August 1, 1969 Twenty-Five Cents

A Journal of Free Voices A Window to the South The Texas Observer

—Mary Callaway The Texas Water Plan

• Biggest Boondoggle in History?

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Austin is bound to be too low (despite $500 handful of legislators fully understood After months of attempting to study the million permitted for increased costs due what they were voting on. Next time the so-called "Texas Water Plan," Observer to inflation), since the board used 1967 water issue comes up, they probably will editors have come to the conclusion that cost estimates. The plan does not take into not understand the issues much better. proposition No. 2 on the Aug. 5 ballot, the consideration the fact that the $3.5 billion The Observer is tried to gather to- $3.5 billion bond issue for water develop- bond issue would cost another $3.5 to $4 gether in this issue most of the valid ment, should be defeated, indeed, devas- billion in interest at prevailing rates. arguments againUl5assing the water bonds. tated. We are devoting a great deal of space to The "plan" is not really a plan at all, but The water board and some of the state's these arguments, basically because they a highly speculative, sometimes dishonest, biologists seem to disagree on the effects of have not been presented in the daily press. and always optimistic scheme for spending the giant canal system on the ecology of We also have tried to balance these criti- a monumental hunk of Texans' money, the state. Del Weniger in this issue charges cisms with answers from the head of the mainly to replenish the water supplies of that the plan would totally alter the Water Development Board and from Stuart West and South Texas irrigators and oil and ecology of Texas — for the worse. Long, the working owner of a Capitol news sulphur producers. These people have ex- Some scientists fear that a water plan of service and a strong defender of the water ploited their water resources, and now they the magnitude contemplated by the WDB plan. want the state and the federal government would cause serious climatological changes, If nothing else, these articles should to pump six trillion gallons of water for but, again, nobody really knows, because convince the careful reader that it is irrigation alone, uphill 3,500 feet over 800 the WDB has not requested a study of this premature to authorize the largest bond miles from the mouth of the Mississippi to subject. issue in history for the Water Development the High Plains, so that they can continue There are serious questions as to the Board's use. The board's vague water plan using water in the manner to which they condition the Mississippi River water will has provided the state with many more have become accustomed. But, despite be in by the time it reaches Texas. Howard questions than it has answers. what the Committee of 500 may say, what Boswell, executive director of the WDB is good for the state's big farmers and big (see interview, this issue) says it is assumed industrialists is not necessarily good for the that the state's Water Quality Board will people of Texas. make sure the water is clean enough for its It may be futile to criticize the water various uses. But the Observer has watched plan, because there are no assurances that the Water Quality Board since its forma- 174 arm it will be implemented by the Water tion, and our conclusion is that it basically Development Board if the bond issue is is an agency for licensing polluters. It approved. The WDB actually would be would be dangerous to leave the quality of rimeadateata receiving $3.5 billion to use as it pleases. the imported water in the hands of the Still, having nothing more substantial to go Water Quality Board. The Obseriieir recommends aye votes for on, we must look to the plan to get some the other eight racrnendments on the ballot clue as to what the money will be used for. on Aug. 5, particularly Amendment No. 5, raising the ceiling on welfare payments in M OST OF THE state's daily news- the state. THERE ARE some deadly serious papers have endorsed the water bond issue, Amendment No. 3 should be favored by questions to be answered before a compre- editorializing with great assurance that, those who wish improved service from hensive water plan should be approved, let although the plan is expensive, there is no their state government. Increased pay for alone funded. alternative if Texas is to have the water it legislators would mean we could have The Water Development Board's esti- desperately needs. Wrong. O'Rourke points full-time lawmakers, not just the service, mates on the amount of water Texas will out that Lyndon Johnson commissioned a primarily, of those who view state govern- need in 2020 may be much too high. They federal study of Texas' water needs in ment as sort of a hobby. Presently, most definitely are too high if one refuses to go 1958. Governor Daniel jettisoned the members of the Legislature are those who along with the theory that as the High study because he and others feared that the can afford, because of personal financial Plains goes, so goes the state. No one federal government would have control of security or having occupations from which actually knows how much water the state the program. The U.S. Study Commission they can take off for substantial periods of has, let alone how much it is going to need, — Texas came to some drastically different time. In other words, most people who because the hydrological studies made so conclusions concerning the state's water work 8-5 five or more days a week are not far are not thorough enough. needs. able to become legislators, not at $4,800 a The WDB's estimates on the number of The Committee of 500 assures voters year. people who will be living in Texas, espe- that it is safe to entrust the WDB with $3.5 Amendment No. 9, providing annual cially West and South Texas, in 2020 may billion because the WDB will have to get legislative sessions, would be another step be too high. the Legislature's approval before it floats towards modernizing Texas government, The benefit-cost estimates made by the any of the bonds. The Legislature had a and permit more adequate governmental board are misleading. (See hydrologist chance to debate the water plan this spring, administration from Austin. A persuasive Terry O'Rourke's article in this issue. The but it did not. The resolution bringing the argument in favor of this amendment are total cost estimate of $9 billion — or is it bond issue to a vote might have been a the 27 special sessions we have had since $10 billion? — in state and federal money resolution congratulating the Apollo crew, 1931, which in many cases have meant that for the amount of controversy it caused. we have had and needed annual sessions, 2 The Texas Observer The Observer doubts that more than a anyway.

The Plan in Summary

Austin oil from wells that have produced once but In addition, every river basin in the state Texas voters are being asked to consider must be reworked for additional produc- would be altered by construction of 32 a number of complex questions in deter- tion after a certain amount of oil is reservoirs, hundreds of miles of canals, and mining whether to authorize issuance of pumped out. The plan also promises to aid storage facilities. $3.5 billion worth of bonds to finance the the fishing and recreation industries, and to To pay off the $3.5 billion Texas share development of an extensive water plan to bring ample water to every major Texas of the plan, the WDB is now urging cities, meet the state's needs in the coming 50 city. But the key word in the plan is agricultural areas, and regions with similar years. Put simply, the plan is based on irrigation. economic interests to set up "master water taking water from the Mississippi River, districts" with taxing powers to contract and moving it across Louisiana to East M ORE THAN 7.5 million acre-feet with the board for purchase of the water Texas. In East Texas that water, plus what of water would be delivered annually for once the plan is underway. Federal costs of is termed surplus water that runs annually the project are estimated to be around $6.5 across that section of the state will be billion. collected in giant reservoirs (that will in- Mary Beth S Rogers "After paying almost $10 billion in state undate an area of Texas equal to the and federal taxes, we'll still have to pay the dimensions of Connecticut) for redistribu- cost of water delivery," said one West tion to agricultural West and South Texas. irrigation in north central Texas, the High Texan. "And the farther we live from the Those two regions are said to have a water Plains, and the Trans-Pecos area. This is original water source, the more we'll have shortage,* a shortage that is expected to enough water to cover all the irrigated land to pay." become more pronounced if certain as- in Texas today to a one-foot depth. More Since West Texans have always had good water supply, sumptions of the state's water planners are water would be delivered to the Coastal reasons to worry about their surprising borne out in later developments. Bend and the Lower Rio Grande Valley particularly so recently, it is not that the first study of importing water The Texas Water Development Board's through a coastal canal. And still more from wetter areas was initiated by a West plan states that "There is not a water water would be released from Amistad Texan. Several years ago, Cong. George H. resource plan of this magnitude or com- Reservoir on the Rio Grande for irrigation Mahon of Lubbock persuaded the com- plexity in existence in the world today." in the Winter Garden area. Another 1.5 missioner of the U.S. Bureau of Reclama- The magnitude and complexity are reasons million acre-feet would be delivered to tion to undertake feasibility studies. Since given by opponents for the plan for urging New Mexico (if that state decides to Mahon is chairman of the powerful House delaying approval of the bonds until some participate in the plan) through the Trans- Appropriations Committee, the federal questions are answered. Leading opposition Texas canal beginning somewhere along the to the plan are numerous private groups Texas-Louisiana border and extending the Mrs. Rogers is an Observer contributing and individuals concerned about conserva- width of the state to El Paso. editor from San Antonio. tion of Texas' natural resources. Other opponents of Amendment No. 2, in addition to expressing reservations about THE TEXAS OBSERVER the water plan, say that Texans really are © The Texas Observer Publishing Co. 1969 not voting on a plan on Aug. 5, they are A Journal of Free Voices A Window to the South 63rd YEAR—ESTABLISHED 1906 "writing a blank check for $3.5 billion" to

the Texas Water Development Board, and Vol. LXI, No. 11 "OW August 1, 1969 at a time when, it is said, the citizens of the state are not fully informed about the Incorporating the State Observer and the East Texas agrees with them, because this is a journal of free ramifications of such a massive, long-run Democrat, which in turn incorporated the State Week voices. The Observer is published by Texas Observer commitment. and Austin Forum-Advocate. We will serve no group or party but will hew hard to Publishing Co., biweekly from Austin, Texas. Entered Some 12 to 13 million acre-feet of the truth as we find it and the right as we see it. We as second-class matter April 26, 1937, at the Post Mississippi River flood water would be are dedicated to the whole truth, to human values Office at Austin, Texas, under the Act of March 3, above all interests, to the rights of man as the 1879. Second class postage paid at Austin, Texas. imported to East Texas. That water, plus foundation of democracy; we will take orders from Single copy, 25c. One year, $6.00; two years, $11.00; additional surplus that occurs naturally in none but our own conscience, and never will we three years, $15.00; plus, for Texas addressees, 4% state sales tax. Foreign, except APO/FPO, 50c addi- East Texas would be conveyed to West overlook or misrepresent the truth to serve the interests of the powerful or cater to the ignoble in the tional per year. Air-mail, bulk orders, and group rates Texas and the Rio Grande Valley, and human spirit. on request. other areas, in open-air, cement-lined Editorial and Business Offices: The Texas Observer, Editor, Greg Olds. 504 West 24th St., Austin, Texas 78705. Telephone canals and pipelines. It would be pumped Associate Editor, Kaye Northcott. 477-0746. Editor's residence phone, 472-3631. hundreds of miles and at least over 3,000 Editor-at-large, Ronnie Dugger. Change of Address: Please give old and new address and allow three weeks. feet uphill with 6 million kilowatts of Editorial intern, Mary Callaway. Form 3579 regarding undelivered copies: Send to electricity. Business Manager, C. R. Olofson. Texas Observer, 504 W. 24th, Austin, Texas 78705. A series of lakes would be created from Business Manager Emeritus, Sarah Payne. Subscription Representatives: Arlington, George N. Green, 300 E. South College St., 277-0080; Austin, river basins in East Texas to store the water Contributing Editors, Elroy Bode, Winston Bode, Bill Brammer, Lee Clark, Larry Goodwyn, Harris Mrs. Helen C. Spear, 2615 Pecos, 465-1805; Beau- for periods when it is needed. From one- Green, Bill Hamilton, Bill Helmer, Dave Hickey, mont, Betty Brink, 2255 Harrison, 835-5278; Corpus fourth to one-third of many northeast Franklin Jones, Lyman Jones, Larry L. King, Georgia Christi, Penny Dudley, 12241/2 Second St., 884-1460; Dallas, Mrs. Cordye Hall, 5835 Ellsworth, 821-1205; Texas counties would be put under water Earnest Klipple, Larry Lee, Dave McNeely, Al El Paso, Philip Himelstein, 331 Rainbow Circle, by these new reservoirs. The plan also Melinger, Robert L. Montgomery, Willie Morris, James 584-3238; Ft. Worth, Dolores Jacobsen, 3025 Greene Presley, Charles Ramsdell, John Rogers, Mary Beth Ave., 924-9655; Houston, Mrs. Kitty Peacock, PO Box would provide enough water for secondary Rogers, Roger Shattuck, Robert Sherrill, Dan Strawn, 13059, 523-0685; Lubbock, Doris Blaisdell, 2515 oil recovery; that is, enabling production of Tom Sutherland, Charles Alan Wright. 24th St.; Midland, Eva Dennis, 3523 Seaboard, The editor has exclusive control over the editorial 694-2825; Snyder, Enid Turner, 2210 30th St., policies and contents of the Observer. None of the 443-9497 or 443-6061; San Antonio, Mrs. Mae B. *Inconclusive hydrologic data published by other people who are associated with the enterprise the Water Development Board shows sufficient Tuggle, 204 Terrell Road, 826-3583; Wichita Falls, shares this responsibility with him.. Writers are re- Jerry Lewis, 2910 Speedway, 766-0409. Washington, ground water reserves to maintain current levels sponsible for their own work, but not for anything D.C., Mrs. Martha J. Ross, 6008 Grosvenor Lane, of irrigation in both areas until at least 1985, and they have not themselves written, and in publishing 530-0884. probably much longer. them the editor does not necessarily imply that he project was heavily funded. It was then sequences throughout the state.' irrigate, but to deal only with what water picked up and incorporated into the overall Opponents of the water plan question was available. He believes this decision has Texas plan in 1964 when former Gov. John that the entire state would be adltersely proven a wise one and is one that West Connally, who was worried that the federal affected by a downturn in West Texas Texas should copy. "On the High Plains government would be controlling water agriculture. Rapid industrialization, in- the natural grasses were removed by over- development in the state, urged the State creases in tourism, and other economic grazing and ill-conceived sod busting. Poor Water Development Board to come up with activity would, the critics say, compensate land husbandry and overuse quickly ex- a "more orderly and longer range analysis" the state's economy for any retardation of hausted the surface water, and in recent of Texas water needs and solutions. Until Texas agriculture. years well-tapping has supplied the needed then, the federal government had been Although the water plan does not detail water," he said. The grasslands held water proceeding steadily in planning for Texas the consequences if West Texas agriculture that seeped into the underground aquifers, water development, and was evidently is wounded, the solution of this problem is recharging them, and providing adequate dominating the picture too much to suit the major priority of the state water plan. water sources for the area. Without the Connally. At present Texas agriculture generates grasslands, and with extensive irrigation, The WDB thereupon spent more than more Texas wealth than any other factor in the underground water supply has been $10 million in state funds for consultant the state economy, except petroleum and severely diminished. Now it is almost gone. fees and research. Connally appointed a petrochemicals. Moreover, agriculture sup- The water plan calls for conveyance via consulting advisory panel to the WDB to ports a related annual $6-7 billion in the Trans-Texas canal of 10,981,000 acre- set the program in motion. Its chairman commerce and industry. Irrigation in Texas feet from East Texas to Dallas-Fort Worth, was Joe Kilgore, with members Harvey 0. in 1969 contributes to more than half of and on to the High Plains. Banks (the chief architect of the California this agricultural wealth, and most of the Another ecological consideration of the water plan), William F. Guyton, Allen V. irrigation is on 5.1 million acres in the High plan that has been questioned pertains to Kneese, and Mason Lockwood. Of these, Plains of West Texas. Cotton is the major brush. Eighty-eight million acres of Texas Banks, Guyton, and Lockwood also served crop. With the presently available water land is now covered with brush plants such with consulting firms that prepared reports supplies, the peak in irrigation in the High as mesquite, huisache, live oak, cactus, elm, to the board for use in developing the Plains will be approximately 7 million acres etc. The water plan proposes to eliminate Texas plan. Banks' firm — Leeds, Hill and by 1980. After that, a reduction will occur, 60 million acres of this brush and replace it Jewett, Inc. — served as general consultant due to depleting underground water with "useful grass or other vegetation, thus to the WDB providing "assistance, direct sources, and by 2020, about half the 1980 conserving large quantities of water now participation, preparation of reports, and acreage could be irrigated by the remaining being consumed by brush." staff training." underground water supply. However, according to Del Weniger, a This would mean that within the next biologist with the Committee of 1,000 THE BOARD projects a popula- 15 years major West Texas corporate farms against the water plan, some brush plants, tion in Texas in 2020 of 30.5 million, would have to reduce their operations — such as mesquite, are not in competition triple the 1960 figure. There has been some and profits. Related commerce in such with grass in holding water. The mesquite argument about the accuracy of this pre- wealthy regional towns as Midland, Odessa, has a tap root system which can go as deep diction. WDB people say the figure is not and Lubbock would suffer as well. Eco- as 50 feet into the ground for water. "The theirs but is based on studies conducted nomic depression and loss of population mesquite brings the water up into the air, primarily by Texas A&M and the Bureau of could result. Two Lubbock men of some adding to the humidity," Weriiger tells the Business Research (BBR) at the University influence, Gov. Preston Smith, and Con- Observer. If as much as 60 million acres of of Texas, Austin. John R. Stockton, gressman Mahon, are acutely aware of this brush is cleared indiscriminately, "foun- former BBR director who was largely prospect. tains of moisture will be cut off over wide responsible for the population estimate, areas, drying up the atmosphere." A syste- tells the Observer that 30.5 million is, he BUT AMONG the critics of the matic thinning of certain brush plants believes, an accurate estimate at this point state water plan are those who contend might be a solution to the - problem, but of Texas population 50 years hence. The that additional irrigation only aggravates — wholesale elimination called for in the plan Observer understands that other state agen- in the long run — a water shortage. Daniel could have unforeseen results. In addition, cies, the Coordinating Board, Texas College E. Willard, a botanist at the University of much of this brush land is home for and University System, among them, are Texas at Austin, so believes. "Clearly this is one-fifth of the nation's deer population, relying on BBR population estimates sim- a region whose economy is far out of as well as wild turkey and the white wing ilar to those being employed by the WDB. balance with renewable ecological poten- dove. The water report says, "If adequate tial. Moving more water into this region water supplies are not available in time, simply aggravates this imbalance," accord- this future population growth and econom- ing to Willard. He explains that massive WHEN OPERATING at full capa- ic development will be severely curtailed." transfers of water from one area, or one city in 2020 the water plan will require 6.9 This is why: Underground water now sup- river basin, to another, tends to lead to a million kilowatts of electric power to plies 75% of the total water used by Texas progressively more depleted local water pump water 800 miles and more than cities, industries, and farms. Underground supply. Demand grows as more and more 3,000 feet uphill. This represents about water in Texas is being pumped out water is imported, and the spiral of de- 37% of- the present electrical power genera- through wells faster than it can be replen- mand exceeding supply continues. Willard ting capacity of the state now. ished, it appears. A particular concern of tells the Observer this has been the case, to The plan calls for private power com- the Texas water plan is the rapid depletion some extent, in the Canadian River basin panies to handle this tremendous task. of the huge underground Ogallala aquifer and in the Arizona River Project. The Gila Evidently excluded from consideration are in West Texas that is being drained for River in Arizona suffered particularly the many rural electric cooperatives of the irrigation, a development since World War through inter-basin transfers in that state, state. The plan dismisses federally financed II. Figures vary, but, according to the Willard says. generating plants, though it admits that WDB, the aquifer will cease to be a source "To an ecologist dealing in objective these "would produce the lowest cost of supply by 1985. The water plan then planning, it makes much better sense to energy." warns that the area will then begin "an spend money on repairing the grasslands The WDB chooses "a large capacity areawide retrogression to dryland farming . . . At least then the system would be nuclear or minemouth generating plant which will have profound economic con- ecologically self-contained." financed in part with public funds, and in Willard cites the example of the King part by private investment, and con- 4 The Texas Observer Ranch, where the decision was not made to structed and operated by the investor- owned utilities." Already budgeted in the plan is $1.128 billion in public funds to FIGURE I - 3 build the power facilities which would 1 SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF THE yield profits to private investors. These profits would mean higher costs to irriga- TEXAS WATER SYSTEM tors and cities wanting water from the (Includes major conveyance Trans-Texas canal since the WDB would facilities and related reservoirs) have to pay private firms for the electricity it could own itself. If the amendment passes Aug. 5, this whole question of private vs. public power could be closed this year when initial agreements are made on funding with the federal government. Meanwhile back at the Trans-Texas canal, the most obvious beneficiary from the plan would be some of the state's heavy construction firms. Building on the project's dams, reservoirs, canals, conduits, and plants will take place over a 15-year period. The cost of conveyance facilities alone for the Trans-Texas canal, and its related projects, would run to an estimated $3.011 billion. Profits on this single project could total more than $180 million. This does not include new reservoirs in East EXPLANATION Texas, or any construction on the $1 billion Coastal Division canal and projects. Trons•Texos Division Profits to construction firms for the entire --- Eastern Division — Coastal Division Texas water plan could total more than the •4140 Surfac• Water Reservoir Projects combined 1969 city budgets for San Other Import Possibilities Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth, and Dallas. All of this construction obviously means jobs for many Texans, and a related boost to the state's economy. However, it does not necessarily mean jobs for union labor, "We can't keep clean the streams we the coastal area," according to Willard. or at prevailing wages in the building trades have now," State Rep. Rex Braun told the "The coastal area, as last user, cannot avoid industry. Anti-union Brown & Root, Inc., Observer. "How are we going to handle all getting 'used' water. The water entering the served as a major consultant in the develop- those new water routes under the proposed system from the Mississippi will have been ment of the water plan, and could, be system without stronger controls?" Braun, used more than 15 times. These upstream expected to have some of its contracts. In a watchdog on state pollution matters, says users may be industrial, agricultural, or spite of this several state labor leaders serve he is voting "no" on Amendment No. 2. municipal. All of these users affect water on Governor Smith's Committee of 500 to He feels the state is rushing into the plan quality harshly. The easy availability of boost the plan. without adequate study of all the factors, variances to Texas water pollution laws has and of pollution in particular. made water quality regulation largely inef- "The present pollution-oriented Water fective. And this plan makes little improve- BEFORE ANY construction can Quality Board has not filed a case in its ment," Willard says. begin however, there must be assurances eight years of existence. Is the water plan that the imported water from the Missis- going to promote more of the same?" WHATEVER else it does, or does sippi River will be available. No agreements Braun asked. not do, the Texas Water Development have been signed between the Mississippi The answer will probably be "yes." Board would have tremendous power dur- River Authority, the state of Louisiana, or When he requested the statewide water ing the next fifty years, if Amendment No. the Texas Water Development Board. plan, former Governor Connally did so 2 passes. It would have ultimate authority "I believe you will find that the Louisi- because he was worried that federal legisla- over any water plan. It would have the ana attitude will be along the lines that it tion in water pollution would, as he said, powers of eminent domain. It could make will be okay with them to transport Missis- "supplant state authority in this field." By interstate compacts, federal contracts, and sippi River water to Texas to maintain the having a gigantic water project of its own international agreements over water rights. present economy of an irrigated area," in operation, the Texas Water Development It could do this backed up by the authority Howard Boswell, executive director of the Board can try to upgrade the water quality and credit of the state of Texas. It would Water Development Board, said. The fede- in its system, at the taxpayers' expense, be so influential in dispensing financial ral government also has to approve moving without interference from the federal gov- goodies, that the powers of the Texas Mississippi River water across the Texas ernment. It proposes to build centralized Railroad Commission would seem small in state line. If Amendment No. 2 passes, this waste treatment facilities for 21 major comparison. It could be the most powerful would come with the expected congres- metropolitan areas at a cost of $1 billion agency in the state during the heavy sional funding in 1972. by 1990. It will try to clean up the streams construction period. And the governor who Another question raised by the Texas of Texas without forcing industrial firms to appoints its members could wield consider- water plan is water pollution. The plan upgrade their deposits into the water. The able pressure himself. makes no suggestions of proposals to re- plan thus promises relatively clean water Texas will need water in the future. But quire industrial firms to meet higher treat- for Texas, without forcing its biggest pol- the question now is whether or not the ment standards before dumping their luters to pay for it. Texas water plan is the most economical, wastes into rivers and streams. And there is It is doubtful the Water Development beneficial, and ecologically justifiable way no mention of giving the weak Texas Water Board could bring this off. "The Texas to get it. ❑ Quality Board stronger enforcement Water Plan does not provide either ade- powers over pollution violations. quate water quantity or water quality to August 1, 1969 5 A Short History of Water Planning

