OCR Text |
Show HETCH HETC11Y BILL GOES TOVQTE TOffi Opponents of Measure Hold the Floor for Many Hours in the Senate. WASHINGTON, Doe. 5. Opponents of tho bill to allow San Francisco to obtain a wntor supply from llctch Hotchy valley, hold the floor most of todaj' and tonight in the sonato. The debate will be resumed tomorrow with an agreement to vote beforo adjournment. adjourn-ment. SenutorB Gronna, Borah and Lano spoko acainBt tho measure today, und Senator Smith of Arizona made a brief statement outlining hie rcaBong for supporting sup-porting ifc. Senator Borah made a general argument argu-ment against the project, declaring that to allow San Francisco to dam tho valley val-ley and appropriate the water would injure tho rnrros built, up by years of labor in tho semi-arid regions of the San Joaquin valley. 1 "These mon who hnve built up their farms under stress of ndvorso circumstances circum-stances must be protected," he Baid. "This bill purports to protoct them bv specifying that San Francisco shall sell them Tvator at cost aftor her needs have boon supplied. But tho United States government 1ms no power to force any condition as to the disposition disposi-tion of the waters which aro under tho control of tho Btate of California.' Senator Lano, the first Democrat to speak, against tho bill, said that the 100,000,000 of gallons of water a day which under tho bill would bo sccurod from Hotch Hotchy, would mean 800 gallons a day for each of tho 500,000 people in San Francisco. "Tho city does not. need it," ho addod, "but tho fall of that amount of water from 3000 feet above San Francisco would generate a great electric elec-tric power. I opine there is a water power nroposition behind it, but I don 't Know just where.'' Majority "Leader Kern disclaimed tonight to-night aiij intention of reflecting upon Representative Denver Church of California, Cali-fornia, who in a lottor presented to the senate last night by Sonator "Works, urged tho defeat of tho Hetch Hotchy bill, although ho had supported it in the house. "If I had any doubt nt the tlmo I commented Inst night on Mr. Church 's position." said Senator Koru, "as to the entire faith and' sincerity of nur- Soso, such doubt would immediately avo boon dispollod by his frank statement state-ment to mo today." |