Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-09-22

delegations of Washington newspaper
| correspondents in attendance. They
all know Rodey of New Mexico, and
just took possession Of the New Mex.
leans at Senator Ciark's great ball ami
smoker. The New Mexicans returned
in high glee from the great meeting
Col. r. {. TWitchells Views.
The Optic man also talked with Col
Twitchell, whose able work on the
committee Of resolutions and in other
capacities was the subject of much
favorable commendation from the 9TH
er southwestern delegates. The FOL.
lowing utterances of Col. Twitchell
deserve the most careful consideration
on the part of Las Vegas citizens
who are interested in the development
Of the city and territory:
THE congress was the most largely
attended Of any in its history. The
fact showed that the entire nation is
interested in irrigation, The con.
gress had the earnest, thoughtful con
slderation that men give to matters
of vital interest, not only to them
selves, but to their neighbors and
their country. There were many diff
ferences Of opinion, and the proceed
ings in the committee on resolutions,
of which | was member, were at
times most acrimonious and at the
same time most interesting from an
intellectual point of view.
Il had several conversations with
the secretary of agriculture and with
some Of the leading engineers CON
nected with the geological survey.
want to say this to the people of Las
Vegas. If they expect to have res,
eryoir built near this city they will
have to do something at once or the
building of 1t may be postponed. The
geological survey will soon have lot
OF men, now at work in the north
western states, who will be taken
from that work owing to climatic con.
ditions up there. They can be. put to
work here right away, but before any
thing Of that sort il done the owners
of the lands which will be reclaimed
lying under the reservoir will have TO
enter into some sort Of arrangement
with the United States government
relative to the title to the lands re-
claimed pending the period from COM
mencement of construction to the
4 time when the lands through sale 10
settlers have repaid to the govern
ment the amount Of money used in
the building of the reservoir and the
reclamation OF the lands. The people
mere night jul as We'll understand
once ana for all tAat the government
does not intend TO expe.. one dollar
lei the reclamation iia l.on private
property nnle u tue owners give the
4 government cpAtfol VI the .ands. The
fact that the land owners under the
reservoir now being built In Arizona
nade a satisfactory arrangement with
the government accounts for that ter
ritory being among the first TO secure
the construction of reservoir. This
question Of title will have 70 be sub
mitted 10 the law officers Of the
government at Washington. but we
can rest assured that we shall be left
out In the cold as usual unless we get
an immediate and effective move on
ourselves. The government Is the
only institution that know Of that
arrogates TO itself the right to a mo
nnpoly in the 'manana methods which
have retarded this territory SO great.
ly in its Industrial growth"
Mr.. Twltchell says that Senators
Clark, Kearns, Carey, Warren. CON
gressmen Mondell and Gibson, and, n
fact, every member OF either national
house present at the big gathering
paid tribute to Rodey and 70 his