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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />17 <br /> <br />interstate law. When asked by Hoover ifhe denied the whole theory of priority <br />of utilization as between states, Carpenter replied, "Emphatically!" <br />Construction of works in the Lower Basin, b~sed on a claim of priority, would <br />bring about extensive litigation and if the federal government built the works, <br />the Upper River would be prevented further development. In Carpenter's <br />view, this was proven by the government's Pathfinder Dam in Wyoming on <br />the North Platte River. <br />What Carpenter wanted in a compact was a quid pro quo: because the <br />upper basin states furnished "the greater part" of water used by all seven <br />states and Mexico and because he was convinced that by national and <br />international law they had a property right to this water, the Lower Basin <br />should guarantee "freedom from attack" if the Upper Basin was willing to <br />assure to the Lower Basin a reasonable limitation on "wholly consumptive <br />use." The Upper Basin would stand firm, Carpenter insisted, on the principle <br />that "the construction of any works shall in no manner interfere with the <br />development of the territory of any of the Upper States, or the use of the water <br />therein, and said works shall not have any preferred right of title to the use of <br />water of said stream as against Upper States." <br />Carpenter believed that if the Upper Basin were guaranteed proper <br />protection in the form of non-interference for 50-] 00 years, it did not matter <br />how many reservoirs were built in the Lower Basin. "[W]e realize that <br />development on the lower river is imminent," he said, "and to a degree [we] <br />are willing to forego demands that we might justly make in order to bring that <br />about. " <br />When the commissioners failed to accept limitation of acreage or water <br />as a basis for the compact, however, Hoover expressed doubt that they would <br />ever be able to agree on a "general single idea for a compact." He questioned <br />