The Coconino sun., 1925-01-09
SIMS HAS new PLAN
FOR COLO. RIVER PACT

Senator w. P. Sims of Cochise. who
has been member of the state sem
ate during three past sessions, has
sent to this newspaper the outlines of
a measure he will introduce in the
Forthcoming session of the legislature.
In his statement, the senator said:
What's the matter with the pact?
Why hasn't it been ratified? Let us
examine into the matter of sentiment
for and against this interstate treaty.
1t can be summed up in this wise:
Il. Two years ago if the compact
had been submitted to the people, it
unquestionably would have been APP
proved, because the average voter
did not realize that Arizonas inter
ests were not protected.
y. Due to an educational cam
paign and largely through Governor
Hunts influence, the pact, if submit
ted to the people today, would un-
doubtedly fail
"3. But in the meantime a third
movement is on foot that calls for
definite action that will lead to i'm
mediate development, for it has come
to be realized that Arizona cannot af-
ford to let matters drift. She must
do something or somebody else will
do it for her.
"The one big problem before the
Arizona Legislature at the coming
session will be to meet this situation
and at the same time protect Arizona
in her every right on the Colorado.
"It will be easier to arrive at
solution if the legislators will realize
that the pact itself is not concerned
with damSites or power, but its sole
purpose is the ALLEGATION of water of
the Colorado as it affects the seven
basin states.
''The original purpose of the pact,
it will be remembered, was to allocate
the waters of the Colorado between
the seven states. Representatives of
the seven states meeting at Santa Fe
soon found that was an impossible
task, and so a compromise was effect
ed between four states constituting
the upper basin and three in the lower
basin.
"There has been no criticism Of
this division of water between the up
per and lower basins The only criti-
cism has been that the pact did not
provide an ALLEGATION between Arizona
and California. Arizona rightly fears
that were the pact in force today,
California with her superior financial
ability, would, under the doctrine of
prior appropriation of water, perfect
rights to all of the water allocated to
the lower basin states.
"By the same reasoning, under
which Colorado seeks a definite allo-
cation Of the waters Of the upper
basin, so Arizona would insist that
of the water allocated to the lower
basin a sufficient amount should be
reserved to accommodate the future
growth of this state"
Senator Sims presents the follow
ing as a possible solution:
Ratify the compact to become eff
fective:
First. When California and Neva-
da agree to the following: (a) Nevada
to have 100000 acre feet reserved for
her future use. OBJ The balance of
the unallocated water to the lower
basin to be divided equally between
Arizona and California.
Second: When the federal govern
ment recognizes the right of Arizona
to tax power development on the Colo
RADIO.
"Arizona has been criticized for
having no definite line of action"
said Senator Sims. Here is some
thing definite. If this plan is APP
proved, Arizona will go through with
the pact and inasmuch as Nevada
would be amply taken care of, the
next and final move would be up to
California"