Austin Simultaneous with Senator Johnson's The economic feasibility of the Trans- To understand where Texas is today in efforts, the Texas Board of Water Engi- Texas canal depends on the need for water planning its water resources, one needs to neers submitted a report entitled Texas in West Texas and the cost of the water if know the history of water development in Water Resources Planning at the End of the it is delivered. Consistent ambiguity and Texas. Until 1957 no agency had authority Year 1958. Following this report, Gov. glaring errors in the WDB state water plan to plan water resources development on a Price Daniel directed the Board of Water indicate that not even the Water Develop- statewide basis. Texas water needs were Engineers to devise a plan that "would pull ment Board knows these critical facts. met by 17 federal agencies, 9 state the wind out of the sails of the federal agencies, 16 river authorities and similar plan'." The Water Development Board has never districts, and more than 450 water dis- published an estimate of what the cost of tricts. By 1968, through the coordinating IN ACCORDANCE with the gov- "West Texas water" would be as delivered efforts of two state boards and one federal ernor's request and the Texas Water Plan- in the Trans-Texas canal. However in its commission, there were two alternative ning Act of 1957 the Texas Board of Water preliminary report, Water for Texas, in comprehensive plans for water develop- Engineers in collaboration with the river 1966 the Water Development Board esti- ment in Texas — the U.S. Study Commis- authorities and similar authorities prepared mated that the cost of delivery of inter- sion plan and the Texas Water Develop- a report dated May 31, 1961, entitled A basin transfer of water from the excess ment Board plan. Plan for Meeting the 1980 Water Require- runoff of East Texas to West Texas would The short history of comprehensive ments of Texas. This was the first state- cost $168 per acre-foot, a price far beyond water planning in Texas began with a joint wide plan. It lacked in detail and in specific the ability of the irrigation farmer to pay. report sponsored by U.S. Sen. Lyndon The board now contends, without offering Johnson (Water Developments and Poten- supporting figures, that it can transport tialities of the State of Texas) in which the water from the Mississippi River in sou- Texas Board of Water Engineers, the U.S. Terence O'Rourke thern Louisiana to eastern New Mexico at Corps of Engineers, the Soil Conservation less than half the cost originally estimated Service, and the U.S. Bureau of Reclama- for transporting water within the state of tion presented a summary statement of the recommendations, but it presented a skele- Texas. Nearly 83% of all pfesent irrigation diverse goals and plans for Texas. This first tal plan for Texas water development, in the High Plains and Trans-Pecos is coordinated effort was not a plan but it which was to be incorporated into a longer supplied by ground water. As available range plan. was an inventory of the state's potential ground water supplies are exhausted the The 1980 plan of the Board of Water water resources with information on vari- demand for surface water is created. The Engineers was completely disregarded by ous problems then known to exist. figures obtained from different water de- the Texas Water Development Board in Following this joint report, Senator velopment studies conducted in recent 1966 at the direction of Gov. John Con- Johnson introduced. a bill proposing a years show very wide ranges in the esti- nally. Connally, in a cover letter accom- federal commission to investigate Texas mates made by different investigators as to panying the report, said the U.S. Study water needs and to develop an inter-govern- the availability of ground water in Texas. mental plan which would coordinate the Commission went "far beyond the plans of In some cases the variances in the different efforts of federal, state, and local water the Texas Water Commission." He ex- studies are as much as 10-1; that is, the authorities. "The United States Study plained that the Texas Water Commission estimate made of available ground water Commission — Texas" was created that "should develop a state water plan" be- was ten times that made in another study month. The commission consisted of 16 cause the governor could not "properly of the same area. Most often the variance members: chairman George R. Brown of evaluate some proposed federal projects in the studies was about 3-1. The point is: Brown & Root Construction Company; six without a longer range state water plan for the studies of ground water availability are representatives from federal agencies; eight Texas." educated guesses and should be treated as members from Texas, each representing The U.S. Study Commission's plan for such. The Water Development Board one of the river basins in the study; and development was never adopted because of admits that its estimates of ground water one representative of the Texas Board of objections that acceptance of the federal resources are conservative. The more con- Water Engineers.' plan meant federal control of Texas river servative the interpretation of ground The U.S. Study Commission — Texas basins. Under the Study Commission pro- water availability the more favorable the submitted its findings to the president and posal the availablility of Texas river basins analysis of the Trans-Texas canal becomes. Congress in March, 1962. The commission would be denied to state agencies if Con- proposed: gress authorized a civil works project in the 1. Construction of 83 multiple and sin- area. Thus congressional authorization pre- ANOTHER ambiguous part of the gle purpose darn at a total cost of $1.6 empted state construction in an area. Since WDB plan is in the benefit-cost ratio upon billion. the "State Water Plan" was drawn up in which the project is justified economically. 2. Water conveyance works, both inter 1966 the federal plan for major projects Using the separable costs-remaining benefit and intra basin, at a cost of $983.6 million. has been dropped. (SC-RB) method of cost allocation and a 3. Upstream land treatment programs at The stated reason for development of 31/2% discount rate, the ratio is 1.05.2 A an estimated cost of $187.2 million. the "State Water Plan" has been sup- 1.05 ratio hardly justifies billion-dollar The commission set its proposals in two planted by the unofficial philosophical and commitments. Further, the 3 1/2% discount phases to be completed by the year 2010 political purpose of the state plan to rate is unrealistic because of rising interest at a total cost of $4 billion. "prevent federal control." rates. The basic difference in the two plans is Mr. O'Rourke is the Eleanor and Mills the $4 billion, 1,200-mile concrete-lined - So the Water Development Board Bennett Graduate Research Fellow in Trans-Texas canal, which the U.S. Study changed its method of figuring the benefit- hydrology at Rice University. Commission plan considered unnecessary cost ratio, dropping the SC-RB method in and the Texas Water Development Board favor of the alternate justifiable expendi- 6 The Texas Observer (WDB) considers essential. tures (AJE) method and also figuring a benefit-cost ratio at a 4-5/8% discount rate. note is true, the water board has made an be saddled with a debt greater than $1 The U.S. Study Commission had rejected error obvious to any high school student of billion with no return on its investment. such a method of cost analysis as unten- physics: energy is measured in kilowatt The U.S. Study Commission — Texas, on able. The AJE method is used when there hours and power is measured in kilowatts. the other hand, planned a staged develop- is no available data — not the case in Texas ment in river basins which increased capa- water considerations. ANOTHER questionable design city as demands increased. In its water plan report the WDB ex- criterion of the state water plan is that "in plains that it adopted the second method most studies, it was assumed that major because "separate or incremental costs for canals would be initially constructed at A LL IN ALL, the so-called "Texas each function are not calculated." By using maximum design capacity [italics added] water plan" devised by the Water Develop- AJE method, costs dropped from $6.1 with staged installation of pumps, pumping ment Board has many ambiguities and billion to $4.16 billion, and benefits rose energy, and necessary miscellaneous and some downright inaccuracies. The board's from $6.7 billion to $8.3 billion. This, of accessory equipment, including discharge cost-benefit ratio, its estimates on the course, is a very dubious cost-allocation piping." This would not be flexible. The amount of power it will take to pump method, because by increasing the discount capacity of the system would be built water uphill, and its conclusions as to the rate to 4-5/8% and changing to an account- before any water payments are committed economic necessity for maintaining present ing system that has no available data, the for the future. — or even higher levels — of irrigation in result was that the more the entire plan The Water Development Board plan West Texas should be viewed with all due costs, the more it becomes economically schedules a lag of 15 years or more before skepticism. ❑ justifiable. water could actually be transported to the area which the WDB says is most in need — 1. In 1962 the name of the Board of Water An example of vast discrepancy possible Engineers was changed to the Texas Water in computation of any benefit-cost ratio the West Texas Panhandle. Before the Commission. In 1965 the Texas Water Commis- can be seen in the $29 million Columbus water could be delivered the Trans-Texas sion was divided into the Water Development Bend project, which the U.S. Study Com- canal would have to be built at a capacity Board and the Water Rights Commission. The to deliver water that would not be sold planning phase was taken over by the Water mission did not adopt but the Water Development Board. Essentially the planners and Development Board includes in the state before the year 2000. This means that the the planning remained the same, but the planning water plan. The Columbus Bend project general revenue of the state would be agency operated under three different names in a anticipates that existing structures in the obligated to pay the interest on the bonds four-year period. for a decade or more before any income 2. (Benefit/cost ratios greater than unity Colorado river basin will be unable to meet [1.0] indicate that the project can be considered water supply requirements in the lower can be derived from the potential irrigation justifiable. An additional U.S. Study Commis- basin, from Columbus to the mouth. Using water users. If in the time lag the price of sion report showed that substantial underestima- the same figures but different methods of water would become more expensive (ex- tion of ground water resources was responsible ample: unanticipated rise in construction for the vast discrepancy in ratios. benefit cost (B-C) computation, the B-C 3. (Planning Report 30.5 of USSC-T p. 25 and ratio varied from 2.43 using the Bureau of costs or capital costs) or irrigation of lands An Economic Analysis of the Columbus Bend Reclamation method (accepted by the would not be feasible (drop in the ex- Project Proposal-Colorado River, Texas prepared State Board of Water Engineers) to .44 by pected price of cotton) then the state will for the USSC-T.) Nov. 1961. p. 3 table 1. the Corps of Engineers method and .33 by the Soil Conservation method. In system design and engineering the WDB plan shows some glaring errors in computing energy requirements. Under a Interview with Boswell column headed "Total Dynamic Head" (on whose main features is to support a West page I-21) the plan shows, for example, a Austin Seeking answers to questions being Texas agriculture that has, as is argued, maximum at El Paso of 3,000 feet. Very been developed and maintained by waste- simple computation shows that the entire raised about the ambitious state water plan ful means? Opponents of the water plan column must be total static (not dynamic) and the need at this time for the voting of a massive bond issue to finance such an contend that the sharp upsurge in use of head. underground water in West Texas for "Static head" and "dynamic head" are undertaking, the Observer interviewed irrigated farming is wasteful because it is terms used to describe estimates of power Howard B. Boswell, executive director of rapidly depleting the region's only major required to move water from one place to the Texas Water Development Board. water source, the Ogalalla Aquifer. Why another. "Static head" is a term that means How could the distinction be made not go back to dry-land farming and the actual measure of distance from a between water sent to, say, West Texas, for ranching in the area, particularly in these natural water level to any chosen point. irrigation purposes and that sent there for days of big agricultural subsidies paid by "Dynamic head" is the measure of static urban and industrial use? Wouldn't that head plus the measure of all friction that water be indistinguishable, being sent west government? So the argument goes. in one big canal? Boswell answered that it would be a drag on moving the water (for Boswell replies that it is beyond the example, the drag caused by pump lift and can easily be determined how much water is being used for what purposes according scope of his agency to say that the agricul- pipe friction). Static head is roughly twice tural practices of West Texas should be dynamic head. If the WDB chart is not in to the ultimate destination of the water — whether that destination is a farm, a re-ordered; decisions as to this already have error in its heading of that column on page been made by others and is an accomplished 1-21, this means that the energy costs to municipal water supply plant, a rural water supply corporation, an industrial plant, or fact, one that will, he believes, persist into pump water may have been computed the future. Thus the water plan accepts incorrectly, to an extent that might make whatever. Indeed, he said, such determina- tions are routinely made today in the state current West Texas agricultural practices as the energy requirements for the planned given for the plan. Future growth of conveyance of water economically unac- and elsewhere. Construction costs of the canal, reservoirs, and related facilities irrigation in that region would not be ceptable. extensive under the plan, Boswell says; The board makes a second error in would, Boswell said, be apportioned ac- cordingly (evidently based on estimates of only maintenance of the status quo, plus computing power requirements. A foot- some slight growth of irrigation, particu- note (e) on page 1-22 of the plan says that type of user for each facility), so that state money is not used for irrigation. larly, in the North Plains, he says. "Poten- computation of power requirements are tially there are some 37 million irrigable "energy requirements for delivering water at maximum design capacity during peak OES IT MAKE sense, as some D August 1, 1969 7 irrigation season." 3 If this important foot- say it does not, to draw up a plan one of acres in Texas — if we had the water," he "There is not near the antipathy among adds, by way of illustrating that water today was around at the time of Adam and Louisiana people to this [Texas] plan as is Eve," as he puts it. The Texas plan is planners by no means intend even to reported in the press," Boswell contends. approach extending irrigation to that "based on the assumption that water qual- point. The key to settlement of the interstate ity will be enforced" by the Texas Water Quality Board. If that board fails, Boswell "We think this does make sense," Bos- cooperation aspects- of getting water into well says. "There is a multi-million-dollar Texas rests with Congress, says Boswell. says, there always is the threat of federal economy in West Texas now. We face the Federal financing of the plan, two-thirds of intervention to assure pollution control. But, he goes on, the imported water will question: do we try to do what we can to its entire cost, would come only after maintain that or do we let it go by the expressions of majority consent in each of be, almost invariably, flood water; "We are wayside?" The Water Development Board the states involved, he believes. talking about the freshest water that comes has predicted that without the develop- down the Mississippi," he says. Realizing that the most vocal opposition ment of new sources of water in the state, Is it premature for Texas to vote the irrigated farm land would shrink from 7.7 water bonds at this time? Shouldn't we to the plan is from groups interested in conservation, Boswell points out the re- million acres to 4.1 million by 2020; a wait for the conclusion of the studies of peated references in the water plan to substantial part of that loss would be in Louisiana water needs (to be ready in West Texas. 1972), as well as for the conclusion of conservation and to ecological concerns. other studies of some aspects of the Texas "We have recognized from the beginning "The plan is based on the concept of the problems and the needs involved — users paying for the water they use. .. . plan? Boswell thinks passage of the Texas water bonds is needed now. Drains on the wildlife, scenic bays and estuaries — these Our studies show this plan will be economi- sorts of needs for water. And we have tried cally feasible in the long run," Boswell federal treasury are considerable these asserted. days, he notes, and too great a reliance on to give full consideration to these needs. federal money would mean the loss of Anybody who says this plan is going to dry If the West Texas phase of the plan is a up the bays and estuaries, as I've heard good idea now, why was it not part of the time, a crucial factor, he believes, if the state is to meet its needs satisfactorily by said, is not acquainted with what is pro- preliminary state water plan first proposed posed." in 1965? Boswell was asked. Because that 2020. In any case, he goes on, Texas will The Coastal Division of the water plan, a plan was based solely on surplus water that need bonding authority to participate in major canal running from the Sabine River exists within the boundaries of Texas, he federal-state water programs. If all the $3.5 through the Houston area, to Corpus , replied. When West Texans complained billion is not needed, then bonds for the Christi, and on around the Coastal Bend about the 1965 plan, the Water Board then surplus amount will not be sold, Boswell into the lower Rio Grande Valley, is began to look for potential out-of-state says, citing the example of the $400 designed partly to provide adequate fresh sources of water. Thus the origin of the million 1957 bonds, of which only $100 water to maintain the required ecological idea of importing Mississippi River water million were sold by the Water Board. from below New Orleans. Boswell notes that there.are many political balance between fresh and salt water in the checks on the sale of the bonds, primarily Texas bays and estuaries. Boswell says studies still are under way to determine WILL OTHER states, particularly the Legislature ("Eleven senators could Louisiana, cooperate with Texas' wishes to block any sale of these bonds," he said, what amounts of fresh water will be required. He believes, however, that the import water? Boswell concedes that this is referring to the requirement that both amounts available for supplementing bay a genuine problem. He says about seven houses of the. Legislature must approve the sale, each by two-thirds votes). and estuary fresh-water content is very other states must give permission for the probably adequate. importation. The vital state, of course, is In short, Boswell believes there are many By way of illustrating the concern for Louisiana; also important is Mississippi. ways to assure, politically, that the majori- conservation expressed in the plan, Boswell However, Boswell believes there are ty will is expressed in developing and referred the Observer some good arguments to be used to per- to sections of the financing the water plan. Referring to water plan that ilce, plan seeks to achieve suade Louisianans to go along with the complaints that the plan is based on the following: "Based on best available Texas plan. The necessary canal to be built exaggerated factors (for example, doubt is estimates of need, provide regulated fresh connecting the Mississippi River and Texas often expressed that the state will have water inflows to the bays and estuaries, could be used to inject quantities of fresh 30.5 million people by 2020), Boswell and participate as justified in other mea- water in the marshes of Southern Louisi- contends that the plan has built-in flexibil- sures such as structural modifications to ana, . thereby protecting the ecological bal- ity that would permit periodic readjust- obtain better tidal circulation, with the ance between fresh and salt water that is ment as predictions come true or are objective of maintaining suitable quality vital to the seafood industry and sport proven false. "The water plan can be conditions for fish and shellfish. fishing. Further, the dirt displaced in dig- implemented accordingly. . . . The final "Supply projected water requirements ging the canal could be embanked to determination will be based on need," he for wildlife management areas and refuges provide improved hurricane protection. says. • • • Further, the potential navigational uses of The key reason, it seems, that Boswell "Preserve and protect river reaches and such a canal might well appeal to Louisi- and others wish funding to be approved springs of great scenic beauty or scientific anans; the canal could unite New Orleans, now is so the state will be taken seriously value. Baton Rouge, and fast-industrializing sou- in negotiating with Louisiana and such "Preserve and protect sites and natural thern Louisiana with the Beaumont-Port federal agencies as the Corps of Engineers. phenomena of historic and archeological Arthur-Orange area of Texas, providing "Thus," Boswell says, "Texas could deal importance... what might be a cheaper means of indus- from a position of strength instead of "Protect and enhance fish and wildlife trial transportation than is now available. weakness." resources to the maximum feasible ex- tent." 8 The Texas Observer Boswell adds, parenthetically, that "One WHAT ABOUT pollution control? goal in providing more water for the San ATHENA MONTESSORI SCHOOL For example, won't the water that Texas Antonio area is so Comal Springs won't dry Leo Nitch, Director imports be quite dirty, having been used up." many times by the time it is taken from He also referred the Observer to sections RED RIVER AT 41ST the Mississippi and by the time it makes its Opposite Hancock Center of the plan entitled, "Water Requirements way across Louisiana to Texas? Boswell Phone 454-4239 of Texas' Bays and Estuaries" (pp. 111-14 contends that water is continually being through 20) and "Fish and Wildlife" (pp. used over and over. "The water we. have 111-34 through 35). G.O. The Texas Mountain Plan This piece of satire was distributed struction will require 132 billion acre-feet cities. The director of the Texas Soil anonymously to legislators and the Capi- of dirt, the major portion coming from Quality Board, Gopher Mole, gives the tol press as the debate about the merits West Texas and the Panhandle, where example of Trinity River pollution. Not of the Texas water plan proceeded. there is a surplus of unused dirt lying only will Dallas be under water, but the around. Proponents of the plan point out current in the Houston ship channel will Austin that Texas' long-term soil needs will re- average 39 miles per hour, "flushing it The Texas Mountain Development quire the importation of South Dakota. clean as a whistle," says Mole. Board today released the Texas Mountain The plan is backed by the Committee The opponents of the plan include Plan. This plan would develop a of Eleven. A spokesman for the commit- many conservation groups. Dr. Dan Wild- 15,000-foot mountain range along the tee said, "The proposed plan will solve eye of the Texas Consternation Council gulf coast of Texas. The system, to be West Texas' water problem. Our figures, says, "The plan is economically unfeas- ible. They forgot to count in the cost of constructed, would include a number of taken from aerial photographs, show that the Kool-Aid." A representative of the majestic peaks, lush mountain valleys, West Texas, western Oklahoma, and east- Audible Society points out that there are rolling foothills, and bubbling torrents. ern New Mexico will be covered with a long-term detrimental effects on our wild- Scenic waterfalls are planned for Houston, fresh water lake 347 feet deep, roughly life. She said that the plan would place Beaumont, and Corpus Christi. A promi- 1.5 billion tons of water." The economic advantages of the plan dirt three miles deep on her bird feeder. nent Houstonian recently noted "Houston The Sahara Club published a statement has long lacked an adequate waterfall." are obvious. A contracting firm, Green and Dig, said, "This plan will help our against the plan. The club contends that The Texas Mountain System would the plan might perhaps possibly change connect the Southern Appalachian moun- economy." The cost, 59.98 trillion, will be borne by the sale of guaranteed Kool- the environment. tains of Georgia with the Sierra Madre One state legislator was quoted as say- Oriental of Mexico near Monterrey, Mexi- Aid in Balmorhea and Dime Box, Texas. The cost should liquefy itself by user fees. ing, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the co. Thus the range of mountains and hills," and, "My mother always liked connecting passes would extend 1,500 The Texas Mountain Plan would solve hills." ❑ miles and be 100 miles in breadth. Con- the water pollution problems of our large A Reply to Dr. Taylor Austin Texas water system. wife were entitled was a real big one. The commentary [Obs., July 18] by • $1.100 billion for loans to cities and Those mule-power days are gone, and in Dr. Paul S. Taylor of California on that districts for water supply facilities. the South Plains, the family-sized farm is state's water program was very interesting, You will need to understand, in voting at least 640 acres these days, and often but it bears absolutely no relation to the Aug. 5, that the $3.5 billion in bonds much larger. $3.5 billion Texas water plan bond issue would be in the nature of revenue bonds. But at any rate, what the federal law on which Texans will vote Aug. 5. The In each case, the cities or industries using says is that from irrigation projects fi- California economist's entire article is the water would repay the principal and nanced by the U.S. Bureau of Reclama- build-up to his conclusion' that the Cali- tion, no interest need be paid on the fornia route of state financing was under- portion of the project which supplies taken to evade and avoid the 160-acre Stuart Long water to farms of 160 acres or less per limitation under federal reclamation law. person (or 320 acres for a husband and That may be true. But the agricultural wife farm). If they farm larger acreages, interest to the state fund, which would aspects of the $10 billion Texas water they must pay interest on the part of the then retire the bonds. plan would be entirely federally-financed. loan which supplies water to the surplus Now, let's look at the agricultural por- land. If the 160-acre. limitation remains in the tion of the Texas water plan. As it is federal law, then it would apply to the If any of the $3.5 billion state bond envisioned, districts would be created in issue were used to finance irrigation facili- irrigation projects in the Texas water each of the areas to be supplied with plan. ties, the farmers would have to pay in- water for agriculture. These districts terest on all the loan. For that reason, the As the Texas water plan is drawn, the would contract with the U.S. Bureiau of $3.5 billion would be used in this Texas Water Development Board planned Reclamation to repay it over 50 or 100 the irrigation phases of the Texas water fashion: years, for the cost of the portion of the • $2.335 billion for loans to cities and plan to be reclamation projects. two major canals allocated to irrigation Should water be moved from the Miss- river authorities, or for direct state fi- use. In addition, these districts would nancing, of reservoirs and conveyance fa- issippi to the High Plains, it will be repay the United States for the estimated costly. One of the many studies made for cilities for domestic, municipal, and indus- $1,544,300,000 cost of the distribution trial water supplies. This would include the Texas Water Development Board sug- systems to carry the water to the indi- gests that the project can work in the the 18 reservoirs which would be a part vidual farms in the High Plains, North of the "Texas Water System," linked to Plains only if the entire community agrees Central Texas, Coastal Bend, Lower Rio to tax itself substantially to help support the two major canals. Grande Valley, and Winter Garden areas. • $65 million for loans to cities to the payments to the United States. help finance reservoirs not a part of the This is based on . the theory that the MANY DO NOT understand the corner merchant, the tractor dealer, the 160-acre limitation. It has become a fetish fertilizer seller, and the cotton ginner Mr. Long is an Austin Capitol with some. It was put in the law in 1903 make money from the farm's produce, so correspondent and a member of the when 160 acres was a pretty big farm, Governor's Committee of 500. and the 320 acres to which a man and August 1, 1969 9 they should contribute to keeping the payments on their debt to the state water use, this flood water would be released farm economy going. development fund, this draft on general California took this view on a statewide for the benefit of sportsmen, commercial revenues will end. Then, when the state fishermen, and a healthy ecology in gen- basis in its bond amendment, when it bonds are paid back, the general funds of allocated various state revenues to the eral in the several major bays. This would the state will recover what they have be, in addition to 11 million acre-feet a water plan. The Texas plan does not advanced. So there will be temporary propose any such statewide subsidy for year of fresh water going into the bays, financing from general state revenues for even after the impoundments of the year agriculture, but it will require a regional a time. subsidy. 