Arizona republican., 1903-06-07
Yesterdays Meeting,

association at the great water storage mass meeting yesterday afternoon dis closed a state of facts which should spur every friend of the valley to ex- tra exertions this week in behalf of the government reservoir.
 The situation is grave in the extreme. and it's gravity is not lessened by the fact that the governments plan is on the very edge O: final success. While 1000 acres have been pledged, and while it seems as sure as anything can be that within another ten da;s enough more acreage will be listed to assure absolutely the construction of the reservoir, the fact is urdeniable that the officials at Washington are growing extremely impatient at the delay, and there is only too much reas- on to fear that were there to be an other month of waiting for the list to be filed up the government would abandon the Tonto Basin enterprise in disgust and devote the reclamation fund to projects in communities where the people have sense enough to ap- preciatc a good thing as soon as the government lays it before them.
 Mir. Fowler read official assurances that the department of the interior has fully considered the plan now before the people and will maka no changes therein; that the amendments which have been so often rejected and which have again been presented by the Tempe ranchers as their ultimatum to the government will not be consid- cred by the government. This left the status O; the storage question in such shape that every man present at the meeting-except, possibly, DIr. Heard could readily understand it.
 In effect, the status is this: the gov ernment says to the Salt River valley. The plan preserted to US has had careful consideration. It fully protects everybody concerned, and it is ap- proved without reserve. TEc various amendments presented have also been fully considered and have been reject ed They will not be considered here after. If you don't want to borrow government money on thirteen years time without interest, say so al once. Take it. or leave it. tut decide at once. Many other. sections of the west are are clamoring for a chance to step into your shoes"
 Having these facts before them. it was not strange that grizzled ranch CTS. unused to talking from a platform, grew eloquent in stating their common sense views. and it was not strange that the great Emancipator of the arid West, George II. Maxwell. rose to heights of cloquencc rarely equalled in any forum, and won new lcurels as one of the most effective speakers in Amer ica. in his clear and precise statement of the facts which the people of the Salt River valley must face.
 We trust. and we believe, that yes tsrday's meeting marked the great turning point in the history of this valley. As a direct result of the meet ing we expect to see the necessary acre age speedily pledged.
 However, the closing feature of the meeting was instructive as to the per versity with which men of ordinary in telligencc will cling to losing position through sheer stubbornness. It had been made manifest beyond possibility of doubt that it was a mere waste of time to discuss again the principles which the government has rejected and Washington. But Mir Dwight B. Heard, managing partner in a 7,0OO-acre ranch the acknowledged leader of the move ment to defeat the governments plan. and the author of the various amend ments which have been turned down by the government. insisted upon discuss ing with Mir. Maxwell the questions which the government says it cannot consider, and for no practical purpose on earth, insisted upon having from Mr Maxwell categorical answers to a