Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-04-03
WYOMING FAVORs
COMP ROMIsE ON
WATER QUESTION
"We Will Do Anything to
Bring About An Agree
ment," Commission Is
Told BY Gov. Carey.
CBy The Associated Press.)

tby INC AfN'S'f
Cheyenne, Wyo., April 2 (by the
Associated Press. - Wyoming is
anxious that the Colorado river
commission write a compact gov
erning the waters of the Colorado
river and suggests the compact
could be agreed to by the seven
states through which the river
flows, on an allotment basis, wit
mes from wyoming told the COM
mission at a hearing here today
After the session the commission,
which has been holding hearings
in the west since March 10, dis
banded. Herbert Hoover, secretary
of commerce and chairman of the
commission, departed for Chicago
and the rest of the commissioners
tonight were en- route to their
homes.
Hooyer's Statement.
In his final statement to the
commission, Mr.. Hoover said:
with this meeting the present
session Of the commission will
stand adjourned. 1t is proposed
that the commission will reassem-
bic some time in the latter part OF
July or early in August at some
point in the basin, by which time
1t will have been possible to have
digested and come to some conclu-
81 ms with respect to both facts and
opinions that have been presented.
1t appears to me that some four or
five different principles for the
formulation of pact have been
advanced, and we have heard a
vast amount Of argument, pro ana
con. Out of these principles some
where we should be able to formu-
late some sLrt of an agreement.
II think every member of the
commission realizes fully That TINS
is no agreement between seven
states--that this Is an agreement
between seven states and the ma
tional government; that each men,
Der of the commission only repre-
sents what may be the consensus
OF public opinion in those areas, II
we are secure the ratification Of
such a pact. 1t, however, requires
that public opinion in each one OF
the states shall be enlightened and
it will require time in which 10
do it.
Lack of Understanding.
There is a sad lack of under
standing Of even the most funda-
mental engineering facts in the re-
lation of the upper basin to the
lower basin. There is a general
tendency even on both sides to OBJ
struct by mental deliberation the
importance of engineering facts as
they lean both ways, or either way,
but in time the relative weight Of
the rights of each states, the rela-
tive weight of the different en-
gineering principles involved, the
relative weight of the different
legal processes that may follow
from failure to make pact, Will
all contribute to drive these states
together with the national govern
ment to some solution.
Before adjourning, / wish to ex-
press the obligations of the COM
mission to the people of the six
states that we have visited for their
hospitality. We are especially OBJ
ligated to Governor Carey, to Gov
ernor Shoup, to Governor Mabey,
to Governor Mechem, to Governor
Campbell, and to Governor Boyle,
and | wish to express my personal
of the commission for the fine
spirit that they have shown and the
great ability that they have brought
to bear on this problem, and am
confident that with a representa-
tion of this character we will be
able to present some sort of pact
in simple terms that will promote
the development OF the Colorado
river BASIN
Emerson Presides.
Frank Emerson, state engineer
of Wyoming, presided at today's
session OF the commission. Gov
ernor r. d. Carey of wyoming, adj
dressing the commission. pointed
out it was impossible to do any
thing without compromise.
"In so far as Wyoming Is con-
cerned," said the governor, 1--WE de-
sire to protect our rights. We have
grave responsibility, for we are
deciding this important question of
water, not for today but for all
time to come. On the other hand,
Wyoming is willing to accept fair
compromise. We want results from
the commission We will do any
thing to bring about an agreement"
N. u. Corthell, a widely known
attorney OF Laramie, reviewed the
history of the law of water, and
suggested 1t was inadvisable for the
commission to act hastily. He de-
clared building of dams on the up
per reaches of the river would be
Of great benefit to the lower basin.
Storage at Headwaters.
Storage at the headwaters." he
declared, gives a much greater
radius for efficient use of the
waters because water stored at the
headwaters of the stream will
make the water equally available
for use here and in the lower
BASIN"
He suggested a storage basin
in the Green river valley would
give opportunity for the use of
power in the Wyoming coal field
districts and declared the water so
stored still would be of use in the
lower basin.
"Corthell suggested that the
commission allocate only one-half
of the waters of the Colorado river
at this time, and that the alloca-
ton of the remainder be deter
mined at some future time.
""With more knowledge of the
river. the commission will be better
able in later years to allocate the
waters fairly" he declared. 1.-THE
future may prove that the flow of
the river is not enough. Then there
would be no way to undo the mat
ter. It would be more practical
for the commission to parcel half
Of the waters of the stream now.
give each state a certain percent
age and leave the rest to be dis
posed Of in later years."
Hoover Takes Issue.
Chairman Hoover took issue
with Corthell about the desirable
ity of storage on the upper river.
B Storage capacity" said the
chairman. "of the upper basin is
insufficient Everything points to
the lower basin as more desirable
for storage"
Gov. Emmett D. Boyle OF Nevada
questioned w. r Mcclure Cali
fornia's member of the commits
sion, as to the amount of lands Cal
ffornia could irrigate. Commits