Arizona republican., 1903-02-01
TEMPE MEETING
 A GREAT SUCCESS
Addresses Made by Judge Kibbey and 6. H. Maxwell
Southsi Water Users Willing to Co., operate Now That They Fully Un- derstand the Provisions of the Ar ticles of Incorporation.

The meeting at Tempe yesterday was one of the most enthusiastic that
 has been held during the whole water
 storage campaign in this valley. And
 that is one of the most pleasing incl dents of the campaign also for it had
 been currently reported that the
 strongest opposition to the movement
 would be developed in that vicinity
 The meeting indicated clearly that
 most of the opposition is among few who are honestly opposing the enterprise merely because they fail to
 understand fully the plan of operations
 and are reasoning from false premises.
 The committee is working as fast
 as it can in preparation of the copy of
 the articles of incorporation for filing purposes after which the books will be ready for the signatures of water us CTS. The books, however, cannot be prepared in time for the meeting here Monday, as at first announced, nor will-they be ready for use by Tuesdays meeting in Mesa so these meetings as well as the one in Tempe yesterday are only in pursuance of the campaign of education. The books though will surely be ready sometime next week The meeting yesterday was presided over by Carl Hayden who made very short and pleasing introductory re-
 marks. Curry hall was filled to it's full
 capacity. Every chair was occupied
 and some people were standing. The meeting lasted about 3 hours and the closest attention was paid to the ' Maxwell, so whatever may be said or the southsido people they are surely not apathetic to the movement
 l Judge Kibbey was the first speaker ] his address covering an hour and q l half. He made magnificent address { in explanation of just what the sign | ing of the articles does and does not mean. The stumbling block that stands in the way of some on the south side is a feeling that when they sign the articles they deed away to the water users association, their right and title to the Tempe canal. or any other canal in which they may be in- l tcrested. This is absolutely not the case. The land owners under each can al system have to bear the burden of
 getting the canal system through (which their lands are watered and ! then they may or may not as they 1 choose. merge it with the association. l There is no danger. therefore, of the land owners under the Tempe having
 to buy and pay for the Arizona or any
 other canal. The association is form
 cd. then the land owners under any
 canal may being members of the asso-
 Ciation and entitled to water, if they agree to it. get their water at their ] head as they now do or through the
 same system. If they own their own canal or if they choose to buy the one | that supplies them now, they may if they want to, merge it with the asso- ciation- If they do not wish to there 1 is TO ore that can force that issue with | them. II will be a separate transac- tion entirely. But suppose they did
 buy canal and merge it or merge one
 they already owned, it would be mere
 ly transferring money from one pock- ! ct to the other for it would be held and sacrcdly conducted by themselves and in their own interest. Mir. Kibbey
 illustrated it by saying that signing the articles would not rob them of | their canal any more than it would of
 their pocket knife. MT. Maxwell spoke l for over two hours and was received with great enthusiasm. Seemingly the points that received the best approval
 were the very ones that explained
 away the false grounds of the few peo- | pie who are in opposition tO the move
 ment. In that fact lies the greatest
 encouragement for it shows that the | Tempe people are as much in earnest
 as anybody in their desire for a storage ] reservoir. All they wanted was little | better understanding and it is believed
 tha most of them now have it. MT.
 Maxwell opened his remarks by say | ing he was not there to plead with them t0 sign the articles of incOrpora- | ton. On the contrary he knew that the | Tonto reservoir was going to be built
 and he was there to explain the ar | ticles of incorporation as well as possi-
 ble SO they would of their own impulse
 desire to participate in the advantages
 that are to follow for if they refused their children and grand children
 would certainly have occasion to rise
 up and curse them for the terrible mis- take. There is no coercion in the mat | ter but on the contrary a great desire
 to have them accept that which is to prove of inestimable value to them.
 The golden opportunity is offered and
 to reject it will work disaster on no
 one but those who refuse to cooperate.
 The committee yesterday sent out letters to all those who were selected for incorpOrators calling attention to
 the urgency of prompt action and re questing them to call at the commit tees office in the Nicholson building hand sign the articles on or be;ore next Friday, the date when it is hoped they
 may be ready for filing.