Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-10-30

in the United States, spon.
sored a mass meeting in August al
which the power project came IN for
general condemnation in addresses
and resolutions. Congressman 4. l.
Blanton, who is said to have sen
atorial aspirations, was one Of the
leaders in the proceedings.
Following the meeting, consider
able activity was started by the rice
growers along the lower reaches of
the Colorado, who have for several
years had practically all the water
appropriated that could be used with
out impounding reservoirs. This did
MT, of course, prevent overflows IN
time Of floods. The impounding OF
waters higher up the river for hydro
electric purposes would not affect
the rice growers, but the use Of the
water for irrigation above them they
construed as affecting their appro-
priations and there an a heated
argument between the rice growers
o none side and the West Texans on
the other. The growers and the in
terests on the lower reaches of all
Texas streams a in q way, friend
~ W bhtit HoSitAOA.
Want State Sentiment
Out OF the heat Of the West Texas
controversy has come a general de-
mand for clear-cut definition Of
state sentiment relative 10 the dis
tribution and use of state controlled
streams. While il seems that almost
everybody, including the power peo-
pie, place the use Of water for irrI-
CATION ahead Of its use for power,
the single question remains as to
how much water, if any, Is going 70
be used for irrigation above h pro-
posed power project, for no appro-
priation below the project viii seri-
ously interfere with the use Of the
water for power. While the power
appropriation on the Colorado has
already been made, it is not likely
that il will be used unless public
opinion in the entire state shall sup
port the project.
The problem the committee will
seek to solve involves the possible
want of water for irrigation pur-
poses in West Texas against the use
Of it for power purposes on the
lower reaches of the various Texas
streams. The latter use, 1t Is estl-
mated, would mean the immediate in
vestment of about S3S,O0O,OO IN
power plants and industries. Texas
wants this industry If it will not
je~opardize the prosperity Of a large
part Of the state-and many Texans
are of the opinion that every part OF
the state Will benefit directly by the
utilization Of this water for power
purposes.
Cannot Satisfy Everybody
The fact was obvious to those who
attended the Dallas conference that
Il will be virtually impossible for
the committee which VIII meet at
san Antonio Monday to solve the
problem Of water appropriations and
priorities to the satisfaction of
every interest in the state. 1t is be-
lieved, however, that an acceptable
plan can be worked u which VIII
not only safeguard existing water
rights and developments but viii
also permit power development on q
large scale and possibly the develop
of some irrigation projects IN
West Texas, which contemplated
the appropriation Of practically all
waters for possible irrigation pro-
Jects, will meet vigorous opposition
from other parts Of the state, and If
the committee does not formulate
recommendations for changes IN the
existing laws they will be of a ma
which will assure an equable
division between irrigation and
power upon the basis of their re-
.spective benefits 10 the state as a
whole.