Arizona state miner., 1924-11-01

stated by Governor Hunt and also
backed by the Arizona State Legisla-
ture, which has refused to ratify the
pact, is deadly menace to the ad-
vancement and prosperity of this
state. No subterfuge for endorse
ment of the pact will be accepted by
her people. They have with one ac-
cord become fearful of the results to
follow in retarding her development
for years to come.
The Colorado river compact was
termed the most important issue of
| the legislature of 1923, yet is adj
journed early in March without any
action looking to the ratification Of
that important document.
The first organization meet of the
pact promoters was held in Washing
ton early in 1922. That fall hear
ings were held at various points in
the southwest for assembling of def
mite information, but was actually de-
rived from governmental reports and
geological surveys But all the pro-
cedures in evolving the compact were
not given to the public, nor who drew
it up. No wonder the legislature re-
fused to ratify an anonymous agree
ment without knowing it's author.
In a straight out election the peo-
pie of Arizona are thoroughly awak-
ened and the pact would ordinarily
be grossly defeated 10 to /, but great
predatory interests are here with
smoke screens and money to elect Of
ficials that will be sure to sell out to
them in the legislature, for ratification
of the pact.
The opponents of the Highline Ca
nal ridicule it by pointing to 80 miles
of tunnels necessary to bring the wa
ters of the Colorado river along the
1000 foot contour of elevation. That
argument is squelched by another.
Electric power is capable of lifting
water over any elevation obstructing
gravity flow by transmission of en-
|ergy developed by dams that may be
a hundred or more miles away.
Ratification of the Colorado River
Compact is like man giving his right
eye away. 1t ought to be a suspic-
ious circumstance to have anyone
come to you and ask you to sign away
your rights in OIL coal, timber or to
the waters of a given stream where
you have made your home. Uncle
Sam didn't give you a patent to a
tract of land for grazing, agriculture,
or even mining, but which he is in
duty bound to protect. The big in
terests know this, and the very fact
that Arizona is asked to sign a pact
is an overwhelming admission that
she has rights to the resources of
the Colorado river and tributaries, in
water and power potentiality that can
not rightfully be taken away from her
without she passively allows it.
The Colorado Compact is unfair be-
cause it seeks to give title to water
which is here today and somewhere
else tomorrow and belongs to all ri
parian owners alike who can use it.
The motive for a pact is to tie up the
power potentialfty of the Colorado
River so the great Western Combine
may use it for perpetual earnings and
profits to the everlasting hurt of the
states to which it properly belongs
And it is thru politics that the people
are being camouflaged to the real is
sue and induced to sign a menacing
agreement called a pact.
Another matter that should be pre-
sented is the fact that the State Of
Arizona's Highline Canal is being un-
fairly Disseminated against by the
Federal Power Commission, as shown
by its biased and grossly prejudiced
ruling that this project was too ex-
pensive and otherwise without merit,
because it would develop only small
area below the point of intake from
the Colorado. That was an ancient
idea and oma0afod from on ouniouf