Arizona state miner., 1925-06-20
LOOKS GOOD FOR THE HleHLINE
Conference at Los Angeles Means
Millions for Arizona


from unsympathetic bureau chiefs,
who are handicapping reclamation
and settlement of the state.
1t is an acknowledged fact that
nearly 70 per cent of the States area
is covered over with federal reserva-
tions that have been plastered onto
Arizona's topography and controlled
by officials of the United States ap-
pointed from Washington.
The rulers of these reservations, as
with all federal reserves, are protect
ing them so vigorously that the people
of Arizona are considered much in the
light of trespassers, whether the re-
serve be Indian reservations, forest
reservations, timber reservations, ma
tiOna1 park reservations, reclamation
and power reservations, including all
roads, approaches, and highways.
BY the Enabling Act" which ad-
mitted Arizona to statehood, a pro-
vision was made whereby the u. S.
Department of the Interior was obli-
gated to locate and specify all re-
served damsites within the boundaries
of the State, inside of a period Of
five years. That period of time
elapsed on December 81, 1917.
Federal bureau chiefs seem to have
paid no heed to this contract with the
State of Arizona. The federal recla-
nation and power bureau of the u. 8.
has grown into an odious dictatorship
that arbitrarily approves or contests
the location and inauguration of pri-
vate or public reclamation and power
projects in Arizona.
Secretary Work recently pointed out
in his report the necessity for i'm
mediate completion of reclamation
projects of the West, In order to set
tie up the country. Yet the bureaus Of
reclamation and power not only are
neglecting to attract settlers to the
projects, but are actually antagoniz-
ing them so that "SE1 TIERS ARE
LEAVING PROJECTS AND FARM
ERS ARE FAILING TO TAKE
THEIR PLACES" Sec. Work stated
in so many words that "THIS WAS
A CAUSE FOR REAL ANXIETY"
We are told of hundreds of water
locations along the Colorado river by
private parties who are estopped
from completion of their projects by
the arbitrary ruling of the federal
power and reclamation bureau. Along
the Arizona side of the Colorado riv-
er parallel strip of land has been
reserved by that bureau which is an
effectual estopple to 1rrigators who
may wish to cross that reserved strip
in taking water from the Colorado.
If this Is true, then all Colorado
river reclamation projects are neces-
sarily ruled by the government and
upon government aid rests their ul-
innate success and completion. Un-
der this ruling, no reclamation IS
feasible without permission and die
tatfon of the federal u. S. power and
reclamation bureau.
A case in point is that of the Ari-
zona Highline Canal, q public state
project designed to reclaim and ir-
rlgate 3,5OO,O 900 acres of land below a
proposed damsite on the Colorado
river, whence the water was to be
taken.
Exercising a protectorate over all
projects for damming or taking water
from the Colorado river, the federal
power commission, like all u. S. bu-
reaus, dictates expenditures, specifi-
cations, distribution of water and sale
of energy developed, through a bu-
reaucracy of agents-hired represen-
tatives of the government who hold
fat jobs and responsible positions
1t Is rule that all public officials
tort1fy themselves in their official cap
ac1ties. This rule holds good in mu-
n1clpal, county and state functions.
Their reports are all in accord with
and perpetuate the rule of each par
t1cular department or bureau by
which they are employed.
In accord with this rule, a special
commission two years ago without
investigation, declared the Arizona
Hlghline Canal unfeasible and ridicu-
lously reproached the project as Wis
1onary and without merit. But a Cal
fOrn1a branch of the Western Power
Trust and the City of Los Angeles.
which must have water, were the real
influential objectors to the Arizona
H1ghline Canal project. They saw In
the H1ghline a possible unity of the
United States with the State of Ari-
zona in a public measure that might
delay or eliminate the proposed Boul-
der dam project-which meant lifting
water 100 feet and a 65-mile tunnel
above the level of the dam in order
to get 1t to flow by gravity into Los
Angeles
Many surveys and expensive inves-
LEGATIONS by government and private
syndieates have resulted But none
have brought forth any actual under
taking of the enterprise. The mis-
chief caused by this unjust, adverse
report has caused this delay and may
account for the anxiety Of Secretary