The Coconino sun., 1923-02-02
USE UNDERHAND
METHODS TO KILL PACT
SAYS ST. CHARLES

Charges that the Copper Queen and
other large mining companies Of the
state were working through certain
legislators to prevent the ratification
of the Colorado river pact were made
by Senator Kean st. Charles Of Mo-
have county on the floor of the SEN
ate Wednesday afternoon in the course
of a debate on Senator Rutherford's
bill to abolish the office of Colorado
river commissioner.
Senators Cornick and Rutherford
were prompt to denounce the insinua-
ton of st. Charles, claiming that they
themselves had not made up their
minds as to which way they would
vote on the pact and that certainly
they were not dictated to by anyone
as to how they should vote on the bill
under discussion or ;sny other meas
ure. Senator Sims said that inas
much as the Original resolution on
the Colorado river had been introduc-
ed by Senator Roberts of Cochise, he
thought it no more than right that he,
Sims, should relinquish all right and
claim to the title Of Copper Queen
senator" to his colleague Roberts
made no reply.
The motion recommending for pas
sage the bill to abolish the Colorado
river commissionership failed to car
| ry by a vote Of five for and eleven
against, after a lively debate lasting
| half an hour. Rutherford, Roberts,
Golfer, Glaypool and Sims voted aye.
The attempt to kill off the Colorado
river commissioner, declared ST.
1 Il
movement to kill off the pact itself,
and openly charged that it was be-
| ing engineered by certain mining in
terests of Cochise and Yavapai coun-
ties.
Throw monkey wrench into the
pact if you will, exclaimed the vet
eran senator from Mohave, "but take
the consequences. What are the peo-
pie going to say? The democratic
party will have to bear the respon-
| sibility in this matter and if this pact
| is defeated you will see the biggest
| campaign in the United States states
against the democrats when they come
up for office again.
"If you can find anything the mat
liter with this pact" challenged St.
Charles, "come out in the open with
it. Don't try to kill the pact by such
/ underhanded methods as this"
The remarks of St. Charles were
supported by Senator Campbell who
declared it would be a grave mistake
to abolish the office OF commissioner
at this time, as certain negotiations
Knight still have to be taken up.
The discussion Of this measure fol-
/ lowed action Of the senate recon-
mending the repeal of the law Great
ing the office of state water commits
4 sioner, as provided for in Senator
Rutherford's bill. Rutherford made
| an extended address, pointing out that
the abolishment of this office was IN
line with the plank of the democratic
! platform calling for governmental
economy and with that portion OF the
governors message demanding the
removal of useless boards and agen-
cies. The state water commissioner 3
/ office, he said, had cost the. people OF
Arizona $84 600 and what had tney
gotten out of it? Practically MOTH
ing at all. Until the creation OF TINS
| superfluous office, he said, all water
rights had been satisfactorily adJu-
sdicated by the state courts, but un-
der the extravaganza ana USELESS 20"
passed by the republicans it was now
/ impossible for a miner to take out a
vvater right to work his claim without
| fiji st securing permission from the
lbiq,@ and mighty water commissioner.
RI tn erford in his speech totally lg-
nored tie fact that the work OF the
water commissioner during the last
f-wo years has been closely identified
Ut;th the preliminary work incident K
~ = develoLGnent Of the Colorado river
snd s,n, totally overlooked the tremendous
,Iork. 1,aos +, Behalf Of the pact which ha;
hoan hoan acc, sla sraplished by w. S. Norviel
% ocfin. N he capacity of state waite
cor1reissioner' Cs,r,i19 and Colorado river com
DESPITE Despite the +. vet that the position t,,si
are linked in one, lse senators by y tnel. 1el.
vote decided to abolt 3h one oIIlce III tha, Gsal
rying a salary and letaln lia,, tne g.. Otne. re-
| under which the c, 'rtAnlsslohel no ae
| ceives no pay other thaf ms Salsf
! as water commissioner. -
IT,, Co., Wont Ado