Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1902-03-06
SANTA FE, N. M. THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 1902
COLORADO SHOULD
EXTEND HELP
The Centennial State Is Also Interested in
Preventing the Ell Paso Land Sharks from
Stealing Rio Grande River Waters.
THE HEARING BEFORE The HOUSE
Committee ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS

The Denver papers publish the fol-
lowing Washington dispatch in refer
ence 10 the fight that Delegate Rodey
is making upon the Stephens bill;
IAN attempt will be made by Dele
gate Rodey Of New Mexico and the
representatives of the Elephant Butte
dam project in that territory to enlist
the aid of the state of Colorado in op-
posing the passage of The Stephens bin
before the house This bill provides for
the equitable distribution of the waters
of the Rio Grande between the United
States and Mexico and the construction
of an international dam. at Ell Paso.
"The bill was given a hearing before
the house committee on foreign rela-
tons this morning. Delegate Rodey set
forth to the committee the objections of
the people of New Mexico to the meas
ure, which are in the main that they
are to be deprived of large share of
the waters of the river they are now
using. Inasmuch as the Rio Grande
rises in Colorado, it is claimed that that
state will also be affected by the build
ing of the international dam in the
same way as New Mexico, and the at
torney general of the state will there
fore be asked to enter objections to the
Stephens bill before the committee.
"Dr. N. e. Boyd, attorney for the Ell
ephant Butte Dam Company, which
proposes to put a dam 100 miles above
the site of the proposed International
dam, is taking an active part in the
fight the New MeXicans are making
against the international dam, and an
nounced today that he has written to
Attorney General Post, asking him to
appoint counsel to appear before the
committee in behalf Of Colorado. He
says he will also enlist the interests OF
the Colorado senators and representa-
tiyes, The latter cannot be said to be
taking much interest in the affair one
Way or the other at the present time,
believing that Colorado's rights as a
sovereign state will preserve her privll-
ege of taking water from the Rio
Grande in any event.
"The Colorado Kansas dispute over
the waters of the Arkansas river IS pc
ing watched with interest, as the de-
cision in this case may be used in set
Ting this question Of Old Mexico at
tempting to prohibit New Mexico from
| removing sufficient waters from the
Rio Grande to irrigate her lands
! 4el'he entire provocation OF the S'teph-
! en-. tolll arises from in allfstsi zie y lon
of the treaty of Guadalupe Hidaiao and
the Gadsden treaties between the Unit
ed States and Mexico. III these trea-
| ties there was provision restraining
either nation from interfering with the
navigation facilities of the Rio Grande
where the river served as boundary
Tt is claimed by Mexico that New Mex
leo. in removing the waters Of the r1v-
er, not only destroyed navigation, pu'
! ruined a lot of Mexican crops.
"The international dam is to be built
to satisfy Mexico's claims for damag-
es. The New Mexico people do moi
care how many dams are built as long
as they are allowed to use what water
thew please from the Rio Grande, pu'
| the Stephens bill restricts their rights
| to this water The sum it is proposed
TO appropriate for the building of the
dam is $2,317,00 There will be an
other hearing on the bill in few
| DAYS"