Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-05-08
THE DAM Ar Ell PAS0
The Industrial Advertiser of Albu-
querque Comments On Provis-
ions of Stephens Bill
The new MEXICAN Is RIGHT
The Bill If Passed Will Destroy the Ri
parian Rights Of People Along the
Rio Grande-A Reply to the
Ell Pase News.

The transit Mississippi congress, re-
Gently in session, took a hand in the Ell
Paso international dam project by pass
ing the following resolution:
whereas, 1t is proposed to construct
by the joint action of the United States
and Mexico an international dam across
the Rio Grande at Ell Paso; and,
Whereas, The riparian residents in
Colorado and New Mexico claim that
the construction of such dam would,
unless otherwise expressly provided, Sc
riously affect their water supply for ir-
rigation purposes, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of this
congress that the proposed information
al dam near FL Paso should be con-
structed without unnecessary delay, in
order, first, to settle the vexed i%nterna-
tional dispute hat has long been a
source of friction between the states
and territories of the Rio Grande valley
in the United States and the northern
portion of Mexico, and second, to afford
relief to the people of the Rio Grande
valley at and below Ell Paso that have
suffered greatly from lack of water; but
we hold emphatically that no provision
should be made by treaty or by statute
/ that would operate to deprive the peo-
| pie of New Mexico or Colorado of their
| rightful proportion of the water of the
Rio Grande."
The Advertiser has little faith in the
efficacy of resolutions adopted by such
gatherings as a general thing, but the
| gentlemen of the trans-Mississippi con-
gress certainly had the right idea when
voting to adopt the above resolution.
As far as known there is no man in
New Mexico objecting to the construc-
ton of an international dam, or any
other kind of a dam, at any point on
the river, if the rights of the people of
this territory are not destroyed, as is
evidently contemplated by the Stephens
bill, now before congress. -..
Irrigation enterprises are greatly
needed all over this great southwest,
and should be encouraged in every le-
Ultimate manner, especially when con
templating the investment of govern
ment money in a worthy work for the
public good, but the FL Paso plan of
robbinp everybody for the people in
that vicinity, and a few foreigners, is
not to be thought of.
The New Mexican, in speaking of the
bill now being pushed by the call hogs
of FL Paso, takes the same position as
was taken by the Advertiser several
weeks ago, and says:
Congressman Stephens bill provid-
ing for the erection of an international
dam at or near Ell Paso, Tex, if enact
ed into law, would cut off the water
supply now in use by 100, 900 people in
New Mexico and Colorado. In the opin-
ion of the honorable member from Tex
as, this wouldrcut no ice as long as a
few land spectators in Texas and in
the city of Juarez make money out of
the scheme. What does the average
Texas congressman care for the rights
of the people Of New Mexico and Colo
RADIO? Not a single red cent, of course"
That about expresses it. The con-
gresham from Texas has introduced a
measure which, if made a law, will alb
solutely destroy the riparian rights Of
thousands of American citizens in the
Rio Grande valley, and, according to
the newspapers of Ell Paso, for the pur-
pose of benefiting a few hundred citi-
zens of Mexico.
In speaking of the article from the
New Mexican published above, the Ell
Paso News says:
"The New Mexican is not we'll in
formed. 1t is not up with the times. It
ought to know hat at the solicitation
of the people Of FL Paso, Mr.. Stephens
introduced an amendment to his bill ex-
empting all dams on the Rio Grande in
Colorado and New Mexico already con-
structed. 1t cannot possibly affect the
people of New Mexico or Colorado If the
waters of the Rio Grande that they let
escape are caught up here. How can
that be detrimental to the New Next
cans and Coloradoans?
"In seasons Of rain, when the chan
nels of the Rio Grande are filled with
water, it is hoped that by means of the
International dam the waters that
would otherwise waste themselves In
the gulf of Mexico may be saved for the
benefit of the people. How can that
possibly injure New Mexico or Colora-
do?
1.-THE New Mexican is fathering a
false issue. 1t is endeavoring to hum
bug the people. But the question in
volved is so plain that we have no fear
an intelligent people will permit them
selves to become accessory to an injus-
tice on the strength Of a false alarm"