Arizona state miner., 1924-02-16
HUNT "HANos 1T" TO wlNsoR
Politics the Bane of Arizona's Future
Development
EXECUTIVE OFFICE
STATE HOUSE
PHOENIX, ARIZONA

January 30, 1924.
My dear Mr.. Winsor
| was interested in letter which
appeared in the Yuma Sun of Janu-
airy 22nd, which was attributed to
you
| appreciate fully your very deep
interest in the problems connected
with the development of the Color
ado River, and think that you made
one of the best legislators who ever
came to the Legislature of Arizona
from Yuma County. I believe, how
ever, that you are so close to the
Colorado River question that you are
unable to get a proper perspective
on it. Otherwise you would not
have made some of the statements
contained in your communication.
refer particularly to the state
ment that "The Boulder Canyon dam
was embalmed by political prejudice
in the State of Arizona last winter
l am ashamed that some members
of the Democratic party assisted"
| believe that you would not have
made that statement unless you have
adopted the view that it does not
matter where lands are put under
cultivation as long as they are culti-
waited, and that it is just as satisfac-
tory to you to have the development
of the Colorado River contribute to
the cultivation of large area in the
fornia instead of in Arizona.
If this happens to be your convic-
tion, no one could have any objec-
tion to it as your personal view, but
as a member of the Legislature of
Arizona who has announced his in
tention to again become a candidate,
it does become matter of impor-
tance. 1t is of more than ordinary
Importance because of the apparent
linking together in your mind and
the acceptance of the doctrine that
ratification of the Compact means the
building of a dam at Boulder Canyon.
Strange as it may seem, Mr. Nor
veil, who was Arizona's representa-
tive on the commission which drew
the Compact and one of it's staunch-
est advocates, stated in eommuni-
cation under date of July 10, 1922,
the following:
"A better dam and a far great
er amount of electrical energy
can be had for much less money
at Glen Canyon than at any other
place in the river Then, too,
it is all in Arizona. Of course,
cannot oppose the building of
the Boulder Canyon dam
There are elements going into it
which are different from any
other proposed. While the Glen
Canyon dam would serve the pur-
pose of controlling the river and
stabilizing the river as we'll as
for power purposes, yet under
circumstances MORE POLITI-
CAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL
THAN OTHERWISE, the Boul-
der Canyon dam is the one upon
which the government has cen
tered it's efforts
This charge made by Mr. Norveil
"a supporter of the Colorado River
Compact and the man who repre-
sented Arizona at the time it was
drafted-that politics constituted the
reason for the location of a dam at
Boulder Canyon should prove inter
esting.
If politics is the answer. who bene-
fits? | think the majority of the peo-
pie of Arizona who have studied the
question, will agree that it is not
the State of Arizona.
But even more interesting than Mr..
Norveips statement is recommen-
dation sent to Governor Thomas E.
Campbell by the one man more re-
sponsible than any other for the Col
Orado River Compact-Mr. Dolph E.
Carpenter, attorney for the State of
Colorado in handling it's water liti.
cation. l quote an extract from Mr..
Carpenters letter to Governor Camp
bell, written in July, 1921:
81 am firmly convinced, from
information that has reached me
that renewed activity on the part
of all the Colorado states. excent