Arizona republican., 1916-11-04

now stands between us and the govern
 ment; and 1 say that we do not have
 to pay except what is the reasonable cost.
 Engineering Mistakes.
 Let me illustrate to you. We think 1t
 plain that a palpable and grievous 1 mistake was made in the construction
 of what is called the power canal. I | told you a moment ago that the esti-
 mate of the cost of that power canal
 was ninety thousand dollars. If you
 will remember. they concluded to
 change it little. so that it could be
 used for power not only during the pe-
 riod of construction but afterwards as a source of income to this valley, and
 they did change 1t, and it cost-what do you suppose? Twice as much as
 ninety thousand? Three times as much
 as ninety thousand? No 1t is charged against us at one million and a half,
 and it is out of commission today, and IL has been for two years, and we don't
 want it in commission today because
 the cost of its anaintenance is more
 than any income that we could eyer de- rive from it.
 We are not using that power canal.
 We don't want to spend the money or
 have the government spend the money for us to put it back in commission.
 They have done better now-what
 ought to have been done in the first place. Instead of using the power canal they have put in gates or wheels that will take the water out at a variable , head, which could have been done just as well in 1904 as it was done in 1915.
 They know much about it then. We z say We ought not to be charged with
 that We insist that we don't want them to repair il because we don't ever |. want to use it, and it was a mistake
 There are other items which, all added
 together, make this three million and . a half which We want abated.
 T Kings Absurd Doctrine. , The Secretary of the Interior through his attorney, Will R. King, has an
 nounced the astonishing doctrine that
 when bill for expenditure in the Re-
 clamation Service went through the n Auditors office and to the Treasurer. { was approved by the Auditor and paid |, by the Treasurer. that it was conclusive q upon us-a most astonishing proposi- :. ton that We never will stand for-that ), the accounting officers in the Treasury s Department may pass upon and say | what We shall pay, and what is just and - proper for us to pay. That is not the e law. with all due respect of Judge King d He said, and the Secretary of the Inter - for seems to somewhat side with him. t that this must be paid and no part. no T matter how wasteful it may have been. no matter how improvidently it may - nave been. no matter how useless the expenditure has been to us. that under q the law not dollar can be abated. y To Appeal to Congress.
 IT Now then. l am through. 1 have heen connected with the enterprise for the l. people of this valley ever since it's in e ception, way back in 1902 If we can't 70 get that excess cost abated by the Sec
 retary of the Interior. if ii is the theory
 that he has no power under the law in in apate H. then we must go to Congress n. and ask Congress to give him the pow r. CT and go further than that and direct se the Secretary of the Interior to abate le this cost down 10 what these engineers le or any other competent engineers say le it ought to be, and save to this valley r. three million and half of dollars. Id Project Not Yet Completed. er Tn addition to that, we want the oth 'e CT waters that are flowing down to us le in this valley from the Verde river pr stored, that it may be made available to le extend the wonderful valley We have IT hefe' mat no water shall go to waste. t. that no water shall pass us on down of the riVer and into the sea, there to b, s. lost, not only to us but to anybody. The E. Horseshoe Dam in the Verde ougbt tc at De built: and this project is not kom. a. piete until it is; and when if is tbs CT people of this valley will be amazed ., d, the magnificence of the greatest fri.
 s@ioh district in the entire world
 hour prosperity will then be assured nd ana we want that accomplished. and ". ed probably cannot get it accomplished
 without legislation.
 rv A Personal Question. lie And now the question is. and I an nd gong to submit it to you without say, uv Ing anything further I live in vou ,d county live in your town. I live |, iu your Irrigation district have fo, is years been connected with the devel he opment of this project. I have studie, ba u day and night. l have become ac m quainted with it. l would be a sunni, to man if l did not know about it. an ,t not claiming superior intelligence. Don, sa you think-I am going to ask vou a. question-when this matter comes ha of lore the Congress of the United States
 that can serve the people of this val,
 icy there in that senate, to advise then rk as 10 the law, as to the facts. and a, ,is 10 the conditions that exist here bette in than any man who does not live in tbl ds county! l am going to submit tha he question to you-whether or not vo, as are for Maricopa county. for the Sal Ter hiVer valley. for yourself, and do VII, fer want representative in the higbes D. body of the Congress of the Unite, States?
 ms thank you, ladies and gentlemen n- Tor your kind and considerate attention 03 Prolonged applause)