The Coconino sun., 1923-10-19
DEVELOPMENT OF THE
COLORADO RIVER; THE
NILE OF AMERICA
Williams, Ariz., October 6, 1923

river within the state of Arizona,
make this the most wonderful heri-
tage the Creator has ever given to
any state in all these United States,
This water and this water power is IN
jeopardy.
Ninety per cent of Arizona is in the
area~ of the Colorado river basin in
which there are vast stretches. OF fer
tile lands which need only the waters
from this river, now going to waste
and running to the sea, to make these
lands as rich as any in America. The
time is here when other states are
looking with envious eyes to our pos
session of this water and this water
power, and the time is also here when
we of Arizona must realize this and
claim our right to this valuable hydro
electric power, and also our right to a
fair and just amount of the water for
irrigation, our right to the river that
can generate millions of horsepower.
Whatever is within the boundaries
of a state is for the benefit of the
people of that state, and not to be
given to other states. Owning, as
Arizona does, two hundred and fifty
miles of the Colorado river, then why
should we not reap the benefits that
must come from the electric power Of
this stream? 1t can be used for man
ufacturing our wool and cotton; to de-
velop the great mineral wealth of Arl-
zona; for running our railroads, and
even heating our homes; with other
uses of untold benefits to our people.
1t is true, il may be many years be-
fore our state could use, or would use
large amount of this horsepower,
but the surplus electric power could
be sold to other states bringing in a
large revenue enabling Arizona to
greatly reduce her taxes, and in time
to make this state one where the low
est taxes would be paid, just as Long
Beach, California, pays no taxes, the
revenue being so great from It's oil
fields. Why shoald not Arizona do
the same? 1t can be done, II the
state develops her own power and
does not permit it to fall into the
hands of other interests.
California sells her oil; Pennsyl-
vania sells her coal; Iowa sells her
corn; Oregon sells her timbefs, and
Louisiana sells her sugar, and what
ever one state possesses that another
does not possess is bought by and
paid for by other states. Then why
make a gift of rich God-given pos
session to other people? He tells US
His thoughts are not as our thoughts.
Let US try to see what His thoughts
were when he made this wonderful
Canyon, and put the great river with
its great fall into the Canyon, and IN
A IL fno
He desired we should do with It
These gifts are intended for the BEN
eft of the people who have come TO
Arizona to make their homes, and the
homes of their children. We should,
then, as a whole, take pride in saving
the waters of the Colorado river for
future generations, and for our own
use and benefit.
Every state has the right OF self
determination" on matters touching on
the good of the commonwealth. Arl-
zona has the right to determine what
should be done with the water that
runs in the bed of the stream within
her borders, and if this right does not
belong to her, let us all strive to sc.
cure it for her. This question OF
right to the water must not be allowed
to be settled by others, outsiders,
or an ALLEGATION of water made to
US without our consent after full
investigation. The benefits for the
future will be astonishing if we have
the courage and backbone to protect
this great Inheritance of Arizona. II
we were made gift of fortune,
say one hundred thousand dollars, Is
there any one here present who would
feel it incumbent upon her to divide
it with Tom, Dick and Harry? | feel
quite sure you would not. So let US
not divide our gift, a gift of a great
fortune in water power, or divide It
with corporations developing water
power in other states.
AS have said above, we have not
only been given the wonderful Grand
Canyon with the great Colorado river
running through it, but we have been
given the wonderful fall of the river
in this Canyon, already to be utilized
by the people of Arizona to develop
water power. At Lees Ferry in Glen
Canyon a dam of seven hundred feet
height can be built, which, aGded to
three thousand one hundred and fifty
eight feet, the elevation at this point,
would make a fall of nearly four
thousand feet in this great river, all
within the limits of the state of Ari-
zona. The question has been asked,
what would be the result if Colorado
built dams and used the water for
electric power. The answer is this:
Water used for this purpose flows
back to the river, and is not wasted,
and consequently would not affect the
states below. This state would be
glad to have Colorado use the water
for developing power, as the power
would bring underground water to
the surface, thus adding more water
to the river. There is little irrigable
land for many miles below Lees Fer
ry, but other dams can be built lower
down on the river, and the water util-
lied for irrigating many hundreds OF
thousands of acres of fertile land,
making homes for many thousands Of
people who will come to live where
both irrigation and electric power are
cheap, and where taxes are nominal.
These dams will generate millions of
horse power. Shall we then give 9TH
ers the right to reap the enormous
benefit that beyond question will
occur? It would be folly, gross folly,