Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-07-28
VALLEY WILL
Vote soon ON
CONSERVATION
Assurance of Water
Supply Argued
At San Juan

BAN JUAN, July Z6-lne valley
will get an opportunity within not
less than 80 days nor more than 40
days to vote on formation OF the
proposed Lower Rio Grande Valley
Conservation District or Texas.
The temporary board Of directors
Monday heard testimony as TO the
feasibility and features OF the pro-
posed municipal corporation and
decided TO call an election. the date
to be chosen at another meeting at
10 a. m, Friday in the irrigation
district building here.
Witnesses testified as TO the bene-
fits and feasibility OF the proposed
district, some individuals appeared
in opposition to the project and
still others propounded questions
for information.
Limited Tax Power
Apparently the chief fear Of those
in opposition to creation OF the
district was that it would add to
the tax burdens. especially in Hi
dalg0 county. To these II was ex-
planned that the proposed district
would have a limited taxing power
Of five cents on the hundred dollars
valuation but that 1t was not like
~ that more than a three cent tax
would be levied. 1t was further ex-
planned that the district had no
power 10 issue bonds or warrants
or 20 call an election TO issue bonds
and that members OF the board or
directors would serve without pay.
Most OF the opposition came ap-
parently from Hidalgo and Willacy
counties. Parts OF Starr and all OF
Cameron are also in the boundaries
OF the proposed district.
1t was pointed out by witnesses
in favor OF the proposed district
that its purpose Is TO assure an
adequate supply OF water for pres
ent and future users by inducing
the federal government to make a
treaty with Mexico and by building
dams.
G. Fl. Pease. editor OF The Hidal-
20 County independent Edinburg)
declared I'VE have just been de-
pending on the Lord. II there is
water in the river and nobody beats
us TO ii we get 1t. We have been
sitting here doing nothing to take
car Of future needs or ven or the
present. We have gotten by and
have escaped serious shortage so
far but / don't think there Is any
one who knows the situation who
does not believe that as soon as
Mexico begins using water that We
viii not have a shortage.
NO Agreement
I'VE have an equity in the river
but cannot go into any court on
this side OF the Rio Grande TO en-
join Mexico because we have no
agreement with that country. We
can dry ND notwithstanding our
rights but If we have a treaty we
can appeal to the department OF
state and the federal government
can protect our definite and spec
ific rights.
The federal farm board win not
lend money to Il growers because
of the uncertainty OF water rights"
he declared.
I'VE have bled some few people
heavily. Until we can have a defin-
lite. unified organization with au-
thority we will get nowhere. There
is nothing IN it that is burdenSome.
There is no question In my mind
but that the government viii build
the storage dams we desire: they
cannot escape IL. The fact that the
Rio Grande Is an international
stream Is a lever in our favor be-
cause only the federal government
has power to deal with the question.
Must Have Storage
I'VE cannot make a treaty for
division OF waters between the
United States and Mexico without
providing storage because we can
not divide the normal flow without
taking away part Of our water"
j. A. Crom OF Mission, chairman
OF the old Valley water users as
ISOLATION. was emphatic IN his
statement In favor Of organizing
the proposed district.
Water is nothing more than
1NR4 IA "A N11AA1Ay LAC b4kAns nc G%-
serted, and every effort should be
made TO assure an adequate sup
ply. We tried for 20 years 10 get
federal aid to build a government
dam in Idaho with voluntary COM
mittees but 1t took us only four
years after we organized a district
to go after it. We don't want free
committees in the Valley; we want
one with power TO urge the govern
ment to build our dams for rs. You
should regard the small amount
asked 10 maintain the district as
an investment. not a tax
Maj. 6 M. Decker OF New York
who advises financial interests on
engineering features gave what he
called the bankers view"
Capital Timid
"You cannot ret more than 10