Arizona republican., 1921-12-16


 ! broad valleys of unequaled fertility | of soil and presenting uneXampled ! opportunities for development 1 see | no reason why as a result of the CO., | operation of intelligent efforts eX- l erted by the citizenry of this great | state, the time may not come when l Arizona will not only be considered l the treasure vault of this country so | far as mineral riches are concerned, | but that this state will achieve first rank prominence in the list of pro- l ductiVe agricultural commonwealths l of America.
 What is the attitude of our na- l tional government towards a revival | of reclamat tion in the west?
 What is the attitude of our state | government towards the reclamation | of our arid lands; and
 What can this conference do to | further the cause of reclamation in this state?
 Taking up these questions seriatim, I have but to refer you to the recent ! message of President Harding to 1 congress, in which the national ad- | ministration is definitely committed to the policy of retaining the vast arid lands of our country. So far | as the chief executive of this nation ! is concerned, we are assured by that statement that he intends to lend the
 weight of his powerful influence to- ward a revival of this great policy, l which was inaugurated by that man among men, the late Colonel Iheo- | dore Roosevelt.
 personally know from correspon- dence I had with Senator Harding before his election that he IS strongly in favor of reclamation.
 What will be the attitude of the national congress is a difficult and less easily analysed proposition.
 There are a number of bills pend ing in congress at the present time looking to the reclamation or the arid, swamp and cut over lands in the nation. Of these. and perhaps
 the most notable and the one that has been given the most prominence
 and which, by reason of the backing it has received from the Western
 States Reclamation association IS the
 one that has the best chance of pass ing, Is what is known as the smith
 McNary bill, being Senate Bill No.
 2747. The representatives of the
 western states are practically unit
 in supporting this measure, ana
 many hearings have been held in
 Washington before the committee in
 charge of this bill.
 1t has received the endorsement or
 most of the irrigation meetings that
 have been held during the present
 year throughout the country. and
 believe has also the support of those
 congressmen and senators, who come
 from states having unreclsimed
 swamp lands and cut over timber
 lands within their boundaries.
 don't know how many merchants
 or business men there are in the l viz hrft nudOu DIeulN
 there are several thousands.
 If each and every one of these in- ! dividuals firms and corporations
 should make it his or their business
 for the next 60 days to present thls
 matter strenuously to every eastern
 house with which they do business
 and urge them to take the matter up with their respective congressmen and senators and demand their sup
 mort of such legislation, [ verily be- lieye that definite results could be
 obtained. Whenever an eastern . manufacturer is shown the proof that
 reclamation of arid lands in the west l or the reclamation of waste lahus ! wherever situated in this country
 means an increased volume ot pusi : , l ness for his products. the lndustrla
 east and middle west will back oui l demand for the enactment of such |
 We now pass to a consideration ol
 the attitude of our state government
 towards reclamation of arid lands and I think that that attitude so fal as Governor Campbell is concerned
 is so well known that it will not re- ouire extended discussion He ano
 his administration are in favor ol
 speedily retaining our unused allt , lands.
 ho among us as to the desirablhty ol carving out the idea first promul-
 gated bv Governor Campbell looking fo the lending of state aid towards the development of such projects as may lie within our state. The pro posal of a constitutional amendment by the recent legislat re in House l, Bill s3 and the providing or the ma chinery whereby the same might DC carried into effect in the event or lts } approval by the peope in House Bil 12a nlaces in concrete form the idea ? of Governor Campbell to provide the ? means whereby our state protects : might be developed. The constitu' tional amendment provides that the : state may lend its credit to such eh' terprises not to exceei per cent ol ! the assessed valuation. This was t' 7 have been submitted to the voters } last month at d speCiat eAeS'4Oti { the legislature The supreme cou, cout r having decided, however. that sucI
 measure could not be brought ul . until next fall. it will be voted upoi at that time.
 9 Passing now to a consideration o . the question. What can this confer S ence do to further the cause Of tn' l 1 reclamation of our arid lands , seems to me that we should center
 our present efforts upon two or three main projects that are fully report D cd upon and are ready for construc- ' tion. What particular projects shoule be taken up by any committee on res
 olutions which this conference may ! name, I would not attempt to suggest i. las I am familiar with the details oi . only one project in the state, ane
 that, as you well know, is the SaT
 Carlos project.
 This project has been so thorough :, ,y reported on and its physical as : poets are so well known that theI . need no enumeration here, and I an | sure you will agree with me that tn
 San Carlos project should be place' as number one upon the list. It i i" not likely that should the Legislation
 I have spoken of become the law o 2 the state, that it will result in an. h particular advantage to the land own CTS under the San Carlos project, a $ we will not in all probability be abl' = to avail ourselves of the provisions c of such legislation. The governmen
 controls mot only the San Carlo : storage dam site. but the diversion d dam and distributing system as wei
 as a large portion of the lands to b' T--1l1 ,F7A i- NnN