2020 are all completed. Undoubtedly, the cost of this water There is one aspect of statewide fi- NE ASPECT of the financing nancing of the Texas water plan. In the O should be paid for out of general state will need further attention from the Leg- revenues in some fashion. While the early years, when loans are being made islature. This is the financing of the 2.4 and projects under construction, there $400,000 study of the bays will give the million acre-feet of water a year to be answers in a couple of years as to how will be no revenue from water sales. released from the state reservoirs to keep During this interim period, general state much water should be sent when to the a healthy ecology in the bays and estu- bays to restore and preserve their quality revenues will be used to pay interest on aries. the state bonds. When water sales begin, and healthiness, the Legislature will have Where the plan calls for city-dwellers to answer the question of who is going to and the local agencies begin to make and industries to pay for the water they pay for that part of the job. ❑ The 160-Acre Limitation Venice, Cal. "The truth, of course," wrote Long, "is federal government will finance the part to Factory farmers in Texas are joining that the $3.5 billion is to be used to be "used for agriculture." with big landowners in the American West, finance the development of water supplies And there is an even more interesting particularly in California, in a drive to for the cities and industries of Texas in the reason not to get too explicit about this scuttle the historic 160-acre limitation and years from now to 2020. Not a dime will premise. In 1959 the Congress explicitly thereby legalize the sale of federally- be used to finance agriculture." rejected it as the basis for exempting a subsidized irrigation water to agribusiness. How can this be? Long acknowledges large California water project from the The $3.5-billion "Texas water plan" bond that the bond issue "will help finance the 160-acre limitation. issue—(actually, including the interest, at two big canals," the West Texas Canal and least, a $7 billion-dollar taxpayers' obliga- The argument used was that California the South Texas Canal, both starting in would pay for the part of the program—the tion)—may be a defensively-presented part East Texas. "But," Long says, "the state of this overall program and is entirely "state" part—which would provide irriga- bond issue will finance only the part of the tion water for the vast, undefined "state consistent with it. projects which supplies municipal and in- Ostensibly, the money the citizens are service area" on the West Side of the San dustrial water." Joaquin Valley. The federal 160-acre limi- being asked to commit themselves and How is that "part" going to be separ- their children to provide is going to be tation would apply to the "federal" part of ated? It cannot be. You can isolate, on the project, but not to the exempted "state dedicated to the costs of providing water books of account, the costs of building a for municipal and industrial uses in Texas. service area." The Congress killed the given facility, but in an integrated water The "Texas" money, about one-fourth of proposal to thus exempt vast areas of the system that facility has meaning and use Valley, including some of the largest farm the total cost, is to be "spent" for these only as a dependent part of the whole purposes. This would appear to put the landholdings in the United States, from the system. The two big canals and the associ- 160-acre limitation. The Southern Pacific, bond-issue money a plausible distance from ated reservoirs could not be built without the controversy over the family farm. Standard Oil, Kern County Land Co., and federal money. How will the irrigation Tejon Ranch people were not pleased. Yet in the nature of public works to water get west and south from East Texas Just as the senatorial advocates of these provide water for a variety of purposes, without passing through those two big special interests argued in 1959 that the this claim is semantics and only semantics. canals? There is no way it can. federal and state "parts" of the California You cannot separate out one level of the The words of the Texas Water Plan itself water system "do not overlap or intermix," water behind a dam as city and industrial tell "the truth, of course." Any water one finds the idea of the separateness of water and another level as farm water. You system of the dimensions of the Texas plan the "Texas Water System" from "The do not build parallel aqueducts, just to has to be planned, built, operated, and Interstate System" throughout the docu- keep the water for different purposes managed as "a single, integrated water ment entitled the "Texas Water Plan." separate. The "Texas Water Plan" itself system." The "Interstate System" is defined as says: "The Texas Water System ... will be Long repeats the claim of the writers of strictly those works required to divert planned, designed, staged, constructed, the Texas Water Plan that "it is hoped that water from the Mississippi and convey it operated, and managed as a single, inte- the federal government will finance the into Texas. The "Texas Water System" is grated water system in its entirety." portion of the canals and reservoirs which defined very broadly as "those facilities will be used for agriculture." But this claim within the State of Texas required to of theirs is most dubious in its very protect, conserve, transport, and distribute THE ARTICLE BY Professor Paul meaning and because of a significant quali- Texas' intrastate water resources and Taylor of Berkeley in last issue's Observer, fication about the 160-acre limitations. Texas' share of interstate waters for various inquiring whether evasion of the federal purposes. . . ." The state agency "would 160-acre limitation might not be the pur- I T IS THE suppressed premise of hold the appropriative rights to water pose of the expensive state-level funding of the writers of the Texas water plan that conveyed through the Texas Water Sys- the proposed plan, drew from Stuart Long, you can separate out the costs of the plan tem," despite the awkward fact that fe&, the Austin newspaperman, a column pub- according to the purposes of the water. No eral money would build most of it. lished in some Texas dailies which requires wonder they suppressed the premise, since a thoughtful reading. they also assert that the system has to be THE "TEXAS WATER PLAN" unified in every respect. Yet without the also proposes "Local Projects 10 'The Texas Observer (Not a part premise, it makes no sense to hope that the of the integrated Texas Water System)" which could be financed and constructed In 1902, as a result of the insistence and company divulged that whereas a decade "solely by local agencies" or "solely by stirring oratory of President Theodore ago it was a farm-based company, it has the state" or jointly by the state and local Roosevelt against land monopolists and on become a conglomerate. Robert DiGiorgio agencies. And it is specifically envisioned the behalf of the family farm, the Congress said that ten years ago the decision was that "Irrigation distribution . . . could be fixed the family farm concept firmly into made to move away from farming because locally constructed.. .." federal water reclamation law. of "the unpredictability of the weather and the market, the uncertainty of crop yields, The 1902 reclamation act provided It takes little imagination to visualize the and the 160-acre limitation imposed by the meaning of these carefully-spun words in clearly that no water from a federal recla- federal government on farms qualified to the concrete dams, the great blue reser- mation project could be sold to any one receive irrigation water" (Los Angeles voirs, and the rushing blue streams of the landowner for a tract of more than 160 Times, June 4, 1969). water system. The feds will be permitted to acres and that the landowner had to live on On March 24 of this year, Sen. John pay three-fourths of the bill and control the land or else be its occupant and live in Tower, the Texas Republican, joined with the waterworks that actually cross the state its neighborhood. Sen. George Murphy, the California Repub- line, but then, boys, we take over, and if The exact wording: lican, and three other senators in sponsor- you want to build you a little irrigation "No right to the use of water for land in ing a bill to replace the 160-acre limit with system over there in your territory, why, private ownership shall be sold for a tract a 640-acre limit. Since 160 acres is allowed sure. exceeding one hundred and sixty acres to for a man and another 160 for his wife, It is not only quite possible, but from any one landowner, and no such sale shall this would in effect change a 320-acre limit the evidence quite likely that evasion of be made to any landowner unless he be an to a 1280-acre limit on 'how much land the 160-acre limitation is one objective of actual bona fide resident on such land, or may receive federally-subsidized water. the "Texas water plan." Attached to the occupant thereof residing in the neighbor- plan's hope, of which Long made much, hood of said land." More important than this: the Murphy that the federal government will finance bill, co-sponsored by Tower of Texas, Farmers receiving water under the the "portion of" the system to be used for water-sharing law have to agree to repay would let landowners buy as much federal agriculture was this most interesting sen- their share of the costs of providing it, water as they wanted in excess of the new tence: "This will, however, make the lands except for the interest. Since the interest limit, provided they paid the interest on served subject to whatever acreage limita- the federal government pays on such proj- their share of the costs of the water for the tion provisions may be in effect at that ects is about half the costs, federal irriga- excess. This proposal to let big landowners time." Elsewhere, the promulgators of the tion water is a farm subsidy, limited under "buy out" from under the federal water plan say specifically that one of their the water-sharing law to 160 acres per sharing law is the crux of the controversy. objectives is changing these present provi- citizen. The issue is not discussed in any direct sions. "The Texas Water Plan" explicitly Estimates of the subsidy involved range way in the Texas water plan, although half states: "The present acreage limitation from $600 to $2,000 per acre. Taking a — 16 million of the 32 million acre-feet of provisions of Federal Reclamation Law will figure of $1,000 per acre, this means that water to be needed by 2020 — is to go to need to be revised if the State is to have an irrigation water subsidizes a family-size irrigation. The land irrigated in Texas is to economically viable agriculture in Texas farm of 160 acres to the extent of under Reclamation projects." be about doubled — from about eight $160,000. million to about 17 million acres — yet the The dimensions of the controversy may If the 160-acre limitation is not changed, "Texas Water Plan" contains no planning be gauged from a single fact. Southern what then? "The Plan," so interestingly for what way of life this water will irrigate. anonymous anyway, does not say, but we Pacific owns 120,000 acres of land in the have it on the authority of Howard Bos- San Joaquin Valley. Had the attempt to exempt San Luis Project of the "California well, executive director of the Texas Water WE HAVE ONLY BEGUN, as a Water Plan" from the water-sharing law Development Board, thatAit is "a flexible nation, to think our way out of the decline guide." In other words0 no promises, succeeded in 1959, Southern Pacific's of the family farm and the rise of the great gentlemen. potential legalized subsidy figured at this factory farms. Here we have all these It is perfectly obvious that, as a tech- rate would have been $120,000,000. people jammed up in the ghettoes, raging nological matter, the $3.5 billion bond On the other hand, federal law requires in their spirit; here we have a national law issue would be financing part of a state that major landholders can obtain federal and policy, 66 years old, that the benefits water system with which its promoters water for their "excess lands" (those in of federal water projects shall be widely want to provide the factory farmers with excess of 160 acres) if they execute "re- distributed among the people; and here we water freed from the federal 160-acre cordable contracts" agreeing to sell the have the great American West, suddenly all limitation. excess land at the end of ten years at of it within reach of a national water pre-water prices. system that can make most of it arable. The technology of farming does involve THIS IS A COMPLEX subject. more and more heavy equipment, yet here Liberally inclined people — now urbanized we have Title III of the Economic Oppor- in the main, like most Texans — give little THE 160-ACRE limitation is still tunity Act providing for federal financing or no thought to what is happening on the the law of the land, but it has been widely for agricultural activities designed to en- land. Yet August 5 Texans must decide evaded by a dizzying array of federal, state, courage cooperatives associated with fam- whether to obligate themselves for $7 and water-district rulings and practices. ily-size farming. Are these possibilities to billion, at least, to pay for perhaps one- The requirement that major landowners be lost because of the city liberal's accep- third of a water system the federal govern- getting excess water must sell their land tance of the widely-sold slogan that the ment has not yet approved or agreed to after 10 years, and at pre-water prices, come into. "Water" is the symbol, but the naturally, therefore, greatly troubles many family farm is dead? future nature of life on the land is the factory farmers. The law might be en- The subject is not "160 acres," but issue. The cities and industry will get their forced. Highly valuable farmland might whether the present federal law limiting water one way or another; the family size have to be sold at low prices. the sale of federally subsidized water to a farm is under siege and its continuation in There has been one test, involving the family-size farm shall be in effect repealed doubt. The 160-acre limitation and all the DiGiorgio Corporation in California. The and this subsidy given to the factory issues associated with it are therefore the Bureau of Reclamation enforced the 160- farmers. most serious social issues the water pro- a cr e limitation on DiGiorgo's land hold- gram entails. ings. Last month in Los Angeles, this August I, 1969 11 The question, what size farm will pro- Reagan's task force, arguing for the Mur- "We believe in the family-sized farm, the vide a good living for a family, is only one phy approach to the subject, cites studies aspect of the subject. On one hand, the American system. We do not want the that tend to show that 500 or 600 acres are Spanish system. Fresno Chamber of Commerce has said We do not want the required for maximum efficiency. hacienda system, or the system of Mexico, that a family can be supported in the an , Joaquin Valley if it raises oranges on 20 to We are now paying millions to farmers which California had when it joined the union. 30 acres, apricots on 35 acres, peaches on to prevent them from producing all they We do not want a system with a big 30 to 40 acres, grapes and raisins on 40 to can, flooding the market, and depressing manor house on the hill, and farm laborers 50 acres, or figs on 60 to 80 acres. On prices. There is also, therefore, another living in hovels. We want a system in which 20 to 50 acres or so in fruits, a family can question here. Do we want the most the owner is the cultivator. That is the make a good living there. What would the efficient agriculture, or do we want to basis of American agrarian democracy." figure be for the lower Rio Grande Valley? encourage the kind of wholesome life on This, then, is the context in which Texas Similar, probably. Yet under the water- the land symbolized by the term, "the voters are asked to commit themselves for sharing law, which the Texas water plan family farm?" If the family farm is some- a $7 billion obligation when interest rates promoters want changed, a man and wife what less efficient by various economic are so high. are allowed to get federally-subsidized tests, but provides a satisfactory income Texas needs an integrated water system, water on 320 acres. They can farm as much and a good life, is it not preferable to a but it should be, and probably in the more land as they want to — if they landscape swept clean of homes, people, course of events will be, part of a national provide their own water. and even small towns? water system, funded by the federal gov- ernment and using not only waters from Sen. Barry Goldwater of Arizona has In 1959 the U.S. Senate refused to said he is in complete agreement with the the Mississippi, but all the great rivers of exempt the San Luis project from the the country, even the Yukon. It does not Fresno figures. But it depends on what you 160-acre limitation. This project is now are trying to define. If you start talking make good sense to give this present group beginning to water the west side of the San of power-holders in Texas a blank check to about something like the "optimum net Joaquin Valley. Mounting his successful go to work bargaining Congress out of one yield per acre," you can come up with fight that year against the attempt of big of the fundamental guarantees of the dem- baskets full of studies showing that larger landowners to kill the water-sharing law in ocratic way of life, the water-sharing law. farms are better. For instance, Gov. Ronald this area, Sen. Paul Douglas of Illinois said: R.D. Some Money Questions Austin about 6%.2 Yet, while other state bonds The plan, as it is now written, calls for With practically no debate, the Texas have an interest ceiling of 6%%, the water state financing of the municipal and indus- Legislature overwhelmingly approved the bonds would have no ceiling at all. The trial water needs and federal financing of biggest bond issue in the history of the cost of paying off the bonds might go agricultural needs. The Texas Water Report World. Texas voters will have their say on much higher. Such a monumental interest recently said that Rep. Bill Clayton of the $3.5 billion in general obligation bonds will greatly enhance the financial well- Springlake (in the cotton country north of for water development August 5. being of a few bankers and bond brokers, Lubbock) recently told the WDB "irriga- Before the bonds can actually be sold, but it will not help the pocketbooks of the tion projects in the plan are to be financed, the Water Development Board will have to people of Texas. The financial burden on if at all [emphasis theirs] , by reclamation get the approval of two-thirds of both the the state's water users would be half or less loans from Congress. Clayton said the House and Senate. Proponents of the water than half of what it will be under bond conversations that farmers would fall $10 plan insist that the Legislature will be an financing if the Legislature had decided to billion shy of paying out the costs makes effective overseer of the WDB's use of the pay for the water project directly through no sense, because there will be no irrigation money. If the scheme for importing water taxation, but such a pay-as-you-go proposi- projects unless farmers or other area people from the Mississippi is proved to be unfeas- tion was never even considered. contract with the Bureau of Reclamation ible, the Legislature will stop it, they say. The proponents of the water plan claim to pay out the cost of irrigation facili- Others disagree. Sen. Charles Herring of that the bonds will be repaid by those who ties." 3 But the Committee of 500 of which Austin, one senator who voted against the directly benefit from the importation of Clayton is a leader is putting great emo- bond issue, has said "I doubt that any water, those who use the water. But tional appeal on the fact that High Plains Legislature in Texas would vote against someone will have to pay for servicing the and Rio Grande Valley farmers will be out issuing these bonds if the people of Texas bonds while the channels and dams and of water this century unless something is vote for them by a substantial majority. reservoirs are being built. That someone done soon. Since the water bond issue does The one thing I have learned is that when will be the collective taxpayers of the State not authorize any particular plan, there is bonds are authorized, they will be sold. of Texas. The conservative Texas Research no guarantee that state money will not be But if we aren't able to go ahead with the League estimates that $630 million in taxes used for irrigation. Even if it is not water system, who knows what they will will be needed to pay interest and principal specifically used to build irrigation canals, be sold for?" 1 from 1978 to 1991 when water user the bulk of the funds will have gone to payments would begin coming in. build giant canals and reservoirs which will ALTHOUGH INTEREST rates on "On the basis of preliminary evaluation, transport and hold water for all three the water bonds will double or more than the financial resources of the areas to be purposes, industrial, municipal, and agricul- double the cost of the funds, the Legisla- served by the Texas Water System appear tural. ture never discussed alternative methods of to be adequate to repay the costs under financing water development. Howard Bos- current federal and state repayment poli- DR. WALLACE LOVEJOY of well, executive director of the WDB, af- cies, either through water charges, or Southern Methodist University, an econo- firmed at a recent press conference that the through a combination of water charges mist on the Committee of 1,000 which $3.5 billion in bonds will cost taxpayers or and general taxation . . .," the plan says. opposes the plan, argues that the scheme is water users another $3.5 billion to $4 Yet probably the most frequently heard economically unfeasible, basically because billion in interest, if the bonds are sold at argument against the plan is that the state's of agricultural needs. "It goes without farmers will never be able to pay their saying that various parts of Texas will 12 The Texas Observer share for irrigating their land. require more and cleaner water supplies and more flood control in the future," any return of population to the farms. In agricultural irrigation."9 Lovejoy has written. "However, the people fact, most rural areas will likely dwindle Lovejoy, the SMU economist, believes of the state have not had explained to still further in the number of residents," that farming is a mining process. When them just what the costs and benefits of according to the bureau. Although agricul- valuable soil and water is played out, the such a plan are, and who pays the cost and ture will not be a growth industry in terms game is up, and it is a little unusual to. who receives the benefits." 4 of employment, it will be in terms of expect the state to go to lengths to output. By the end of the century, there replenish exploited natural resources. In The economist points out that "of the will be fewer farms, but greater productiv- one of. its mailings, the Committee of 1000 17.2 million acre-feet of water the water ity, mainly in East Texas where "the use of quotes J. D. Crow, a lawyer from the West plan facilities are supposed to oversee irrigation and soil improvement programs Texas town of Canadian who agrees with annually, 10.9 million acre-feet are to be can be expected to increase farm yields Lovejoy. "I do not 'feel any sympathy for used for in-state irrigation, 1.5 million dramatically." 8 Thus, without the gigantic those people over on the plains who acre-feet will go to New Mexico primarily Texas water scheme, the natural trend pumped their water away even when they for irrigation, and 1.4 million acre-feet will seems to be for larger (i.e. factory) farms, were being told it was not replenishing be lost annually in storage and conveyance producing more goods more effectively — itself and that it was valuable and should mostly for irrigation. The plan is thus in East Texas, the area that can be irrigated be conserved. I do not expect the rest of designed primarily to support agriculture in most economically. the people to mortgage their property and the state," according to Lovejoy. future to give me more oil and import oil Although farming will be taking a back down the wells so I can pump •The regions that will be in the most and pour it seat to industry in terms of the state's it out again. They simply used up their serious need for irrigation water in the near economy, agriculture is still in the front future are the Texas-New Mexico High capital and so have I and so has everyone seat politically. The Legislature is still else that used a depletable resource." Plains, the Trans-Pecos area, and the Lower rurally oriented. Gov. Preston Smith is a Rio Grande Valley. The Army Corps of native of the High Plains, the area that One can also question the WDB's Engineers is in the process of studying the needs water the most to continue reaping estimates of water needs for agriculture. feasibility of importing water from the the benefits it has received in the last 20 Mississippi and from other sources, includ- years from irrigated cotton land. (His The water plan says, "Without the Texas ing Canada, to help West and Eastern New predecessor, John Connally, is from South water system, the decline in irrigated acre- Mexico, but the final report will not be Texas. The water plan devised during his age in Texas will reduce the state's share of ready until 1972 or 1973. In a progress regime called for a canal and reservoir national agricultural production and result report dated May, 1968, the corps says, system to bring water to irrigators in the in substantial unemployment of labor and "Regardless of the route, the cost per Rio Grande Valley. Connally's anointed capital resources. The Texas water system acre-foot for delivering the water from the plan obviously was unfeasible politically, will permit Texas to maintain its share of lower Mississippi River system to irrigators since it did not supply the projected needs national agricultural production at current in the study area appears certain to exceed of the big farmers and industrialists in West levels." The report also says, "By 1985, if a substantially their ability to pay for such Texas. The WDB's• present plan purports to supplemental surface supply of water has water."5 The report concludes, "economic have something for everyone, especially the not reached the High • Plains, this vast area benefits of irrigation to nonfarm elements big farmers in West Texas and South will have begun an area-wide retrogression of the study area's economy are large and Texas.) to dryland farming which will have pro- appear to be sufficient to warrant payment Farmers in West Texas and the Rio found economic consequences throughout by those nonfarm elements of costs of Grande Valley naturally will exert all the the state. The North Central Texas, Trans- import water in excess of the irrigators' pressure they can to maintain their eco- Pecos, Lower Rio Grande, and Winter ability to pay." nomically enviable position. Cotton is Garden areas face equally crucial time- "Who is going tonayitthese excessive Texas' biggest agricultural commodity, and phasing problems." costs?" Lovejoy asks. "We• pan count on as many fortunes have been made in cotton production in recent years. (Last year, Both the U.S. Study Commission — much of the costs as possible being shifted plan and the WDB plan agree that Texas cotton production was up 27% over Texas off the irrigator and his local economy to ground water reserves in Texas will be the rest of the state." According to Love- 1967.) Yet, the interests of cotton farmers depleted in some parts of Texas, dictating a and that of the state in general are not joy, "the plan emphasizes the importance change in land use patterns toward dry of agriculture to the state economy (which necessarily synonymous. West Texas cot- farming. The outstanding differences in ton is of poor quality, and the market for is true), and then leaves the impression that cost and urgency in the U.S. Commission agriculture would vanish without more it is artificially maintained through federal plan and the WDB plan hinge on the price supports. Opponents of the water water for irrigation (which is false). The economic interpretation of hydrologic basic fallacies in the irrigation argument are plan question whether the state should go data. The WDB calls for delivery of 7.5 that (a) we have to maintain Texas' posi- into debt to keep cotton farmers in busi- million acre-feet for irrigation, 950,000 tion as an agricultural state, and (b) the ness.

