The Coconino sun., 1923-08-31
SHOULD RATIFY PACT
SAYS DEM. PAPER

i
The committee of nine named af
ter conference called in Phoenix last
May by Governor Hunt was to have
held a meeting on last Saturday in
Tucson, September s, according to in
formation received by the Daily Inter
Rational yesterday. Since the confer
ence was held in Phoenix at the call
OF the governor this paper has felt
that 1t was just as we'll to wait for the
report of this committee before going
| into discussion of the Colorado riv-
er compact. But time is fast passing
and so far there has not been even an
intimatlon of any new information re-
| garding the pact secured by the COM
mittee and now it is not known wheth-
er the committee will be ready to
make report of its findings after its
September meeting or not.
While the Colorado river pact is not
party measure, nor should it be con-
sidered as such, still there is an un-
easiness among many democrats of
the state that failure to ratify the riv-
er compact, already accepted by six
states that were parties to the agree
ment, will place responsibility on
their party which would not be done
could vote of the party be taken
on the question. Unless this paper is
very much mistaken in the public SEN
timent in Cochise county and in Doug
las decided majority Of both demo-
Gratis and republicans are in favor Of
ratifying the pact without reservations
or interpretations But notwithstand-
ing our belief as to this public senti-
ment, there is no way to test it except
by vote on the pact and regardless
of what the committee of nine may
think of having the matter referred to
the people we are in favor OF this
method of disposing of the pact
Having called the conference last
| spring and having, following that con-
ference, appointed the committee of
nine to study the pact as to its eff
fects on Arizona, Of course the COVER
nor may not be expected to do any
thing further regarding the pact until
! he receives the report of the findings
of the committee and any new infor-
nation regarding its effects on the
| state of Arizona.
So far there has been no delay in
| the development of the Colorado river
LAIIECnA
ratify the compact The compact it.
self provides that it shall be ratified
| by the legislatures of each of the sew
en- states which were parties to it and
! by the congress of the United States.
When congress adjourned last March
/, the states had not ratified and the nat
ional lawmakers took no action Con-
gress will not be likely to reach the
Colorado compact, even should it be
ratified by all Of the seven states, be-
fore some time next winter But If
| Arizona fails to ratify the compact
before the meeting of congress, then
Arizona will lay itself open to the
charge. that it is delaying the work Of
Colorado river development.
/ 1t is generally understood that Gov
ernor Hunt will call an extra session
of the Arizona legislature sometime
| this fall and of course it is expected
that he will again call attention of
the legislature to the Colorado river
compact. 1t is our opinion that when
the legislature meets either one or the
other of two things should be done:
| The pact should be ratified without
reservation or Interpretation or the
matter should be referred to the vot-
ers of the state for decision. This
could be done by passing a measure
ratifying the pact as it is and by
! passing a ratification resolution with,
say the Interpretation proposed by
Senator Elliott during the regular ses-
sion, and referring both these acts to
a special election which would afford
] the voters an opportunity to vote their
| desires in this important matter Why
not give the voters of the state the
| final decision on the pact it is not
party question, as we see Winsor
and Hayden speaking earnestly for
ratification and Cornick, Elliott and
other democrats speaking against it.
Among the republicans we find the
| leaders divided as to whether the pact
should be ratified or not, as for in
stance, Tom Campbell for it and Tom
Maddox against it.
This paper has up to this time re-
Trained from giving advice on this
matter, but now does not hesitate to
say that the legislature should ratify
the pact or refer it to a vote Of the
| people for their decision. We believe
the voters of the state are we'll enough
informed on the pact to enable them
to vote intelligently on the question
of ratifying or rejecting the pact ana
their decision would relieve all those
who have spoken for or against it
| from any responsibility.
| What Arizona wants is cheap pow
er and the people have been led to be-
| lieve that this cheap power Will soon
be available after the pact is ratified
and this belief accounts for some rest
lessness now regarding the slowness
of the committee of nine to make a
report of their studies and findings.
douglas International.
1t would appear from the above ed
itorial in the Douglas International,
a staunch Hunt administration paper,
that the democrats are considerably
worried over the Colorado river pact
question, and fear grave mistake has
b.,ox, - n IL -,