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Show 162 WAR FOR THE COLORADO RIVER House hearings, Mr. Larson [Reclamation Bureau engi- neer] said that irrigated land uses would amount to only about 12.8 per cent. Therefore, the people who will use land will pay only a fraction of the cost. Therefore, the great percentage of the cost, perhaps as high as eight-tenths of the cost, will be paid from revenues re- ceived from power projects. Is it not a fact that the power projects will not be in a position to pay off the irrigation costs for a number of years? During that period the United States government will carry it and pay interest on the full amount, interest which will never be repaid. "Where will the money come from?" Millikin and others continued to maintain that every penny would be paid back, but Kennedy remained un- convinced when he surrendered to his pain and slumped into his seat. Once more S. 1555 was sidetracked by other matters, and the dinner hour had passed before the senators got back to it. Senator Bennett of Utah got the floor. He had, he said, prepared a long speech, "but in view of the lateness of the hour" he would submit it for the record instead of delivering it.180 Just before speaking Bennett had been in a cloakroom huddle with Watkins, Milli- kin and several other Upper Basin senators, and his attitude and his voice were unmistakable indications of what had been said in the conference. Word had come that the House would adjourn sine die the next day. The last hope of forcing the project bill out of the House Rules Committee had been destroyed. Several Upper Basin senators were ready to throw in the towel, but not Watkins. Struggling to salvage whatever asset he could, he talked them out of the idea |
