Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-01-05
GovnRNoR,s MESSAGE

J P1OElNI&, Jan. CHJ.-GOVerhOr
George W. P. Hunt today asked the
special session of the eighth legis"
lature to appropriate money to pro.
tect Arzona's rights in the Colo
radc river and to carry on the work
of the state highway department.
His special message, delivered to
both houses today, reviewed the his
tory of the Colorado river contro-
versy as it affects all the upper and
lower basin states and particularly
Arizona Appended to it was tn,
report of the river commission which
he appointed to meet with the com.
missions of California and Nevada
! in an effort to effect some agree,
ment for river DEVELOPMENT.
| 81 recommend that this legislature
make available from the generas
fund of the state such moneys as.
may I've required to employ attor;
neys, engineers and other technical
experts" the message read, "and to
defray the expenses of such com-
mittees and representatives as il
may be found necessary to appoint
in order to conserve and protec
Arizona's rights in the Colorado
river and to obtain development of
this great natural resource in the
interest of our state.
ST suggest that this appropriations
be made an open one, rather than
for specified amount, because if q
definite amount is named, 1t wiz
have to be levied for the general
tax rate; whereas, if the money re-
mains unusd there will not have
been an increase in taxes without
| real necessity. There is generally
an amount in the general fund re-
verting to the treasury from savings
effected by the various departments
that, 1 believe, will be found ade,
uuate for any necessity that may
arise under this appropriation"
AS for the state highway depart,
ment, which he termed "the greatest
business enterprise in the state OF
Arizona" the governor said: "The
immediate need IS the creation of a
fund to finance federal aid require
lnents and to provide for the main
tenance of our highways"
He recommended the adoption of
constructive program for financing
the department and the appropriation
of funds to maintain the highways
already constructed. "The next inn
perat;ve need of the department"
the message read, lis sufficient fl
nances to match federal aid funds
so that this money may be available
for use by the state of Arizona
Reviewing in detail the efforts
made by the administration since
! -iY,C-
toward development of the river fol
domestic, irrigation ana power pur
poses, the message pointed out that
Arizona "was content to develop III
conservative, economical manner
under the doctrine and law of prior
appropriation for beneficial use as it
applied to the water resources of the
state"
| II have been anxious, Ike all
/ other citizens of the west" it con-
| tinued, "to see development under
taken on the Colorado river at tho
earliest possible date in order 20
utilize the waters for the eXten-
sion of agriculture and the creation
of power"
The paper touched upon the geo.
|
seventh legisla ture, the Diamond
creek project in which James e.
Girand and his assignees have been
permanently enjoined by the fed
eral courts from undertaking any
development work on the Colorado
at Diamond creek; the hearings con-
Quoted here by the u. S. senate com7
m.ttee on irrigation and reclamation
in 1925; the sending Of his COM
mittee to Washington last spring
and the convictions of DELPHI Car
renter, of Colorado, and Gov. George
II. Dern, of Utah, as regards river
Developments.
The Swing johnson, Boulder canyon
dam bill, 1T declared contains q
provision which proposes to abro-
gate all the water laws which now
exist in the Colorado river basin. II
proposes to destroy states rights. 1t
proposes to place the administra"
tion and the appropriation of water
under the control Of the secretary
of the interior of the United States.
'It proposes to put the United
States government in the power busi-
ness, and by so doing, to deny to