The old Abe eagle. (White Oaks, Lincoln County, N.M.) 189?-189?, 1892-03-24
IRRIGATION CONVENTION.

sence of the editor presents the follow
ingfrom the optic report of the conven-
ton:
The gentleman from White Oaks, Mr..
FL. l.. Ross: "In our county the gentle
men who should represent us, and could
have spoken on this question, are pre-
vented from attendance, as announced by
letter which | carry, on account of the
court being in session for the first time
in whole year Had it not been that
some of the gentlemen here would leave
this evening, and also, that one speaker
upon the floor, this afternoon, took the
liberty to couple Lincoln county's name
with the minority report of the honora
BILE gentleman from our neighboring
county, would not have taken the lib
erty to address this convention at all.
But | dare not go back to those who
have sent me to represent them, and
have them say that Lincoln county was
not heard at all, if it VAS only by noise
However. | take the liberty to say, in
their behalf, according to the matters
which were suggested and discussed, on
last Monday, in our county seat, Lincoln,
that Lincoln county has no fear of en-
trusting to the hands of New Mexico's
people of which she is one of the sisters,
the whole question of determining how
the arid land can be disposed of upon
receip of her rights from the United
States. 1t may seem to some gentlemen
who are engaged in corporation irrigat-
ing to-day, that their interests might be
better subserved by having these lands
in the possession of the United States
government. But the instructions OF the
delegate from Lincoln county were from
men who were already interested in irri-
cation companies, and he WAS instructed
to say to this convention that 1t was to
request of all who have been appointed
delegates to this convention, that their
delegate present to this convention, for
their consideration, position In winch
Secretary \ oble has recently placed our
lands which, under several rulings, pre-
vents, not only corporations, but also
individuals, from obtaining the water
from our running streams.
With the great wisdom that is exer-
cised in this nation in this day, it would
seem wonder TO the man for whom our
county bears her name, to deem it possi-
BILE for men to say--learued III all other
thIngs-to present bills before this
nation, which the people who live in a
common country know, are utter impos-
sibilities to carry out. lApplause.
In endeavorIng to best present this
matter, | will simply state what all OF us
know to be true: That in these arid
lands, whether it may be in the state
from which [ recently came, in eastern
Colorado, or whether it may be in Lin
coin, that county of counties, our neigh.
Dor Chaves,o even in this county,wheie.n
the capital, the Queen OF the Meadows"
sits in its supreme splendor today APP
plause say the most despicable man
who has lived here longer than those who
call themselves "white man." can teach
every American citizen, not born here, to
irrigate by natures process, any day.
lApplause And he knows, whether the
great secretary does or not, that it is
utterly impossible, from the deep canyons
IN winch our water llogs down cold to
the sea, to raiae by lineals, orauy natural
source OF power, this water which is flow
ing along through these arid laudo,
directly upward for irrigation purposes.
Yet. the gentlemen who instructed our
delegate invited, through him, tho atten
ton of THIS convention to the fact that
very recently Secretary Noble, by his
decision, decided that IN ourneighboring
county Of Chaves, which decision, If fol.
lowed in the future means for every
county having arid lands in New Mexico
that no matter whether the lands over
which it is desired to got the water out,
were vacant or not, no irrigation com
pauy or any other persons, state, Ter.
ritory or individual, should have the
right to start ditch and run it over
vacant, arid lands OF the government, to-
day for the purpose Of getting that water
out. Nor should they allow laterals
from reservoir to run over vacant lands
to distribute that water. Nor should
they be allowed to build a dam in the
river 80 as to hold sufficient wnter tc
irrigate ON level with the surface of the
land; even although ii is tJ disturb II,
system ut that time, but should all res
upon vacant, unoccupIed lands.
Gentlemen, having presented tha
proposition to the convention, the mis-
sion of the delegate for the present ID
finished by this request that this decision
at the request OF Lincoln county, be mad,
a resolution Of memorial, which by ex
planning the circumstances OF the l1ca
tion OF the water through the lower tribu
tarics OF these arid lands, may call th,
attention Of our honorable congress an,
our honorable secretary Of the interior {,
the fact that,except at times Of high flood
our water and our rivers do not flo,
bank iull, similar to that Of e.e.ern an