The border vidette., 1928-04-28
MATTOCk AND BOULDER DAM
Hon. II. F. Ashurst,
Senate Office Building,
Washington, D. G.

Dear SlT:
Proponents of the Johnson
Boulder Dam bill are saying that
this measure, as amended, is ap.
proved by most of the Arizona
delegates. This in untrue and
unfair. No one representing
Arizona is supporting this bill.
The reasons are partly as fol
lows:
The bill denies the three re.
quests of Arizona, viz: Protec
ton against Mexico. and equal
division of Colorado River water
with California and that water
power properties pay taxes like
other property.
The bill pretends to limit Mex
ican use of water; actually it
does not, but limits use in the
! United States to 5000, 900 acre
feet until 1963-wEich means
| forever.
The bills pretends to limit
California to 4 600, 900 acre feet;
actually it authorizes her to take
approximately 100000 acre
feet, or all the water allotted to
the lower basin in the Santa Fe
compact.
The bill pretends to give Ari
zona and Nevada a power re
venue similar to the coal and oil
leasing bill of 81 % of the re
ceipts; actually the Lill's provi
sion is upon the net instead of
the gross receipts and inserted.
jokers preclude any net revenue.
The bill pretends to insure
California, Arizona and Nevada
each the use of one third of the
power developed; actually it
gives them only an equal right
to ask for power.
| The bill pretends to give EN-
ploymen to ex service men; &C
tually it allows those in charge
of construction and maintenance
| to hire whom they please.
| It proposes homesteads for ex
service men; actually it builds
canals to irrigate corporation
owned land. including a railroad
grant larger than the district of
Columbia.
The bill pretends to put the
Imperial and Coache1la Valley
development under the Reclama.
ton Law. similar to other pro
4 jects; actually it exempts land
from any payment for either the
tconstruction or operation of stor
| age reservoirs and delivery can
! ais.
The bill pretends that the sell.
! ing price of power must be equal
to competitive prices; actually it
postpones this requirement for
fifteen years, to freeze out the
! present electric plants.
| The bill proposes to improve
navigation; actually it destroys
it, as twenty locks-like those
at would be required
to lift vessels over Boulder Dam
/ It proposes flood control to
save life and property; actually
it-insures the irrigation of g..
900, 600 acres in California and
| Mexico, to produce hay, cotton
and vegetables for canning, ETC., ],
to add to surplus farm products.
1t proposes to we'll power to
repay government loans; actual
/ ly it taxes eastern manufactures
to produce cheap power to create
Los Angeles competitors.
1t proposes domestic water for
Southern California cities; &C
tually it provides national fund
for Los Angeles city water works
and to take Arizona water to
irrigate the coastal plain, like
Owens Valley water was taken
$50 miles to irrigate the San
Fernando Valley.
1t withdraws from entry all
Federal land needed for canals,
ETC.. but it gives a blanket fran
chise for transmission lines any
where over government land.
1t provides that works con
structed in California, when paid
for, shall be owned by the peo
pie of that state, but that works
constructed by Arizona and Ne
vada shall forever be owned by
the Federal Government.
It pretends to limit electrical
power contracts to a term of so
years; actually it provides that
the government must renew
these contracts indefinitely, or
pay for the transmission lines