Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-10-03
.FLAYS EFFORTS TO
MAKE COLORADO A
P OLITICAL ISSUE

tioning early in 1922. Although the
purpose of the commission was to allo-
cate the waters of the river, among the
several states, this was found impos-
sible to accomplish and they devised
a plan of allocating the waters between
the upper and lower basins, realizing
that through provisions made and
placed in the compact the ALLEGATION of
waters as between states could be ar
rived at in leisurely manner as and
when required.
THE COLORADO RIVER COMPACT
This document, while it failed to ex-
actly comply with the provisions con-
tanned in the bill, compromised diff
ferences of opinion as between the
cantankerous states of Colorado and
Wyoming and the lower basin states,
which was far step in the direction
of avoiding future litigation, if such
thing is possible. At the time there
was much criticism directed at the
Arizona delegation agreeing to the allo-
cations as made, but in my opinion such
ALLEGATIONS meant little except for the
effect it might have on the public's
mind, because it ATTEMPTED to divide
something which nature had already
divided. These ALLEGATIONS could not
change the physical laws of nature and
the water would continue to run down
the river. 1t is impossible for the
upper basin states to retain or divert
these waters as they have neither the
impounding reservoir sites nor irrigable
areas upon which to place it. So
have always felt that the ratification
of the compact could in no wise be
harmful to Arizona and if it did pre-
vent litigation it would be most bene-
ficial, therefore, have been and still
am in favor of it's ratification. -As ]
see it, Arizona is the state most bene-
fitted by the ratification of the COM
pact for if those in authority are sin
cere in their promises and will live -ur
issuance of the Diamond creek license
the advantage of which to the state
will be explained later on.
FLOOD CONTROL
Flood control for the Colorado river
is both urgent and necessary. The en-
tire Imperial valley is below sea level
: and at one time the river broke through
and began to deyastate+ this wonderful
valley and was not controlled until
great property losses. had been sus-
tanned and millions of dollars expended
in the attempt to close the break. Like
wise the lands in the Yuma valley are
subject to flood inundation and should
be protected. Again 1 say flood control
is necessary but dam of such gigantic
proportions as is contemplated in the
Boulder canyon dam is sheer nonsense
for an examination of the data at hand
will convince any fair minded engineer
that dam impounding three to five
afford all the protection required il
both the Imperial and Yuma valleys
RECLAMATION
From available records of present
irrigated lands now being watered from
the Colorado river there are two anC
one-half million acres under cultiva.
tion. At the present time there are
more lands entitled to water than there
is water for these lands during the low
water period of the river flow. This
shortage would be more than provided
for in the flood control dam suggested
above. 1t is estimated that some twelve
million acre feet of water is annually
wasted, the bulk of which passes dur.
ing the months of May, June and July
| On a basis of five acre feet per annun
this would mean that two and one-hali
million additional acres to be irrigated
! is an important question. Many fee
that in view of the recent report OF
Secretary Works Fact Finding Com.
mission, which report showed that &c
ont nf a1o1 i,DI-
project acres are unoccupied, that il
would be mistake to bring in at this
time such expansive and vast area of
farm lands in competition with the
farmers not only of the Imperial, Yuma
and Salt river valleys but those of the
middle west and of the south. Par
ticularly so when supply and demand
are practically balanced and the pres
| ent administration refuses to accord to
these farmers any relief whatsoever in
! their hour of need. There is no neces-
sity, therefore, at the preeent time for
the Boulder canyon power dam in sc
! far as it would affect the reclamation
of the lands in the United States.
POWER DEVELOPMENT
| To my mind the greatest benefit this
state will receive from the Colorado
river will be through the development
lof hydro electric power. I am con-
! fident that more land will be economi
cally irrigated by electrically driven
pumps than will be irrigated by gravity
flow
| Arizona at no great distant date is
going to be a manufacturing state. The
development of hydro-electric power is
going to make this possible. Our sister
state on the west is keenly alive to this
fact and a great deal of the opposition
to power development in Arizona has
been directed from California both
openly and under cover. There is no
reason why the United States govern
ment should not accord to Arizona the
same privileges as she would accord to
California to aid in building up indus
trial and manufacturing centers when
Arizona has just as advantageous To-
cations, more water more raw material
and equally as good living conditions.
Notwithstanding the estimates of the
many millions of h. p. that can be de :
velOped, the development of this power
will proceed just so fast as it is pos
sible to secure the necessary funds to
satisfy the legitimate demands and no