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<br />000173 <br /> <br />~8~ <br /> <br />and the traders and pioneers in the early years of the winning of the West. <br /> <br />If the present status and. the future growth of our states are to be de-. <br />termined on a priorit~' bl-sis and the older oanmunities are to throttle and oon- <br />trol industry and business and life in the seotions whioh were settled later, <br />then a theor~' of life and hl.lll\ll.n relationships utterly foreign to the A,toorioan's <br />idea of his right to gr~v and to develop will have taken hold in our republio. <br /> <br />H/Ld the pioneers who real aimed the ";est understood that their efforts would <br />be subjeot to the life they were leaving they might have avoided a world of <br />hardships--and this oountry would have died of dry rot. The idea is so prepos- <br />terous that it does not stand analysis. <br /> <br />Nevertheless when ideas like these are supported by the people of the thiok- <br />ly populated states and their larger representations in the Congress the threat <br />beo ame s real. <br /> <br />This is the third time in three years that seizure of the <br />waters of the Arkansas by Federal agenoies has been attempted. <br />two instanoes proof of the oertain injury to the rights of the <br />upper river resulted in the exol usion of the irrigated seotlon <br />frcm the plans. <br /> <br />oontrol of the <br />In the previous <br />people on the <br />of the upper river <br /> <br />Neither of those involved the Cormneroe Clause of the ConstitutiPll, however. <br />When Congress legislates under the terms of that provision, there is no review, <br />even in the oourts. It will have aoted in its independent oapaoity and its' de- <br />termination that the :.rkansas is navie;able--would oarry a finality whioh would <br />be f'atal to the rights of Colol1l-do's water users. <br /> <br />It must not be permitted. An eduoational movement must be launohed to <br />oonvinoe the Congress of the folly of the passage of this bill without amend- <br />ments. Further, it must be shown that the growth of one-third of the United <br />States will be hindered and the benefits already enjoyed destroyed if the oon- <br />ditions on the upper and lower rivers are not reoognized. <br /> <br />This problem extends far beyond the 1 imi ts of the basins of the Arkansas <br />and the iVhite. In faot, the geographioal limitations ~f the problem do not even <br />approximate its probable grave effects whioh make up the pioture. The passage <br />of the bill will involve not only the people now living on the upper rivers but <br />will influence and modify the lives of millions of others who might otherwise <br />enjoy the benefits of irrigation in the arid west. r~en the irrigated West is <br />retarded in the production of foodstuffs the entire nation will feel the impaot. <br />He are goinG to faoe plenty of problems in the ~ars ahead without multiplying <br />unneoessary new ones. <br /> <br />There are men in the armed foroes who are interested in the 0 ontinuati on <br />of the manner of 1 ife whioh they knew and whioh they were oblir,ed to leave. It <br />is for the proteotion of that Way of Life upon whioh this oountry was built <br />that they are fighting. Let us oonsult their wishes--their desires--for the <br />future--their rights as Amerioans who oannot protect themsel ves now. <br /> <br />Advise yourselves of the f'aots. And when you have them tell your neighbors. <br />