terms ; 



3. That entry shall be accompanied by 

 plans and specifications covering the works 

 sought to be installed, and covering the 

 maximum horsepower capable of develop- 

 ment at such site ; also that a substantial 

 ■entry fee be paid to show good faith, and 

 that a transfer to the United States of the 

 necessary water rights to permit of the esti- 

 mated power-development be made; 



4. That the construction period allowed 

 entrymcn for the development of nt least 

 twenty-five per cent of such power shall not 

 extend beyond four years, or such further 

 time as may be granted by the Secretary of 

 the Interior upon a proper showing. 



5. That a moderate charge shall be made 

 on the capital invested, or upon the gross 

 earnings of the project for the first ten years 

 of operation, adjusted at each subsequent 

 ten-year period, and equitably determined by 

 appraisement; 



6. That all rights and easements shall be 

 forfeitable for failure to make development 

 wilhin the limitations imposed or upon entry 

 into any contract or combination to charge 

 or fix rates beyond a reasonable profit on 

 the investment and cost of operation, or 

 entry into any agreement or combination to 

 limit the supply of electrical current, or 

 failure to operate the plant ; and, 



7. That all books and accounts shall al- 

 ways be subject to the inspection of the 

 department. 



RECLAMATION SERVICE 



The receipts from all sources do not give 

 encouragement that the fund wid be suffi- 

 ciently replenished to enable an expeditious 

 completion and extension of existing projects 

 or to take up any new work. * * * 



In view of the importance of a speedy 

 completion of existing projects and their 

 proper extension, * * * j believe an urgent 

 appeal should be made to Congress to au- 

 thorize the issuance of certificates of indebt- 

 edness, or of bonds against the reclamation 

 fund, to an aggregate of not exceeding $30,- 

 000,000, or so much thereof as may be needed. 

 These certificates or bonds should be sold 

 by the Treasurer of the United States from 

 time to time as may be required by the Sec- 

 retary of the Interior and the proceeds placed 

 to the credit of the fund. They should be 

 redeemable on call within a period of not 

 exceeding ten years after issuance. The pro- 

 ceeds should be devoted to the completion of 

 feasible existing projects and the construc- 

 tion of any feasible extensions thereof, and 

 so much thereof as may be needed should 

 he devoted to the construction of new proj- 

 ects in the states and territories in which 

 the expenditures have not met the require- 

 ments of section g of the act of June 17. 

 1902. 



iH ^ ^ 



The Reclamation Outlook 



Mr. F. H. Newell, Director of the United 

 States Reclamation Service, has returned 

 from his trip with the Senate Committee on 

 Irrigation. Over fifty days of continuous 

 travel have been consumed in th's trip, and 

 the Senators have viewed practically all of 

 the projects. The report of the committee 

 will probably be prepared at an early date. 

 As to what it will contain, Mr. Newell, of 

 course, has no information, but from the pub- 

 lic expressions of the individual Senators in 

 addresses to the water users' associations and 

 other public bodies, the general attitude of 

 the committee appears to be substantially as 

 follows : 



It is the expressed opinion of the Senators 

 that it will be impossible to make any es- 

 sential modifications of the Reclamation Act ; 

 that while imperfections are recognized, these 

 are not vital, nor of sufficient importance to 

 justify attempting new legislation, with the 



