Arizona republican., 1920-05-07
GOVERNOR POINT
 ID THE NEW ERA OF AGRICULTURE
Says It Will Be Major In- dustry In State Outlines Plan for State Aid In Reclamation Works at Big Charleston D a m Meeting
Especial to The Republican,

\ ST. DAVID, Ariz., May 6-Gover- nor Thomas E. Campbell pointed to the dawn of a new era in Arizona to- day when he declared that agriculture would be the major industry for the state, bringing with it peace, content ment, progress and realization of all l-the high ideals of Americanism. The governor also pointed out how this would be brought about by harnessing the giant forces of the Colorado river under plans now being worked out by the League of the Southwest, of which he is president, and by other reclama- tion projects now under consideration Governor Campbell opened the pro- gram of a, great get-together gathering of 1900 residents of the San Pedro valley, who met for the purpose Of launching the Charleston Dam pro- ject, which will reclaim 75,00O acres of land as rich as the valley of the Nile.
 ''Don't wait for the government to build the daIn,' was the advice from the governor. we are all convinced of it's feasibility: let's build it our selves. He then outlined a plan which will bring to naturalization what res idents of this section have dreamed of for nearly a quarter of a century-a great storage reservoir which will con-
 
 which now goes to waste each year.
 Plan For State To Take Hand
 The first step in this plan, said the governor, will require q constitutional amendment allowing the state to is- sue bonds: the second step, legislation permitting the state to take up the bonds of an irrigation district in ex- change for it's own thereby lending the states credit toward financing the project and waiting for the refund ment Of the investment until such time as the land owners are prepared to pay back the principal and interest.
 The futility of seeking aid from the government was made clear by the speaker when he pointed out that there was no reclamation policy and no new reclamation work under the present national administration. As a member of the national advisory committee of the republican party, he said. he would recommend a plank reviving the rec lamation program and calling for im- mediate construction of feasible pro- jects in the arid west.
 Until new program is adopted. however. the governor said, he doubt ed whether any government funds would be provided for intra- state pro- ject. Several times continued the speaker. while acting as member of the reclamation committee seeking action on these matters, I have been confronted with this question: Why. if this project is as good and wonder full as you claim, why doesn't your state finance it, the same as other states are doing?'
 Reclamation and Roads Go Hand In
 Hand
 "As to the Charleston project, the state. through it's several departments, stands in readiness to lend all neces- sary assistance in the preliminary rl,,e made possible by a law passed by the last legislature appropriating funds for securing preliminary data on any pro- ject which shall be approved by the land board as feasible. Under the law the state and the government share the expense on a fifty fifty basis"
 The development of land must go hand in hand with the building of good roads. declared the speaker Millions are now. being expended an- nually on good roads; an equal number of millions must be devoted to recla- nation to bring about a proper bal ance, this bringing in thousands of acres of land in Arizona, which will have a productive value of one hundred dollars an acre. In this way, he said. roads would come into their real use as carriers Of production as well as tourist travel.
 Speaking of the Colorado project the governor uecldTeu that the eIIOFIS of the League of the Southwest would not interfere with but would be ben eft to lesser projects and added This is an interstate and an international problem and for this reason must be worked out with the aid of the fed eral government. As member of the republican advisory platform I will ask fer a plank making this a vital propo- sftion.
 In conclusion the governor said he would devote the balance of his term in the interest of this mammoth un- dertaking so essential to the entire fu- ture development of the southwest.