Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-12-13

Lower Rio Grsnde Valley irrigation interests arc
considerably perturbed over the exclusion by the sen
ate committee OF the Valley amendment 70 the Boulder
Canyon dam bill. accepted b. the house during the last
session and Incorporated in the house bill.
The Valley amendment provides that the measure
shall not in any way be construed as ~prejudicial a.
the interests Of Mexico. if Mexico has such interests.
IN the waters Of the Colorado. With this amendment
every Objectionable feature Of an international char
acter which the bill may possess is eliminated. but
without IL the measure will be construed by Mexico as
r~rejudicial to her interests.
The menace Of the Boulder Canyon dam bill in its
present form is intensified by the fact that ALLEGATIONS
Of water already made on the American side OF the
stream are over 100000 acre feet in excess Of the
annual flow. In view Of this fact, Mexico would Dc
perfectly justified in rssenting passage Of the measure
without the amendment proposed by the Valley irriga-
tion interests.
In justice 70 Senator Johnson u California and
ether proponents Or the Boulder Canyon dam project,
IL must be stated that they favor inclusion Of the
amendment. Senator Johnson has moved substitution
of the house bill for the measure submitted by the
senate committee. The house bill is satisfactory to
Valley interests in every respect, and while Mexico
cannot take official cognizancc OF the measure, IL j.
generally conceded by Mexican officials in close CON
tact with the border irrigation situation that passage
of the house bill would be an important factor in CON
nection with any negotiation for a treaty setting forth
the respective rights Of the two countries in border
streams.
The future OF the Lower Rio Grsnde Valley depends
10 no small extent upon q treaty with Mexico which
~ill clearly define the respective water rights and
which will also be the basis for conservation Of Rio
Crandc waters. Any action or measure which directly
or indirectly infringes upon the rights of Mexico will
react to the disadvantage of tho Valley irrigation in
terests. The Valley wants ar equitable distribution
Of the waters or the international streams. Passage
Of a bill which would ignore such rights as Mexico may
have in the waters 81 the Colorado. which now irr'-
gate over 100000 acres Of Mexican land in Lower Cali
fornis. undoubtedly would undoubtedly prevent m
definitely the negotiation Of such ? treaty.
The Valley irrigation districts have called the It
tenticn u the Texas and other Southwestern senators
t. this situation, and kilograms have also been dts
patched by the Cameron county commissioners eour.
and others interested. Congressman John Garner, rs
usual, il carefully watching the Valley interests, and
in the event the measure passes the senate with the
Valley amendment excluded will cndeayor - relncor-
porst. Il IN the bin in conference.
II i, imperative that every influence Of the Lower
Rio Crsndc Valley he brought 10 bear. to prevent final
passage Of the bill in its present form. The Valley
cannot afford 10 wait Indefinitely for a water treaty
with Mexico. and IL ~ obvious that unless the pre-
visions cf the house bill arc accepted ~ the senate Y.
may he impossible 70 secure action by the Mexican gov
eminent.