projected demands for irrigation water are In 1961, Stuart Udall, then Secretary of August 1, 1969 13 based on the assumption that there will be the Interior, asked the Ford Foundation's a supply of water at a low cost. The fact is Resources for the Future to project the 'v.' that industrial states have higher family nation's agricultural needs to the end of incomes than agricultural states, and indus- the century. The report concluded: trial jobs contribute more to the state 'economy than agricultural jobs." "Although the land area of the country is unexpandable, the continuing rise of Since 18438 •productivity per acre indicates that, at least The Place in Austin THE BUREAU OF BUSINESS through the remaining decades of this Research at the University of Texas pre- century, the present acreage of farm land, dicts that Texas will continue the transfor- or even less, can produce all the food and GOOD FOOD mation from farming and ranching state to fiber our growing population is likely to GOOD BEER an industrial state through the end of this want. In fact, for a good many years the century. 6 "In spite of the sweeping chief problems may be ones of surplus. 1607 San Jacinto changes that can be foreseen in Texas This is a possibility with important policy GR 7-4171 agriculture, it is doubtful that there will be implications for reclamation and existing acre-feet for municipal and industrial use, 5. U. pattern by 2010, thus adapting the land to S. Bureau of Reclamation, Progress and 1.5 million acre-feet for New Mexico. pasture, range, and forest uses as water Report on West Texas and Eastern New Mexico The U.S. Commission did not consider Import Project Investigations, becomes increasingly expensive. K.N. Region 5, May, the water needs of New Mexico, but it did 1968, p. 89. 1. Houston Chronicle, 6. find that good quality water for municipal "Senators Give Pros, Bureau of Business Research, An Economic Cons of Water Proposal," July 17, 1969, p. 20. Profile of Texas to 1990, p. 7. and industrial uses would be available until 2. Associated Press article in Houston Post, 7. Ibid., p. 6. at least 2010. The commission further July 12, 1969. 8. Ibid., p. 4. concluded that 3.2 million acres of High 3. Texas Water Report, July 10, 1969, p. 2. 9. Report to Stuart Udall, 1961, by Resources 4. Mailing, Committee of 1000 to Oppose for Future, under signature of Joseph L. Fisher, Plains land would revert to a non-irrigated Amendment #2," page 5. president.

