Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-05-06
WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 6.
IRRIGATION AND EDUCATION.


The president has spoken. We have
been %curiously waiting to hear his ut
terance on the one subject which he
could not escape, that one subject
which Is closest to the heart Of New
Mexico. One fact which lent special
interest to our anticipations Of the
words Of the president At this time
vas the memory Of his encouraging
words when he was the guest of Las
Vegas four years ago. Judged by that
speech, he mas been accused of incan-
s%lstency in his attitude toward the
statehood question during the last ses
sion Of congress. But II the president
has been compelled to stand in an I'M
fortunate light before the people 81
New Mexico because OF tile words
which were prompted BY friendly en-
thnsiasm when the grave responsible.
ties Of the chief executives caaif were
only among the distant future posi-
bilities of q young man, we cannot
but respect him for the fearless way
in which he now states his. position
10 The 9training ears Of an expectanl
people.
Statehood viii come when we are
ready for it. This Is not an idle re.
paurff n nrdnpbfnll,, ,arr.w1nfn tin
most mature deliberation Of the presi.
dent with the lealers Of his party. 1t
square In the face and see what this
means. The president Is no quibbler
meant that he was In favor of state
hood for New Mexico now he would
have said 80. When he says We will
get statehood when we arc ready he
means that In his opinion we are not
ready for II. Mr.. Roosevelt will, in
the opinion Of the country, be the
next president Of the United States.
With his help we might expect state
hood in the near future. Without his
help we cannot expect it soon. The
only course open TO us in the light OF
these facts is to bend every effort in
getting ready for statehood and in
giving the president. the party and
the country i%ndispntable proof that we
are ready for X at The earliest possible
time. The schemes OF designing poll
ticians might procure us this estate
before We are. In the opinion Of many
thoughtful men. ready to enter II.
The same cause might operate to
1t withhold 1t from us. In spite of our
best efforts, after we are ready for 1t.
But there is another side TO the ut.
terance Of the president. He has once
more declared for irrigation and for
irrigation In New Mexico, He has de.
clared his intention to assist In get
ting an appropriation for us specific
ally. He expects Of MS. beyond a
doubt. to bend every effort. to spare nc
pains In urging our claims at Wash
ington for national assistance toward
this enc. We have every natural con.
dition In our favor. We have forest
covered mountains TO conserve our wa.
Ter supply. We have winter SHOWS
and spring and summer rains. We
have streams watch carry away floods
Of water which should be used Ia
make our acres heavy with fields u
grain, and we have natural reservoirs
for the boarding Of these floods What
1t takes. what we want, what we can
lfave and must have Is national aid in
this work. which Is too extensive for
u private capital. When this is done
AMI our naturally rich and productive
soil Is made ready for the toll Of the
thrifty farmer. New Mexico will make
forward strides which will ontstrip
u most sanguine expectations.
Inc oiher great neeu ! our terri.
tory Is education Let us educate and
irrisate. Let us have a public senti.
meni which shall sanction and demand
the generous expenditure of our funds
for educational purposes. Let Us build
the little school house and send the
faithful teacher into every hamlet and
outlying district We must not be sat
isfied until we have raised the intel.
lectiial and moral tone Of our common.
wealth up % such a standard that in
the minds Of all fair thinking men w
arc entitled to the fun rights OF Amer.
lean citizenship.