Carl Hayden: Builder of the American West

Carl Hayden, a Democratic representative from Arizona, characterized himself a workhorse as a member of the Congress, while others referred to him as silent, every state’s third senator, and the key player in leading Arizona’s rapid growth from a sparsely settled, arid frontier territory to a modern urban state. Hayden wrestled with many issues as they confronted Arizona, including the first national reclamation law, which could bring water to he parched Salt River Valley of southern Arizona, Mexican border problems, Indian and grazing lands, immigration, women’s rights, civil rights as well as other rising issues. This is a rare book on the American West that effectively sheds light on this period in the nation’s history. Contents: Introduction. PART ONE: THE MAKING OF A SENATOR. Young Hayden; Early Elections; Congressman Hayden; Senator Hayden. PART TWO: THE HAYDEN IMPACT. Arizona and Western Development; Natural Resources; Water Policy; The Colorado River; The Central Arizona Project; Highways and Transportation; The Military and Foreign Policy; Other Domestic Issues; Hayden’s Political Power; Hayden’s Elections; Home Again; Appendices; Notes; Bibliography; Index.