`Ecological Russian Roulette'

San Antonio valuable to the lumber interest that they rest survive intact and unaffected? No one The Texas Water Plan is said to provide have successfully fought its loss to their who has ever had an ecological thought for the largest altering of the face of the industry with every trick in the book, how could imagine so. Yet the planners have earth ever undertaken by man. It is a is it that we can afford to have 30 times not cared enough about this loss to even fantastic, earth-shaking, major overhaul of that area of prime lowland forests and make studies of its effect. Can we with the geography, topography, and ecology of fields lost to us forever by damming? clear conscience become part of this de- a whole region. Nothing like it has ever Added to this, the plan would channelize struction by voting for it? been attempted before. The huge water and variously alter by water transporting If the plan is carried out, there will be jugglings of Arizona and California are and flood control constructions about yet another loss to our living community completely dwarfed beside it. 3,000 miles of rivers and creeks. so clear-cut and so great that ecologists and The destruction this plan would visit In spite of the fine sound of the plan- biologists are speaking out against it open- upon the natural environment of the region ners' objective number 19, to "preserve ly. This will be the loss to our bays and would constitute an awesome cost, yet the estuaries. water planners seem to have made no The Texas Water Plan hinges upon the serious attempt to deal with this factor. idea of taking "surplus" water out of east The Water Development Board did request Delbert Weniger Texas rivers and using it in other parts of a study of the effect of the plan on Texas the state rather than letting it flow into the bays, but in drawing the plan it largely bays and on into the Gulf. Oh, we are ignored the serious ecological questions the and protect river reaches and springs of assured that the bays will be allowed for by report posed. great scenic beauty or scientific value," 2 it some water finally being passed on to No professional ecologist was among the is being remarked that if the plan is them. Of the approximately 28 million persons drawing the plan. The only ecologi- implemented there will not survive in its acre-feet of water which flowed from cal study the Water Development Board natural state a mile of wild stream or an undiverted Texas rivers each average year, requisitioned before the plan was published acre of natural river bottomland in the 3 the Texas Water Plan would allow only a — a study of the ways the scheme would eastern two-thirds of Texas. This is not an comparative trickle of about 2.4 million affect Texas bays — was largely ignored. overstatement. When rivers are used as acre-feet per year to still flow into the Several ecological studies, including the canals, waters are mixed through the sys- bays. The rest is labeled "surplus" and Galveston Bay Project, have since been tem, leaving nary a stream in an un- planned to be used, reused and lost in authorized as a result of questions raised molested condition. And the water, which Texas cities or in the irrigated fields of the by the plan, but none of them will be the water planners hope to take from the state. completed until 1972 or later. Yet, Texas Mississippi below New Orleans, will be What about this? Is there actually any voters are being asked to approve $3.5 heavily polluted to begin with. "surplus" or wasted water running out of billion for water development on August 5. The prospect of the elimination of the Texas? Not unless you count that which natural lowlands and river bottom environ- dilutes and sweetens the bays and estuaries ment from our experience for all time is of our coast as wasted. Actually, the SOME OF OUR MOST valuable that of a major esthetic loss. Can life be as natural resources are the lush, wooded productivity of our bays is directly related rich for my children and their children if to the amount of fresh water flowing into lowlands and valleys, the scenic, fascinating they can never know the teeming sights bayous and swamps, pools and rapids of them. The fresh river water running into and sounds of a bayou, a swamp, or the the estuaries and bays provides an environ- our rivers and creeks. The Texas Water Plan wonder of a great Texas river running wild? proposes to build about 4,500 square miles ment that is less saline than the gulf waters. And what would not be eliminated would It provides the essential nursery grounds of reservoirs, which necessarily means the be changed. The plan would even alter covering by water and the destruction of suitable for the growth of shrimp larvae Caddo Lake. The cost of all of this loss and small fish. At the same time, the 4,500 square miles of our best lowland must be figured against the plan. forests and thickets. By comparison, the salinity keeps larger predatory fish out of the area. largest area ever proposed for the Big J UST THE PLANNED destruc- According to the Bryant-Curlington re- Thicket park was only 156 square miles. If tion outlined above will cost much more this relatively small Big Thicket area is so port prepared for the Water Development than that. This prospect is in itself a Board in 1966, the current situation of our disaster to the life community of this bays is as follows: Mr. Weniger is an assistant professor of region unparalleled in this geological "Galveston Bay provides nursery biology at Our Lady of the Lake College in period. It would wipe out millions of both grounds for over 80% of the poundage San Antonio. He is secretary of the Com- plant and animal individuals, and render taken as fishery products in the Gulf of mittee of 1000 to Oppose Amendinent #2. extinct dozens of species. It would be the Mexico adjacent to the Texas Coast. Gal- eliminating of a whole segment of the veston Bay has continually led the 14. The Texas Observer living community. If we do this, can the other bays in oyster production, presum- ably because of the more favorable fresh- bays? It is as simple a choice as that. climatic processes. But beyond this to water conditions."4 Still another ecological bill to be charged details of how much or with what specific In Matagorda Bay, "the low tributary to us for the Texas Water Plan water is results no specialist has been willing to go. discharge has limited the number of acres indicated, and it might well be in the long And that is the point. Climatic change in of near-fresh marshes and bayous that are run the largest cost of all. The first the some degree in some direction will result capable of supporting habitat for the nur- writer heard of this aspect was at a 1966 from this plan. Texas is on a climatic sery of young animals." 5 hearing on the Plan. Dr. W. Frank Blair, boundary where balances are easily tipped. In Aransas and Corpus Christi Bays, the Professor of Zoology at the University of We see this every time a front comes "low tributary discharge has caused the Texas, Chairman of the U.S. National through. And this project would lay out disappearance of considerable acreage of Committee of the International Biological under the powerful Texas sun 4,500 square near-freshwater marshes and bayous that Program, and perhaps senior ecologist of miles of new water surface in major reser- would be capable of supporting habitat for Texas, made the point blank statement in voirs plus 2,510 additional small impound- the nursery of some animals. . . ." 6 public hearing that the Texas Water Plan ments. It would soak millions of dry acres In Corpus Christi Bay, "the poundage of with new irrigation water. It would also commercial fisheries products has de- increase the temperature of the air and the creased in almost a straight-line regression water with the thermal pollution from the since 1959."7 ". . it is evident that this new power plants (probably nuclear) neces- yield is decreasing annually because of the sary for the power, roughly doubling the lack of freshwater." 8 Conservationists' present total power generated in all of "Population studies conducted in Aran- Texas, to pump the huge stream of water sas, Mesquite and Copano Bays have shown Q's and A's up hill 3,500 feet to the High Plains. The a decline in oyster abundance as a result of most logical prediction therefore is that all high mortalities in Aransas Bay and Mes- Austin of this will raise the humidity and cloud quite Bay. Poor spawning and setting suc- Among the groups leading opposition cover of at least pafts of the State, with cess in the 3-bay area have been attributed to the water bond issue has been the additional heat being fed into the atmo- to increased salinities and lack of fresh Sierra Club of Texas, an organization spheric energy cycle causing increased and water." 9 devoted to conservation of natural re- probably more violent storm activity. It should be obvious to any honest sources, with chapters in several Texas There is precedent for this sort of reaction observer that the situation of our bays is cities. In a recent mailing outlining in that this sort of result has already already marginal as regards fresh water objections to the water plan that is, at occurred to a slight but measurable extent inflows, due to our present diversions of present, being proposed by backers of from the much lesser inundations and the rivers. Where then is the "surplus" the water bonds, the Sierra Club publi- irrigations already carried out in Arizona. water? The mere mention of it brings cation concludes: We are possibly not talking about any reactions among biologists like this: major change which would turn San Anto- "Nothing brings a marine biologist's blood "Will the water be available? It is nio climate, for instance, into Houston's, to boil quicker than the statement of many doubtful. but about changes of a few degrees in engineers and newspaper editors that fresh- "Can the farmer afford the water? average humidity and of a few days per water flowing into the bays is wasted. The Probably not. year in the sunny versus cloudy ratio. So mixing of fresh and salt water is absolutely "Will the taxes be high? Tremen- you say why worry about such a small dously so. change, even if we could predict it exactly? essential to provide a satisfactory ambient "Will it kill our seafood industry? for the growth and survival of many marine Someone said to me recently, "If I won't Without a doubt. even notice it, why worry about it?" organisms and the only grounds for argu- "Will it change our climate? To some ment is the amount of freshwater that extent, at least. should enter. . . ." 1° "Will it change the face of Texas? ANY ECOLOGIST, horrified by Grossly. the ignorance of living systems implied in A LL OF THE statements of the "Is the need urgent to start now? Not such a question, replies with patient in- planners about "surplus" water just for the at all. struction about the way that many organ- "Is it a political boondoggle? Abso- diverting is therefore subterfuge, and they isms are adapted to most specific atmo- do not plan to maintain the bays. It cannot lutely, the biggest! spheric and light ranges, with Texas noted "Why was it approved for the ballot? even be passed off as a matter of taking for its wide variety of conditions and from Galveston Bay to help poor, dead We wonder." therefore for its wide variety of flora and Corpus Christi Bay, for witness this state- fauna. He would show how each form of ment by T. R. Leary, Coastal Fisheries living thing is restricted to the place where Coordinator, and K. C. Jurgens, Adminis- would change the climate of the state of its own tolerances happen to be found — trator of Technical Programs, Texas Parks Texas. The effect upon the biologists pres- the specific combination of climatic condi- and Wildlife Commission: "The Texas ent was traumatic. Would that there had tions often occurring only on one side of a Water Plan . . . will allow only about 2.4 been some effect on the engineers! range of hills or in .one river watershed. He million acre-feet of water to reach all of From that time, I have spent the inter- will reply with signs of agitation that with the Texas bay systems annually. This vol- vening years trying to learn some details of the Texas Water Plan we will surely change ume is considerably less than half the this most startling prospect. The point to the climate of Texas to at least that small optimum flow needed for Galveston Bay be emphasized here is that I have learned degree. What if it makes it impossible for alone." 11 very little about it, but that, having in- the Texas Bluebonnet to survive? And If we vote for this Texas Water Plan we quired of climatologists and meteorologists what is there to say it might not be a crop will be voting for salty, dead bays, voting both of our state and ounother areas where plant? Would the cost then be too much? for our children or grandchildren never to bias would not have entered the thinking, I To reiterate the point. The Texas Water taste Texas oysters or Texas Gulf shrimp, have met not one specialist who will state Plan will change the climate of Tdxas. The voting for no more days and nights of that there will be no climatic change result. fact that we don't know exactly how or leisurely bay fishing, voting for the extinc- On the other hand, all have agreed that how much only makes the matter worse. tion of the Texas seafood industry itself. such a tampering with the topography, We are asked to approve this Plan when not Will it be the Texas Water Plan at this flora, water balance and heat balance of a one iota of study, not one dollar of funds terrible cost, or a rational water use plan whole region as this plan provides will have which will save instead of destroy our some effect upon the atmospheric and August 1, 1969 15 has been expended to find out first what suturing them to other rivers there must suiting Engineers, Austin, Texas, Jan. 21, 1966. the effect on our climate will be. We are result in great changes. The point is that 2. The Texas Water Plan Summary, Texas being asked to approve a giant game of the effects of such changes are unknown. If Water Development Board, Nov., 1968, p. 3. ecological Russian Roulette! We must force 3. Texas Almanac, 1968-69. we proceed we will be in the position of 4. "Return Flows," p. 7. a halt to the plan at least until those conducting major surgery before we bother 5. Ibid, p. B-1. proposing it have made studies so we know 6. Ibid, p. C-1. to investigate what the results of the 7. !bid, p. E-11 what the cost in climate changes will be. operation will be, and that surgery being 8. Ibid, p. D-1. We should never have been asked to vote done purely for the dollar. This is not 9. Ibid, p. E-15. 10. Hildebrand, Henry, professor of biology, approval in this sort of ignorance. exactly the way for modern, enlightened University of Corpus Christi, in a speech to the The Texas Water Plan represents major man to proceed. Second Annual Convention of the Conservation Federation to Texas, Corpus Christi, Texas, May surgery on the environment of two-thirds 14, 1966. of Texas and much of Louisiana. Now such 1. "Return Flows — Impact on Texas Bay 11. T. R. Leary and C. J. Jurgens, "The Fate of amputations, tieing off of rivers here and Systems," a report to the Texas Water Develop- a Bay," Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine, April, ment Board by Bryant-Curlington, Inc., Con- 1969. p. 4. Big Guns Organize To Pass Water Bonds Austin porter for a number of Texas dailies, most Texas Tech; Harry Ransom, University of The Committee of 500, organized to notably the Corpus Christi papers), Amon Texas; Earl Rudder, Texas A&M; Willis M. push the Texas water bond issue, is mostly Carter Jr. (Fort Worth Star-Telegram), a who's who of the Texas establishment. A Everett Collier Tate, SMU; and Frank C. Erwin, Jr., (Houston Chronicle), Walter University of Texas regents chairman (and number of non-establishment names are R. Humphrey (Fort Worth Press), Felix R. included, some legislators mostly, .but for McKnight the only name on the list of 500 with (Dallas Times Herald), and Sam "Mr." before his name). the most part the citizens who are , lending Wood (Austin American-Statesman). their prestige to the water bonds are Smaller dailies represented include the Among state political leaders, state of- identified with the people who have gov- Paris News (Walter W. Bassano), the Jack- fice holders past and present, and former erned Texas-for three decades. sonville Progress (Barnes H. Broiles), Waxa- state candidates on the list include Roy R. hachie Light (Donald L. Coppedge), Long- Barrera, Gov. John Connally's last secre- Co-chairmen of the committee are view News-Journal (Mrs. Carl L. Estes), tary of state; Elmer Baum, Gov. Preston former Govs. Allan Shivers, Price Daniel, Sulphur Springs News-Telegram and John Connally. (F. W. Smith's chairman of the State Democratic Frailey), Mount Pleasant Times (W. N. Executive Committee; William E. Berger, Furey), Bonham Favorite (Aubrey McAlis- former member of the State Water Rights Widespread press support for the 'bonds ter), Lufkin News (Thomas R. Meredith), Cmsn.; Howard B. Boswell, executive direc- is no surprise, given the large repre- Sherman Democrat (Albert Nibling), tor, Texas Water Development Board; sentation of newspaper publishers and edi- tine Herald-Press (Wayne C. Sellers), Green- Dolph Briscoe, Uvalde, who sought the tors who are on the Committee of 500. ville Herald-Banner (Matt Sheley), Big Democratic gubernatorial nomination last The Texas press has been virtually unani- Spring Herald (R. W. Whipkey), Brown- year; 0. R. Crawford of the Liquor Control mous in its support of the issue, giving big wood Bulletin (Craig Woodson), Marshall Board; Marshall Formby, Plainview, unsuc- play to stories extolling the measure, and News-Messenger (William M. Moody), as cessful candidate for governor in 1962; L. little space to reporting what criticism has well as the. Weekly at Hereford (James M. P. Gilvin, Amarillo, head of the Parks and come up of late. However, Texas papers Gillentine) and the semi-weekly at Arling- Wildlife Cmsn.; Joe M. Kilgore, Austin, the have been generally fair in giving space in ton (George W. Hawkes). former Valley- congressman; Atty. Gen. their letters columns to critics of the plan Crawford C. Martin; H. C. Petry Jr., Carri- and the bond issue. zo Springs, of the Highway Cmsn.; Emil C. Among representatives of the big dailies Rassman, Midland, until recently a member on the committee are Frank A. Bennack Jr. D ESPITE. THE fact that the Texas and chairman of the State Senior College (San Antonio Light), Richard F. Brown water plan, as presently proposed, calls for regents; Robert S. Strauss, Dallas, Connal- (Austin American-Statesman), Fred "Conn private power to the exclusion of electrical ly's appointee to the National Democratic (San Angelo Standard Times), Conway C. cooperatives power, several electric co-op Committee; Agriculture Cmsr. John C. Craig (San Antonio Express-News), Rhea people are on the committee — J. R. Cobb, White; John L. Hill, Houston, Connally's Howard . (Wichita Falls Times-Record- general manager of the Texas Electrical former secretary of state; and Waggoner News), Tanner T. Hunt, Sr. (Beaumont Cooperatives Assn., Austin, and the mana- Carr, former attorney general and candi- Enterprise-Journal), John Kinard (Valley gers of the Livingston and Seymour area date for higher office. Evening Monitor, McAllen), Parker F. co-ops, Milton T. Potts and Tom Craddock. Prouty (Lubbock Avalanche-Journal), Among members of the Austin lobby on Harry Provence (Austin American-States- the committee are Ed C. Bunis, Texas S OME CLOSE associates of seve- man, Waco News-Tribune, Port Arthur Manufacturers Assn.; Walter Caven, rail- ral key Texas political leaders are on the News), Dorrance D. Roderick (El Paso roads; Steve Matthews, Texas Municipal list: Jake Jacobsen and J. C. Kellam, both Times), Jake Scott (Port Arthur News), League, and the former king of the lobby, of Austin, and both close to former Presi- Andrew B. Shelton (Abilene Reporter- Ed Clark. dent Johnson; Connallycrats