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Show WATER POWER States Can Exercise Right of Eminent Domain in Condemnation Con-demnation of Power Sites and Water Rights. Washington. Jan. 24 In a decision of wide orfect to water power development de-velopment throughout the United States, tho Supreme court held today that states possess the power to enact en-act laws authorizing condemnation of power sites, and water rights by right of eminent domain. The decision was announced by Justice Jus-tice Holmes In upholding the constitutionality consti-tutionality of the Alabama water power pow-er condemnation statutes in a caso touching the improvement of Talla-hoosa Talla-hoosa river. "The principal argument," said Justice Jus-tice Holmes, "is that the purpose of the condemnation is not a public one. In the organic relations of modern society it may sometimes be hard to draw the line that is supposed to limit lim-it the authority of the legislature to oxerclse or delegates the power of eminent domain. 'But to gather the streams from waste and to draw from them energy, labor without brains and so to save mankind from toil is to supply what next to intelligence is the very foundation founda-tion of all our achievements. If that purpose is not public we should bo at a loss to say what is." |