El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-08-07

ports for the Chamber, and striving tt
rouse the people of those OUTLYING
camps to the Importance of this work
undertaken by the Chamber. His sue
CESS in this effort has been highly
gratifying. Since Ell Paso, through
the Chamber OF Commerce., has shown
that it is alive to the value of such 8
the surrounding country are respond
ing with enthusiasm.
AGRICULTURE AND CATION
Second only in importance to the de
velOpment OF the mineral resources ii
the development Of the agriculture
resources of the Rio Grande valley fol
The one thing required to insure thii
development Is q reliable supply o.
water for irrigation. This supply Is te
be obtained by two methods, which
should be used in conjunction where
practicable. One of these methods II
the storage of the flood waters of the
Rio Grande and their equitable dtstri-
button; the other method ia the use Of
pumping plants. Pumping plants should
be used 10 supplement the river supply
Many pumping plants are already In
stalled and in operation, with abundant
and gratifying success.
The task of storing the waters OF the
Rio Grande still remains to be accomp p
lished. All the efforts of the Irriga-
ton Committee and the Board ofDirec-
tors thus far have been toward secur-
ing the passage of the Stephens bill for
building an international dam above
Ell Paso. The Stephens bill contsins
section forever prohibiting the con-
struction of dams and reservoirs along
the Rio Grxnde and its tributaries
q hnva tho cite nf tina nrnnOeP6 a
tional dam. The people of New Mex
leo and Colorado are fully alive to the
consequence of such q prohibition II
embooied In the federal law and, as
proposed, in a treaty with Mexico.
They believe that congress will never
enact legislation containing any such
prohibition. A large proportion OF
the memb ers of the Chamber OF Com
MERGE sympathiz, with the people of
the prohi bitory clause of the Stephens
bill Is pjuet aud ought to be eliminat-
ed.
The situation then appears to be
this: Either Ell Paso and Juarez will
get no international dam, or the Objec
tionsble clause of the Stephens bill
will be eliminated. The sensible and
polite course for Ell Paso and Juarez
to take. therefore, Is to recede from
their unjust demand and join with the
people of the upper Rio Grande in a
general effort to secure from the Fed
eral Government such aid as is nece-
seary to conserve the waters Of the
Rio Grande and secure fair distribu
tion of them.
Moreover, since the prosperity of Ell
Psso is dependent on the prosperity
of New Mexico, and since the Cham
Der of Commerce has repeatedly de-
clared it's policy to be to seek the well
fare of the entire country tributary to
Ell Paso, 1t is clear that both the inter-
est OF Ell Paso and the svowed policy
of the Chamber demand that the Cham
Der shall take q broad and unselfsh
view of this matter and seek the good
Of all concerned. 1 believe 1t 10 both
just and polite for theCham Der to take
control OF the situation. | would suR
gest that a general meeting OF the
Chamber be ca led to discuss the mat
ter and take action thereon.
By joining hands with the people OF
New Mexico as well as Old Mexico in
, common effort to save and equitably
the waters that are now
serve her own interests in the matter
Of water supply but will secure and
retain the good will of all. The Cham
Der of Commerce, by taking the initia-
i've in this matter, can win prestige
ind influence of Unreasonable value
10 the commercial and other interests
If the city. Self interest, therefore.
40 less than justice, invites the Cham
per to seize the opportunity.
POPULAR CONVENTION CITY.
One of the mOst important branches
IF work laid out by the Chamber OF
Commerce for itself is to make Ell Paso
|, aft nd h~t~
arge crowds of people here. AS soon
b the permanent Committee on Elk
,ursions and Conventions WAS appoint
I'D last February,it began preparations
or the meeting of the State Teachers
Association, which was to be held here
n June. For nearly five months the
work of preparation went on along two
distinct lines; first, correspondence and
In order to bring the great
,st possible number of people here;and
eoondly, the making OF all
nents for their entertainments.
correspondence and the Gil
of printed matter the invita-
ion to come was sent everywhere
hroug hout the state and She district
tributary to Ell Paso. The people
.ame, two or three times as many as
we're expected. But Ell Psso cared for
hem and entertained them with entire
1t is only fair to the Com
nittee on Excursions and Conventions,
o cay that the plans for taking care of
he thousands of visitors and entertain
ng them, although finally carried out
~ Citizens Committee, had practi-
,slly all been formulated and arranged
~ the Chambers Con- mittee
IN Excursions and Conventions
The committee would have under
AIKEN to secure the Christian En-
leavorers' convention for next June,
lad it not been for the objection raised
" MANY peOple here that FL Paso did