J. C. Looney News), Charles A. Guy (Lubbock Ava- Mayors on the committee are those of of Edinburg and Leon Jaworski of Hous- lanche-Journal), Houston H. Harte (San Midland, Corpus Christi, Bay City, Austin, ton; and two associates of Lt. Gov. Ben Antonio Express-News, San Angelo Stand- San Antonio, Laredo, Lubbock, Fort Barnes: Groner Pitts (a member of the ard-Times, and Corpus Christi Caller- Worth, Arlington, and Dallas. Texas Water Development Board) and Wen- Times); Stuart Long (Austin Capitol re- From the academic world are these dell Mayes, both of Brownwood. presidents, chancellors, and regents: Abner 16 . Members of the Dallas oligarchy on the The Texas Observer V. McCall, Baylor; Grover E. Murray, list include Ben H. Carpenter, Mayor irons-' son, John M. Stemmons, and — in a class to the contrary. "I just want to know more opposed to water conservation," Herring by himself — H. L. Hunt. about it," he said. writes. Kilpatrick said the cost of the bonds and Other notable names on the committee the potential use of East Texas water in a are contractors Fred W. Heldenfels, Jr., scheme that, he feels, might be unwise are PPONENTS OF the water Corpus Christi, and H. B. Zachry of San O the reasons he opposes the plan. "The bonds have organized their own com- Antonio; H. E. Butt, Corpus Christi, who annual expense on these blamed bonds for mittee, the Committee of 1,000—twice the owns an extensive grocery chain; Roy Furr, number of the Committee of 500. The Lubbock, another grocery chain owner; 20 years, the interest, will be paid by the general revenue," Kilpatrick said, "before proponents of the issue have sought and Morris Atlas, McAllen lawyer whose clients the debt is begun to be paid off by water been granted a decision by the district include La Casita farms, the main target of users—if it ever comes to that." director of Internal Revenue that makes the ill-fated Valley farm workers' strike contributions to their organization tax awhile back; Victor W. Bouldin, Houston, a Senators not on the committee's list are deductible. The opponents' committee has lawyer who specializes in water rights; and Jack Strong of Longview, Bill Patman of not sought such an exemption. Bumper Arthur Temple, Diboll lumberman. Ganado, and Herring. Strong tells the stickers advocating the passage of the bond Observer he supports the water bonds, so issue are being distributed at the office of The only liberals on the list except for some sort of mistake has been made, the State Water Development Board. some legislators, are Dempsie Henley of evidently, in leaving him off the com- Liberty, a recent unsuccessful candidate mittee's list. Among names gathered by the Com- for Congress, and Franklin Jones, the Herring is an attorney whose clients mittee of 1,000 (actual count through last Marshall attorney. include the Lower Colorado River Author- week was 839 persons, increasing steadily Among legislators on the list of the ity, which, along with other non-private day by day) were Mrs. J. Frank Dobie of Committee of 500 (143 of the 150 House power companies, is to be excluded from Austin, State Reps. Haynes, Kilpatrick, members, 28 of the 31 senators) are at selling electricity to help move water under Harris, and Braun, Miss Hazel Green of least a few who do not wish to be included. the presently proposed water plan. In his Wimberley, Mrs. L. N. D. Wells Jr. of The Observer did a bit of spot-checking, letter to Allred, Herring says he has talked Dallas, J. D. Crow of Canadian, Houston querying some of those listed on the to several engineers knowledgeable in the Thompson of Silsbee, Miss Lillian Collier committee's rolls. Rep. Frances Farent- field of water development, including one of Mumford, Dan Willard of Austin, and hold, Corpus Christi, said she has sent a who formerly served on the State Water William E.. Roth of Austin. letter to Governor Smith asking him to Board. "They have little confidence," Her- remove her name. Rep. Rex Braun, Hous- ring writes, "that the water plan is really a Mrs. Margaret Louise Hancock, Austin, ton, says he never agreed to be on the plan that is feasible or one that can ever treasurer of the Committee of 1,000, says committee. He received a letter from the finally be accomplished." that the names her group is gathering governor requesting that he permit the use However, Herring says, his primary op- include a good many persons other than of his name but, Braun says, he said no. those who have particular interest in con- position to amendment No. 2 is not the Then Rep. Bill Clayton, Springlake, the servation, (those likely to be, for example, water plan but the financial burden to the House member who pushed the submission Sierra Club members). "We also have a state that such a bond issue would, in his of the water bond issue to voters, ap- good number of doctors, dentists, and mind, pose. . . [Mere will be many proached Braun, who again declined. None- lawyers," she says, going on to explain that theless, Braun's name is on the committee's years of development before water can what she considers to be an impressive list. "This is a boondoggle," Braun told the actually be transplanted to the areas most cross-section of citizens are concerned Observer. "If we are going to make a in need. . . . This would mean the general about the wisdom of committing the credit multi-billion dollar plan, then we should revenue of the state would be obligated to of the state to a $3.5 billion bond issue— take longer to study it." pay the interest on the bonds for a decade or more before any income could be particularly, as Mrs. Hancock and others of anticipated, and even then, if the cost of her committee believe, if that money is to the project were charged to the users, the fund a plan such as that proposed by the Water Development Board, which, mem- THE SEVEN representatives water would be so very expensive that it bers and supporters of the committee whose names were not listed on the com- would not be feasible for irrigation and contend, is of dubious wisdom. G.O. mittee's roster were David Allred of Wich- other uses that it is planned to accomplish. ita Falls, DeWitt Hale of Corpus Christi, Ed . . There has already been authorized Harris of Galveston, Clyde Haynes Jr. of by the state $400 million is water bonds, Vidor, Fred Head of Henderson, Rufus and this has not all yet been employed in Kilpatrick of Beaumont, and Billy William- trying to conserve our water in Texas. To son of Tyler. increase this to $3.5 billion is very prema- CLASSIFIED Harris tells the Observer he's "not going ture, in my judgment. . . . on that trip to the moon. . . This takes too BOOKPLATES. Free catalog. Many beautiful much money to benefit too few people. "I think it might be of interest to you to designs. Special designing too. Address: BOOK- It's selfish and messes up the whole ecol- know that some of the people who are PLATES, Yellow Springs 8, Ohio. ogy. This shows no concern for the people. supposedly members of the so-called Com- YAMAHA: For the best sound—pianos—organs- Only in Texas could something like this be mittee of 500 have called me privately and guitars available at Amster Music & Art Center. pulled off." indicated their concern about the matter 17th & Lavaca, Austin. 478-7331. Allred says he simply hasn't made up his but feel that they are caught in a position mind one way or the other about the water where they are reluctant to oppose the INCREDIBLE, REALLY, some of those stoiies bonds. He says he realizes that he is in MISSISSIPPI FREELANCE. But consider plan for fear it would be construed as being what we have to work with: Jim Eastland, the understood generally to be an opponent of Clarion-Ledger, Ole Miss, et al. Twelve issues are the measure because he is not on the yours for a paltry $4. No stamps or Confederate Committee of 500 and because Sen. DR. LOUIS E. BUCK money, please. Box 836, Greenville, Miss. 38701. Charles Herring of Austin, an opponent of Veterinarian MEMORABLE pictures, 8x101/2, JFK Dallas the proposition, wrote a letter to Allred parade, plus Plaza-Depository florals. Both $1 postpaid. Address: JES, Box 11073, Dallas, Tex. about the matter that has been widely House Call Practice publicized by the state press. Allred asked GR 2-5879—Austin 75223. that the Observer state that he is uncom- House Call Fee No More Than Office Call Fee mitted Either way, despite general opinion August 1, 1969 17 The Other Amendments Austin lieutenant governor) would be raised to as mum rates for such bonds. In addition to the water (No. 2) and much as half the salary of the governor The issue evidently cuts across liberal- welfare (No. 5) amendments, Texas voters (presently $40,000). Thus the legislators conservative lines, as witnessed by its pass- will consider seven other changes in the would, with passage of the amendment, age to submission to the electorate. For state Constitution on Aug. 5. raise the maximum their own salaries could example, in the House, where passage was be any time they increased the pay of 120-20, among the 20 opponents were • AMENDMENT NO. 1 is to remove judges, and would increase their leaders' both conservatives, who felt that removing deadwood, obsolete sections, from the potential pay by giving the governor a the limit on interest rates would be infla- raise. Constitution. Among these are such things tionary, and liberals, who probably were as provisions for segregated public schools, If the amendment passes the Legislature, wary of its relationship to the state water allowing the Legislature to appropriate legislators' salaries automatically will be bonds. money for the Texas Centennial in 1936, increased to $6,800, and the leadership's and sections giving the Legislature powers salaries will be raised to $20,000, according • AMENDMENT NO. 7 would permit the which are clearly implied in the Constitu- to a bill passed this spring, contingent on Legislature to extend death benefits to tion's general grant of legislative power in approval of Amendment No. 3. Some here the survivors of volunteer firemen, volun- Article II, and which are commonly viewed think the legislators purposely did not teer policemen, and correctional personnel as within a state's "police powers" (such. as make their raises the maximum permitted of the Texas Youth Council killed in the permitting the creation of a Board of under the amendment so as to avoid giving line of duty. This is based on an amend- Health and Vital Statistics, providing for voters the idea that passage of the amend- ment passed in 1966 permitting benefits of the care of indigent lunatics, etc.) ment would mean the lawmakers will take $10,000 to widows and a pension for the This proposal was one of three major full advantage of it. minor children of paid policemen, firemen, ones made by the Constitution Revision A number of observers, Gov. Preston and guards of the prison system killed on Commission established by the House of Smith among them, believe that legislative duty. Representatives in 1967. Other recom- pay raises must, to win voter approval, be AMENDMENT NO. 8 would permit the mendations of the commission clearly were coupled with a conflict of interest measure • unlikely to be passed by the voters—or Legislature to increase to $200 million governing the activities of lawmakers. Sev- (now $85 million) the funds in the Texas proved unpopular with a majority of legis- eral proposals were offered in the Legis- Opportunity Loan Program. The program lators, so were not submitted to the elec- lature this spring to establish a commission, torate. was authorized by the Legislature in 1965 independent of legislative control, to allowing the Coordinating Board, Texas watchdog the ethics of the legislators. All • AMENDMENT NO. 3 provides for a pay College and University System, to sell $85 raise for legislators, the speaker, and such proposals failed. One such was aimed million in bonds. More than half the lieutenant governor, all of whom now get at handling conflicts of interest. This meas- money has been used, and there are in- $4,800 annually,_ plus $12 per diem for the ure passed by the Senate late in this year's creasing demands for loans to students first 120 days of a 140-day session. Several regular session but died in the House. The through the program. Rep. George Hinson, attempts at such an increase have been House State Affairs Committee approved Mineola, House sponsor of the amendment tried. The last raise was in 1960. In 1965 the Senate bill on the day before adjourn- this spring, says the program has been very voters defeated an amendment that would ment but then the Rules Committee sat on successful, and "defaults in repayments it, killing the measure. have let the Legislature set the salaries of have been practically zero." If the amend- the lieutenant governor and speaker. In • AMENDMENT NO. 4 would exempt ment fails it, is understood that funds 1968 an amendment raising legislators' nonprofit water supply corporations supporting the 'program will be exhausted salaries to $8,400 was narrowly beaten, by from ad valorem taxes. The corporations by next January. 31,000 votes. are funded by federal (FHA) loans. Pres- • AMENDMENT NO. 9 would provide for Amendment No. 3 would permit legis- ently there are some 450 such units in annual sessions of the Legislature-140 lators to set their own pay no higher than Texas, expected to increase to more than days in odd-numbered years, 60 days in the salary of district judges (presently 700 by the end of the year, serving more even-numbered years. In the past, annual $18,000 a year, raised to $19,000 in the than a half million Texans. sessions and legislative pay increases have vetoed appropriations bill). The pay of the When first established, the corporations been submitted to voters as one proposed two legislative leaders (the speaker and were not subject to local taxation. But a amendment, failing each time, in 1949 and State Supreme Court decision last year in 1958. In the past it has been unclear 18 The Texas Observer changed that. which (if only one) proposal killed the Proponents of the amendment contend other. This year, the two issues being . that cutstomers of such corporations pay separated (as amendments No. 3 and 9) a more for water than city dwellers and, more clear expression of voter sentiment MEETINGS more to the point, municipal water systems on the matters is possible. are not taxable locally so why should an The trend among the states is towards THE THURSDAY CLUB of Dallas meets each equivalent form of governmental service, annual sessions. Iri Texas, between 1931 Thursday noon for lunch (cafeteria style) at the the rural water supply corporation, be so and 1969, there have been 27 special Downtown YMCA, 605 No. Ervay St., Dallas. taxed? Good discussion. You're welcome. Informal, no sessions, meaning the state, de facto, is on dues. AMENDMENT NO. 6 is in recognition a limited annual session basis now. • of soaring interest rates nationally, and The Legislature will be in special session .CENTRAL TEXAS ACLU luncheon meeting. would permit several state agencies higher Spanish Village. 2nd Friday every month. From when the vote occurs on the amendments. noon. All welcome. limitations on the interest rates paid in There is talk that if No. 9 passes, the • selling their bonds. Affected primarily are Legislature may draw up another one-year ITEMS for this feature cost, for the first entry, the Texas Park Development Fund, the appropriations bill. If annual sessions pass 7c a word, and for each subsequent entry, 5c a Texas Water Development Fund, the Vet- but the pay raise fails, legislators would word. We must receive them two weeld before erans Land Fund, and the Texas Oppor- thereby have been voted a pay cut, - work- the date of the issue in which they are to be tunity Plan Fund (a college student loan published. ing almost double-time for the same pay as program). The Legislature would set maxi- at present. G.O., M.O. • Texas' Welfare Crisis Austin meant, last May, that 22,000 families totally disabled ($60 monthly), and some The Texas welfare system is teetering on received reduced payments, and 2,700 4,000 blind ($71 a month). What will the brink—and if Amentment No. 5, which more were completely cut off. happen to these people if the amendment would raise the maximum on welfare pay- Inevitably, the squeeze on welfare funds is not passed is the question. The proposed ments from the state treasury from $60 to means that dependent children are the ones increase in the welfare ceiling last fall $80 million, is defeated—the system will who are deprived. Legislators are reluctant carried in only 16 of the state's 254 fall into very troubled waters. Aid to to cut old age assistance, aid to the counties. But perhaps prospects are a bit families with dependent children (AFDC), disabled or blind because many of those better than before due to the interest 10% of welfare expenditures in Texas, is recipients vote, while mothers of de- several of the state's leading newspapers the sore spot of the system. Because of a pendent children generally do not vote. (including both Dallas dailies) and tele- cut in May in AFDC, setting aid at $12.50 However, mothers of dependent children vision stations have shown in dramatizing monthly per child, a federal court has are showing somewhat more political in- the problem. With passage of Amendment issued an injunction against the state, terest lately than in the past, for example No. 5 Texas would net $41 million in new asserting that if improvement is not made conducting demonstrations. The effect of federal welfare money annually, AFDC shortly (60 days was set as the deadline), this so far has been, mostly, to further would be tripled to $18 million a year, aid all federal AFDC funds would be cut off. alienate the Legislature. to the disabled and old age pensions each Since the federal government pays 81% of Texas has 132,000 dependent children would be increased by $2 million annually. the state's AFDC of the money, such a on its welfare rolls, 229,000 old age pen- M.C. cutoff on Washington money would be sioners (who receive an average of $59 disastrous. Indeed, it could mean the monthly), nearly 10,000 permanently and August 1, 1969 19 termination of the AFDC program in Texas, since a provision of the state Consti- tution precludes payment of state funds for welfare unless there is federal participa- tion. The only way to circumvent this termination would be for the Legislature to readjust and reduce the old age, blind, and disabled divisions in order to bring the AFDC up to a federally satisfactory level. Since the 60-day deadline is near, and the reductions would be politically and eco- nomically unfeasible, it is unlikely that these readjustments will salvage the AFDC program if amendment 5 fails. Texas long has ranked very low among the states in aid to persons on the welfare rolls. The modest program has become even more modest since last November, when increasing the Constitutional ceiling from $60 million to $75 million was refused by voters. Many State Welfare Dept. officials believe the proposal was turned down out of an emotional desire not to "encourage illegitimacy." Welfare Cmsr. Burton Hackney has countered that "having children could hardly be profitable at $12.50 per month." Further, he and other Welfare Dept. officials add, AFDC is but 10% of the state welfare program; the other categories—old age assistance, aid to the blind, and aid to the permanently and totally disabled—make up the bulk, by far, of welfare payments in Texas. Hackney says that if the welfare ceiling is not raised by voters on Aug. 5, not only will AFDC be cut, but all welfare payments will be sliced further. The state welfare program is feeling the pinch at both extremes. The ceiling on payments is compounded by the rapid growth of welfare-eligible persons, due to increases in the state population, a liberal- ized redefining of what constitutes per- manent and total disability, and a federal court decision killing Texas' residency re- quirement of one year. The AFDC rolls alone in Texas grow at the rate of 3,000 a month. The squeeze on welfare funds —Mary Callaway Pacifica Blows Its Cover

