The Coconino sun., 1923-05-11


political. It will inspire congress with
confidence that there is clear track
ahead. 1t will start something. Which
reminds me of a clause of your pub
lished letter referring to the proposed
conference. In it you deplore ''the
opinion which seems to have become
current that if the Colorado river COM
pact is ratified as written, it will inn
mediately cause development of the
Colorado river to be started by the
government" You say that you can
not conceive of anything further from
the truth. Neither can |. If such
an opinion is current deplore it as
much as you-as much as | do the
opinion which some profess that with
out the treaty the government will
start development anyway. But |
have been wholly unaware that such
an opinion as you describe is current.
The people generally seem to under
stand that the compact is just what
it is supposed to be-a treaty, an
agreement, an understanding upon
which to predicate development; that
it is a condition precedent to actual
work, precedent even to provision for
actual work by the government. A
treaty is not physical force. 1t will
not move a train or explode mine.
It is legal, and still more truly
moral force. In this instance, by its
legal force it will prevent obstruction
by it's moral force, as I said before,
it will start something. That much
there is ample ground for confidence
in. With the compact ratified by Ari-
zona, it will be ratified by congress,
and with ratification by congress the
wheels Of development will begin to
roll. Without ratification by the last
of the states nothing will be done.
| shall not lengthen this discussion
by detailed reference to the criticisms
delicately suggested or intimated in
your recently published letter, nor to
the objections which have been urged
by others. From first to last they
were the subjects Of full discussion in
the legislature. Their repetition adds
nothing to the score. Insofar as they
possess merit they deal with questions
with which the compact has nothing to
do, and which can much better be
settled after the ratification of a
treaty than they can before-in fact,
it seems perfectly clear that they can
not possibly be settled before, and
while we vainly try time goes on, and
on, and on.
Referring specifically to the ques-
tions surrounding and related to the
imposition of a royalty tax upon hy-
dro-electric power, they are questions
which bear no legitimate relationship
to the compact. Worse still, written
into the compact, they defeat it, and
no one will contend that the principle
proposed could be advanced by defeat.
So far as electrical energy produced
under private ownership is concerned,
no authority presumes to question the
power of the state to tax it. An at
tempt to write into the treaty the
right of a state to tax federal prop
erty and improvements, constructed,
owned and operated for the benefit OF
the people, would meet with inevitable
disaster. Assuming that the broad
principles of justice and equity dictate
that a state should receive some rev.
enue from resources developed, even
by public agencies, within It's borders,
that is a matter for determination by
inquiry and for adjustment through
legislation Immediately having to do
with the improvement or development.
The greatest royalty to Arizona from
the production of hydro-electric pow
er. will come in the form of new indus
tries born and old ones energized; wa
ter drawn from the earth and fertile
valleys quickened into life; agriculture
and horticulture expanded and vltallZ-
ed; railroads stretching themselves to
the call Of transportation; mineral
storehouses explored; cities reared and
extended; homes created, and ever the
hum of an increasing and prosperous
people. But l have confidence that
whatever should be accorded to Arl-
zona of revenues from publicly con-
structed works, congress will cheer
fully and fairly accord in good time
and in the proper place. 1t IS a prln-
ciple which has been recognized IN the
administration of national forests,
from the receipts of which a liberal
share is by law set aside for the state,
and our representative in congress,
Hon. Carl Hayden, with the welfare
Of Arizona ever in view, has pending
in congress a bill which provides, 81
multaneously with the ratification OF
the compact, for investigation and re-
port as to the equities of the state in
any project on the river which may be
recommended for government con-
struction. This is the proper answer
to the agitation for power royalty
addendun> to the compact, which could
only destroy the treaty and not gain
the royalty.
And in all good feeling and the best
of faith, | venture the belief that no
other objection that has been offered
to the compact is sufficiently meritor-
GUS to warrant a serious answer. NJ
merous foundationless hypotheses
have been set up, to be sure, and ar
guments against ratification built up
around them, but the interest only of
an occasional person will be excited
thereby. In the final analysis, the ine
curing person, the thoughtful, earnest
person, desiring the best for Arizona,
and that best within our time, must
surely, | think, in the happy words
Of Representative Hayden, arrive at
the only conclusion he can arrive at,
that Arizona has much more to gain
than she has to lose by the ratifica-
ton of the compact"
Be it understood, however, that |
I...-o 80 c,,orral with anvnnn who i