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Show PROMINENT UTAH MEN IN FAVOR OF BOULDER DAM President Anthony W. Ivins and W. W. Seegmiller Give Views on Importance of the Work In view of the wide and varied scope of discussion pertaining to the Boulder dam project, the views of two prominent Utahns, President Anthony W. Ivins and Hon. W. W. Seegmiller, will be of interest. In an interview with a Los Angeles newspaper, President Ivins said: If Arizona will accept the advantages advan-tages gained for her in amendments to the Swing-Johnson bill by congress and will ratify the Colorado river compact com-pact we shall be delighted for we all prefer seven-state ratification. But it is time now to go ahead. If Arizona holds back, Utah should give tier ratification to the six-state compact, com-pact, so that after six months, by the ' terms of the bill, construction may proceed. My attitude has been well known. I have always been for the Boulder dam project and have seen no good reason for the objections to it that have been advanced in behalf of Utah. It appears to be now that amendments made to meet those objections leave no excuse whatever for further antagonism on the part of the upper basin states. I am willing to go before the Utah legislature and urge ratification of the six-state compact if the Arizona commission com-mission and legislature indicate their intention to continue to fight this project. Boulder dam is essential to the development de-velopment of the southwest. Utah's interest in-terest lies chiefly in the continued expansion ex-pansion of the market which southern California offers for all her products, or nearly all. Our economic relations with California are so close that what helps one helps the other. There has been an exaggeration of both Utah's and Arizona's need of Colorado river water for future reclamation rec-lamation and irrigation. The fact is that there is not an acre in either Utah or Arizona, from the juncture of the Green and Grand rivers down to the mouth of the Black canyon, that can ever be irrigated. I mined through that country years ago and I know what I have stated to be true. Wm. W. Seegmiiller, in a lengthy article in Salt Lake newspapers, summarizes sum-marizes the Boulder dam situation in part as follows: The Boulder canyon project act contemplates the final and complete development of the Colorado river for the benefit of the upper and lower basin states, the Boulder dam being the first unit in the program. The reason why the Boulder dam unit should be the first development in the gigantic undertaking is obvious obvi-ous to all who are acquainted with the Colorado river and its tributaries. The mast dangerous flood and silt carrying streams which flow into the Colorado river are the San Juan river, the Paria river, the Little Colorado river, the Kanab creek and the Virgin river. A dam above the confluence of these streams with the Colorado river would have little effect upon the flood menace of the Imperial valley. It is. therefore, essential that to begin the development and flood control of the Colorado river the first unit should be below the most dangerous flood streams. Much has been said about the protection pro-tection of Utah's rights in the Colorado Colo-rado river. Let us consider for a moment mo-ment what our established rights in this stream after it passes Lee's Ferry, really are. We have acquired no rights through beneficial use; we have established estab-lished no priorities below Lee's Ferry. In the 16 million acre feet that annually an-nually pass Lee's - Ferry we have no rights. Our only way to acquire any rights to that water is through ratification rati-fication of the six-state compact, since Arizona has refused to ratify the seven-state compact. The terms of the two compacts are identical. The development of the Colorado river with the construction of Boulder dam as the first unit means more r the future of Utah than any project pro-ject that has been contemplated since the construction of the trans-continental railroad. The Colorado river gorge abounds in valuable mineral deposits, transportation transpor-tation for which is at present prohibitive. prohib-itive. The water impounded by a 550 foot dam at Black canyon would back the water 100 miles or more up the gorge providing cheap transportation for such mineral deposits as are reach-1 reach-1 ec!. to Boulder dam where cheap pow- er will be available, together with im-I im-I proved transportation facilities, which I ' 'rvV foster installation of large re-1 re-1 riuction works at or near the dam. 1 Al! of this will stimulate mining activ-' activ-' ities in southern Utah and the Arizona strip which will redound to the benefit ben-efit of our southern communities. California is the best and is rap-y rap-y idly becoming the only market for Utah's products. Southern California demands our cattle, our lambs, all of our dairy products, our poultry, our X)tatocs. Consequently enlightened 'If interest on our part requires that assist in the upbuilding of Califor- What is an imaginary line be-ten be-ten neighbors? Why should we be ous of the growth of a neighboring '? The man who does not desire erity for his neighbor is unwor-of unwor-of prosperity himself. Whv should ight the selfish battles of Arizona? desire for cooperation with Utah the mutual development of both states is witnessed by the roads in the Arizona strip. You who have traveled over the Arrowhead Trail to Los Angeles An-geles will remember the "missing link" of twenty miles through the northwest north-west corner of that state. That is a fair sample of the cooperation she has heretofore extended to Utah. It is manifest that in any interstate development devel-opment in which Arizona is interested, she is interested only to the extent of what she can extract for Arizona. I am convinced that the people of Utah are thinking for themselves today, to-day, more than ever before, that they ere net being misled bv the representatives represen-tatives of selfish interests. The day for action has arrived. Procrastination, misrepresentation and false leader- i ship have run their course, and the people are demanding of their representatives repre-sentatives in the legislature promnt action ac-tion on the bill providing for Utah's re-entry into the six state compact. This is the most important legis'.a- tion in the present session of the leg- I islature. The real facts concerning the Boul-; Boul-; dcr dam and the development of the ! Colorado river have been held under I a bushel by those who have pretended pretend-ed that Utah's rights are being jeop- ardized. But the people cf this state i have sought the correct information ; for themselves, and the cover of obstructionists ob-structionists has been penetrated. Slowly yet surely as the coining of the dawn, development and prosperity are J being forced upon us. |