Is Pacifica radio radical? hunger, communists on our broadcasts about communism, Klansmen on our programs about No question of it. the Klan. Pacifica wants you to hear it all, and that means hearing voices which haven't had a The word "radical" comes from the Latin root microphone yet. "radicis," which means "root." This is where our friend the radish got its name. Some people get indigestion from this sort of thing. It happens with radishes, too. The dictionary's first definition of "radical" says: That's why, whenever people call us a radical outfit, we say, right you are. Radical. Relevant. "of or from the root or roots; going to the Exciting. Intelligent. center, foundation or source of something." Pacifica wants Houston to hear it all. That's an awfully good description of Pacifica and its FM radio stations that substitute listener If you've got the stomach for all the noises the subscriptions for commercials. Thus, Pacifica is world makes while it figures itself out, use the free to broadcast what the other stations can't, coupon below to reserve a charter subscription to don't or won't, and that's a lot. America's most honored experiment in public broadcasting. Getting to the root of things is the central work of Pacifica programming. That's why you hear hungry people on our documentaries about We'll let you hear as soon as we can.

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I'll go along with this, because I think Houston could use a little Pacifica. If enough people like me pledge enough money for the FCC to approve Pacifica's Houston station, you may bill me — and I shall pay — $15 for a one-year subscription to the programming. I understand I'll then get the monthly program Folio for a year, and that my gift, when made, will be deductible when I do my federal income tax.

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The space for this advertisement was contributed by Bernard Rapoport, president of American Income Life Insurance Company, P. 0. Box 208, Waco, Texas 76703. Mr. Rapoport sent in his fifteen dollars way last June and has been so kind since that Pacifica considers him paid up until the middle of the twenty-ninth century. Political Intelligence It's nice to know how others view us: Columnist Drew Pearson predicts that mer President Johnson, Pearson said, • former Gov. John Connally will run would be Connally's "adviser and perhaps A journal of "considerable influence in against Sen. Ralph W. Yarborough in next ... semi-campaign manager. Johnson and Texas public life."—THE NEW YORK year's Democratic primary in a bid to Connally are very close. Johnson isn't TIMES BOOK REVIEW, Oct. 22, 1967 promote himself for the 1972 Democratic going to stay idle." In the same interview, presidential nomination. Pearson, in a Pearson rambled at length about President "In 14 stormy years, the Austin-based bi- lengthy interview with the Nation maga- Nixon undergoing psychiatric care. weekly paper has tangled singlehandedly with oil and gas interests, exposed state- zine (July 7) says Connally, should he State Rep. Curtis Graves of Houston • house scandals, often made life painful for beat Yarborough, "will lead the Johnson told a U.S. Senate subcommittee hear- politicians in the land of Lyndon."—TIME, wing of the Democratic Party" in a Sept. 27, 1968 three-way fight for the nomination. For- August 1, 1969 21 "A respected journal of dissent."—THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE, March 2, 1969

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Why are so many leaders in education, labor, business, "Time and again since its first appearance in and public life behind the Texas Water Plan? Because — 1954, the Observer has cracked stories ignored by the state's big dailies and has had the satisfaction of watching the papers „iiir It proposes the orderly development of water resources for follow its muckraking lead."—NEWSWEEK, March 7, 1966 r‘ the needs of the next 50 years. But a national reputation isn't worth It means more lakes, more recreation, more jobs, more much unless it helps you, the occa- 4 prosperity for Texas. sional reader, decide that you need to be reading the TEXAS OBSERVER It protects our natural resources and in fact provides more regularly. fresh water for our vital bays and estuaries than they now HERE'S HOW have in dry years. THE TEXAS OBSERVER 504 West 24th Street Austin, Texas 78705 Amendment No. Two was approved 28-2 by the State Senate and 137-0 by the House, after three years of public hearings and Enter a 1-year subscription, at $6.24 (including 4% Texas sales tax) for: discussion of the Texas Water Plan.

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[ ] Check enclosed [ I To be billed L j SUBSCRIBERS: Don't let this space go to waste. Please pass this copy on to a friend and make an "occasional reader" out of him, at the very least. (We'll replace your copy, if you like.) (Pd. Pol. Adv. The Governors Committee of 500) Thanks. ing in Washington that youngsters con- it'll take 100 G's." scher is said to be the favorite to succeed fined at Gatesville State School for Boys, Graves professes not to be worried by Leonard. a reformatory, are beaten, tortured, and the defeat of Thomas Bradley, a black, Mutscher's earlier statements that he abused on a regular basis. Graves charged for mayor of Los Angeles. Bradley • would be around next session and that that the school has no psychiatric care "aligned himself with the black power provisions for disturbed youths, and that people," Graves said. "Although I com- he held pledges of support more than guards and staff members are untrained municate well with the militant element, enough to assure his re-election managed and often brutal. "The symbol of authori- and am probably the only one who un- to throw cold water on the efforts of ty in Texas is still a big leather belt and derstands their problems in the Legis- several legislators to win pledges of their cowboy boots," the black legislator said. lature, I don't think they can help me in own to become Mutscher's successor. The "The prime qualification for a law en- a hostile community like Houston could campaigning up to that point had been forcement job in Texas is to own a pair be in a race-type campaign, which I'm not fierce, albeit behind the scenes. of cowboy boots and have a high school going to run." But in recent weeks there has been a diploma." Despite his surprise statement to the resurgence of that activity, and the lead- • ing contender at the moment is Rep. • Graves, interviewed by the Washington Texas House of Representatives during Star, indicated he quite likely will run its closing days in May that he indeed Rayford Price of Palestine, who was Mut- for mayor of Houston this fall, saying would be a candidate for re-election as scher's chief lieutenant in the regular ses- he'll announce a decision in late August. speaker in 1971 and planned to be sion and who is expected to resume that He would like to serve two two-year around for a long while, Gus Mutscher role in the upcoming special session. terms as mayor, should he run, Graves may be having some second thoughts on Price, who, if anything, is more con- said, then run for Congress — "something the subject. servative than Mutscher and apparently I've always wanted to do." Primary among the reasons being cited even more willing to do the lobby's bid- He said he considers himself "fire insur- quietly around the Capitol for Mutscher's ding, has been visiting other legislators, ance" for Houston. The biggest problems possible retirement is that he is not par- business leaders, and newspaper editors around the state, carefully laying the faced by Mayor Louie Welch, should ticularly effective as the leader of the Welch seek reelection, are, according to groundwork for a move to be the next House — especially in comparison to his speaker. Graves, corruption and police problems. predecessor, Ben Barnes. Unlike the ambi- Welch has been under fire often in recent tious Barnes, Mutscher does not command • Close behind him, however, are several months, being questioned by the local the following in the House necessary to others, including Rep. John Traeger of press as to possible conflicts of interest, be very effective. To a degree, he has Seguin and Rep. Jack Ogg of Houston, particularly regarding some real estate allowed Barnes, as lieutenant governor, to another Mutscher faithful. Another con- transactions. "If he does run," Graves lead him — witness the passage of the tender was removed from the race recent- says of Welch, "he'll be out of the game. one-year, no-new-taxes general appropri- ly when Gov. Preston Smith named Rep. ... And if he doesn't run, it'll be some ations bill last spring. Randy Pendleton to be the state's liaison chamber of commerce type picked by the A new factor to be considered now is man (lobbyist) in Washington, succeeding downtown establishment. There is no ob- Mutscher's recent marriage. Rumors Alton Ice. vious successor." abound these days that the new Mrs. M. • Pendleton reportedly will receive a Graves told the Star that the compo- is unhappy at the prospect of a continued $23,000 annual salary in his new job. sition of the Houston electorate is favor- occupancy of the speaker's apartment in Ice was hired by Gov. Preston Smith and able to his election; 30% of the voters are the west wing of the Capitol. then removed by him after only four black, 7-8% brown; the rest includes lib- The long-rumored retirement of Homer months. Ice, a former public relations eral, intellectual, and labor forces that Leonard, the chief lobbyist for the Texas man for the National Education Agency, "have been my backbone. ... If I can Brewers Institute, an organization which is returning to Texas to take another state pick up 13% of the white vote, I'll win. has helped finance a major portion of post, serving as staff director of the advis- ... The only problem is money. I figure Mutscher's political career thus far, is ory council on vocational-technical edu- gaining in popularity these days, and Mut- 22 The Texas Observer cation. EL CHICO, jr. In My Opinion Burnet Road & Hancock Dr., Austin • Beer patio under the stars • Fast service & carry-out • Delicious Mexican food • Dinners $1.15 to $1.45 Earth and the Moon An operation of R & I INVESTMENT CO. Austin, Texas Austin From a purely sentimental standpoint I Alan Reed, President The thing that most pleased me, during was pleased that President Kennedy's com- G. Brockett Irwin, Vice President the thrilling event of putting man on the mitting this nation, in 1961, to landing a moon, was the recurrent statement or man on the moon during this decade had suggestion—by newsmen and citizens—that, been realized. It was of JFK that I thought as wonderful as Apollo 11 was, we must during the dramatic moment of touchdown MARTIN ELFANT give more attention to problems of pov- Sunday afternoon. But I believe Kennedy erty, hunger, and inequality here on earth. would, had he been permitted a full eight This sentiment became almost a cliche years as president, have redirected and Sun life of Canada during the television coverage I saw. I find re-ordered our country's priorities, recog- it a hopeful sign that at a time this nation nizing, as many of us now do, that scien- 1001 Century Building was achieving the scientific triumph of tific achievement is mocked by failure to mankind's life on earth, many of us, express humanitarian concern for all our Houston, Texas nonetheless, rather than feeling only pride, colleagues here on earth, and to extend to and pride alone, were at the same moment all the opportunity for freedom. CA 4-0686 wondering soberly about the quality of life The days, months, and years since Nov. on this, our native planet, and in the nation 22, 1963, have been, generally, dishearten- S.• that had brought off the moon mission. ing times for many of us in this country and, indeed, throughout the world. In this nation we have witnessed the accession of two presidents, Johnson and Nixon (two men who, both, had been rejected in favor Dialogue of John Kennedy), who did not and do not speak to the idealism of Americans that lies, today, just beneath the surface, I still Supreme Cynicism projects have to be authorized on their believe. Despite the rightward trend of individual merits and pass the Legislature American electoral politics, despite the The oil depletion allowance is a cynical by a 2/3 vote. The user of the water will frequently apt jibes of U.S. radical leftists, racket. A neat piece of illogic that seemed feed money back into the revolving fund I still believe that Americans will respond hard to beat. But how come the farmers while the taxpayer would provide credit to the best, if that best is just called out. of West Texas and the Establishment are and confidence during the interim period Presidents Johnson and Nixon did not and asking us to pass Amendment 2 that of expanding the economy. do not evoke that in us; yet, the potential .is would compensate for a dropping under- Irrigation projects under the Texas there, as I was reminded in listening to the ground water table by bringing in water Water Plan primarily will be financed, expressions of reservation so often set out from elsewhere — at public expense, of based on economic merit, by federal by our fellow citizens on television: we course. agencies. It is a rare irrigation project were proud of Apollo 11 and yet deeply Why did the water table drop? An act which has failed to create a. surrounding troubled about the nature and quality of of God? Hell, no. It dropped because the economy worth many times the original life here on earth, in this country. farmers, in the face of warnings by com- cost. Indeed some such projects add an- I have not been so heartened, as an petent authorities, converted to irrigated nually more to the national economy American, since the days of President farming lands that should have remained than the original cost. Kennedy as I was during these days of as dry farms. How? By pumping from the I think all of us should get behind this Apollo 11. I yearn, as I believe many of us water table more water than nature was amendment. do, for a commitment to doing in this putting there. Russell Bean, 2806 21st, Lubbock, country what most of us believe must be Now, in what is to date the supreme Tex. 79410. done. Let us have no more mockeries—talk cynicism, those farmers ask us to under- of a war on poverty but talk only, no war. write a steep bond issue to bail them out Some Questions Let us have renewed commitment to equal- from their past errors of stupid greediness ity for our citizens. Let us banish hunger and to carry them in further selfish un- We,. the .people, of Texas will be asked from the land; what place has hunger in wisdom. Sanctimoniously, they agree to to vote in :a very few weeks (August 5) this wealthy nation? retire the bonds through water-usage fees on Amendment #2 which concerns the We have, once again, seen that man can — in twenty years or so. In the meantime Texas water plan, of which most of us do what he wills. I, unlike many of our I pay interest on their damn bonds, I pay know verY 'little, pro or con. This involves brethren on the U.S. left, have faith in the administrative costs, I pay and pay. And some $9, billion (I repeat billion) dollars system of government and, to a lesser what do I get? West Texas dust, and a based on :1967 prices, $3.5 billion of extent, of the economics that rule our song-and-dance. which would be authorized by a "yes" lives. We know what must be done. All we Dr. George I. Sanchez, 2201 Scenic vote on the amendment. lack is the will, the commitment. Dr., Austin, Texas. 78703. Before we commit ourselves to this What, then, do all these noble words I "monster," as some knowledgeable ecolo- like mean? As our black brothers say: Keep For Amendment 2 gists and scientists call it, we should con- the faith, baby. The days of Nixon, of sider several items, to say the least. 1. Preston Smith, of Sam Yorty, shall not too There needs to be some more clarifi- The $5.5 billion expected from the fed- long endure. The answers, Ole better days cation in The Texas Observer about the eral government has not been approved. we earnestly wish, are within us, if we do Texas water plan and the constitutional 2. Approval of the states bordered by the not falter. Cliches, of course. But Apollo amendment No. 2 coming up on the Mississippi River whose water we plan to 11 is a reminder of the joy of dedicated ballot of August 5. use, has not been secured. Already many effort, a rebuke to our failures to extend The plan aims toward a solution of in Louisiana are jumping up and down freedom and love. We can, if we will. If we water problems for Texas until the year over what it will do to their state. 3. Just will. G.O. 2020. Let's not underestimate the prob- the planning of the water plan has already lems to come from a burgeoning popula- cost us $10 million. 4. Interest payments tion and a diminishing water supply. To- will be almost as much as this first bond day over 75% of our water comes from issue. 5. About $10 million will go to depleting aquifers. In other words, our bond merchants, and millions to the Tower Reveals All water supplies go down as our population banks who serve as depositories. 6. We,. goes up. The crises which can be created the people, will pay it all through the Washington, D.C. from this situation may make nearly all purchase of water. These are some eco- Texas Sen. John Tower joked at a present problems seem mild. The only nomic considerations. luncheon meeting here that he got answers are planning and building. There are other considerations, also. elected to the U.S. Senate simply be- A water project has to have a sponsor What will it do ecologically and archeo- cause of his gnomish height. Being with vision. You can't go to a sparsely logically to the states involved? The entire about one foot shorter than "the legal populated desert and expect the inhabi- state of Texas will be changed and torn minimum height in Texas," Tower ob- tants to put up the cash to build reser- asunder. It will mean dams, concrete-lined served that in 1961 his fellow Texans voirs and canals. The people who use rivers, concrete-lined canals and reservoirs, were worried what impact his illegal these facilities later have to pay the cost, flooding valuable agricultural lands, stature might have on the burgeoning and thus some agency or entity has to forests, and valuable archeological and his- tourist trade which has to be fed and lend the money to build the project. torical sites; and exposing millions of cosseted, of course, on stereotypes. The $3.5 billions extension to the acres of water to intense and abnormal They packed him off to Washington Texas Water Development Board bonding evaporation. Peter will be robbed to pay therefore, and out of the way. capacity, the heart of amendment No. 2, Paul. Already Louisiana is saying it Well, that explains a lot of things.. .. is intended to provide this interim financ- "would destroy life in Louisiana as it has ing for 50 years, primarily for municipal and industrial water projects. All these August 1, 1969 23 been known." This also would be the case Mississippi will fight the plan to the Su- A Meeting in Texas. The coastal estuaries of the gulf preme Court, and if the legal battles were will be destroyed, affecting food for fish won how long would it take to build I see by the newspapers that the insur- and fish food, recreation, sport and com- compared, for instance, to that same inter- ance commission is going to meet to mercial fishing. All this for a plan to take state highway? Where will we be in 20 decide whether or not to raise the insur- care of only 50 years of projected needs, years and how hard will those dollars be to ance rates. I can imagine a meeting some- a mere second in recorded time. And, the get then? what like this: question persists: will it do the job for All you need to contribute is a NO vote Chairman: "Gentlemen, we are meeting which it is designed? on Amendment No. 2. today to decide whether or not insurance The foreword of the plan states: Gordon S. Clark, Rt. 2, Eastland, Tex. rates should be raised. Is anybody here "There is not a water resource plan of 76448. who is not an officer, a director, or a this magnitude or complexity in existence large stockholder of an insurance com- in the world today or even in the plan- Nature Conservancy pany? ning stage." And yet we voters are sup- One of the commissioners: "Of course posed to cast an intelligent vote given the Congratulations to you and Ronnie Dug- not. We are very particular about that." notice of a few weeks, with only a pit- ger for his excellent article, [Obs. July 18], Chairman: "If we raise the rates, of tance of analysis of its portent and none "Saving Our Open Space." course, our companies will benefit." of its consequences, by the "pros" - Your readers would be pleased to know One of the commissioners: "Strike that headed by our governor, who, it seems to that in Texas we have recently made from the minutes." me, should have the responsibility of progress in the preservation of natural areas Chairman: "Are we all in favor of seeing that voters are supplied with in- by a private foundation, the Nature Con- raising the rates? All in favor say aye." formation on both sides of the question. servancy of Texas, Inc. This organization One of the commissioners: "We ought Miss Hazel C. Green, Box 136, Wimber- purchased Ezell's Cave, in San Marcos, and to have a motion first." ley, Tex. 78676. thereby saved the Texas Blind Salamander, Chairman: "Oh bosh!" I have to get a glamorous endangered species. 0. C. out of here quickly, let's don't bother Vote No on No. 2 Sheffield, of Tyler, donated 75 acres north- with these minutia. All in favor say aye. east of Tyler State Park, containing a relict Unanimously carried. I didn't have any Can an 83-acre farmer with a $10 bill hanging sphagnum bog. International Paper doubts about that. Meeting adjourned. defeat Amendment No. 2 sponsored by an Company has leased to us Woodland Ca- Let's all go home and enjoy ourselves." organization as large as Water, Inc., which thedral, eight miles east of Carthage, a Percy Selden, 991 Houston Club Bldg., has thousands of dollars from cement closed-canopy hardwood riverbottom for- Houston, Tex., 77002. interests behind them? Maybe not but I est of 175 acres. aim to try. There is nothing in this bill but Rep. Ben Atwell and Sen. A. M. Aikin higher taxes for most of us. successfully sponsored passage of a bill in The ditch from the Mississippi would the Legislature this spring which exempts Tower and the Observer take more cement per foot than an inter- the Nature Conservancy from ad valorem state highway. The dimensions show this taxes. Contributions to the Nature Con- The Observer's modesty is often a ... Once the tax payer is hooked for the servancy are exempt from federal income source of amazement. first installment he will find himself paying and inheritance taxes. In 1961 the Observer actively encour- over and over like on a car which is a We need many more contributions of aged Texas "liberals" to vote for John lemon. Never before have so many been scenic and ecological areas by enlightened Tower. Should not the Observer pat itself asked to rob themselves for so few. landowners. on the back - editorially - now that It is almost certain " to and Edward C. Fritz, chairman, New Areas Senator Towe „is effectively represtnting committee, The Nature Conservancy, 909 the Observer by his leadership in the E?kgq Reliance Life Bldg., Dallas, Tex. 75201. scuttling of Dr. Knowles? 24 (t) \-31 server (I) At this writing, it is not beyond the lS7 realm of possibility that the junior sena- V0-07Je 3 Respect for Old Glory tor from Texas will also assist in such "worthwhile" endeavors as killing LBJ's 1-3c-t San Antonio has gone bananas with the >4 1--"ICI voting rights legislation and LBJ's desegre- CD U.S. flag. Decals of Old Glory adorn car gation guidelines. r-A.1 windows. Cheap, gold-fringed jobs with OOP* CI) I look forward to the Observer publicly handy plastic clips fly from auto anten- taking its rightful share of credit for such 0 I-1 nas. Ads with a Birchy ring ballyhoo the 1.—J contributions by Senator Tower to the Pa LA) flags and decry "this age of minority causes for which the Observer stands (sic). td protestors." E. Ernest Goldstein, 52 Avenue Des I wonder what will happen when this Champs Elysees, Paris, France. ° fad for public masturbation is over? Will the little flags, sun-faded, car-washed, and wind-shredded, be accorded due respect A Correction and destroyed in a manner prescribed by law? Will the peeling, heat-bubbled win- I thank Barbara Nelson for the nice dow decals be ceremoniously squeegeed? things she said about me in her review of Where now are the drooling fanatics of On Being Concerned [Obs., July 4]; but I last year's community outcry for a pound am embarrassed by her calling me editor of Dick Gregory's flesh, after the come- of The Humanist. I was once an assistant dian gave a black man's opinion on flags? editor but now am only a humble mem- I want to be around to see if they leave ber of the publishing advisory committee. their air-conditioned cars to retrieve a flag However, my husband, Maynard Shipley, that falls from its chromium staff to the was one of the signers of the original gutter. Humanist Manifesto in 1933. Bertie Mae Metreon, Box 16001, San Miriam Allen deFord, Ambassador Ho- Antonio, Tex. 78216. tel, San Francisco, Calif. 94102.