Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-08-30
RODEYS SPLENDID WORK
To SECURE IRRIGATION
Letter to the interior Department
Charging Neglect Of the Inter.
ests OF New Mexico.
INTERNATIONAL DAM SCHEME SHOWN UP
Courteous Reply from the Interior Depart
ment Explaining Difficulties Which
Surround New Mexican
Development.

BY The national government and Your
department Is responsible FOR q good
deal of IL. There aFe not leHH than
10000 people living Id The lilo Gran.
do valley from the southern boundary
" New Mexico u thc northern Doan.
dairy Of the Territory. That Is more
people than there are iii the entire
state Of Wyoming. and nearly three
fines i aInany ps live III THU state II
Nevada. and almost az many hi live
In the state Of Idaho. This valley Il
tlie oldest settled portion of the Init
ed States. yet no project has been In.
atiglrated under tho reclamation ser
vice. although a smaller one over Iii
tho pocos valley IN New Mexico II
about ready to have the contract lot,
What / desire 20 call Your attention
70, Mr.. Secretary, ~. Won have with
drawn from appropriation or aeauisi.
zion by private enterprise all rights
With reference ID the construction Of
irrigation works In this great valley
OF the Rio Grande. You did this Ill the
request Of the department Of state, be.
cause of nm alleged claim that Mexico
Is making against the United States
about the waters that fall In New
Mexico. Therefore. The people are
helpl fa-they are tied hand and foot
by your action. They can neither do
anything themselves. nor Is your de.
partment acting quickly enough In
tho promises
! speak In this manner, because /
have many times argued the question
OF the claim OF the republic of Next
co against us with reference 10 the
waters Of the Rio Grande. and | III
derstand the question and know that
Mexico has no right in the premises.
Il Is now nearly seven years since the
bsN'A VI NatiuiuNal WAS UilAs ~
your department at the reques: Of
The department of state. and nothing
Is being done 10 settle tho natter
Congress has for many years refused
10 enact tho legislation which TcSas
and the republic OF Mexico are IN
dcayaring to procure for tho erection
of an international dam AT Ell Paso.
The department ~ state has, also, m
fused 10 negotiate 4 treaty which en-
bodies the same idoa with the repub.
lie % Mexico Understanding The
question as | do. | am sure that con
grcss will never enact such legislation
nor viii the senate OF the uaited
States ever ratify any such treaty with
The republic of Mexico.
Therefore, / feel constrained 70 ask
why should Tho reclamation service
refrain from %inaugurating irrigation
enterprises III the RIO Grandc valley
In New MexicoP II seems % mo that
The government ought 20 construct
several reservoirs here IN The valley.
and, II ANYBODY has any objection 10
Ia doing 50. lot the burden he upon
them TO prevent the work from pro,
ceedlng I venture 70 say that neither
Mexico. Texas nor amy private lndi.
yidnai q stop this government from
erecting as many reservoirs III the
Rio Grande valley in New Mexico as
IL chooses,
do not want 70 be understood as
writing this letter in any spirit Of
offcnsiyencss. only desire 70 call
your attention, Mr.. Secretary, TO a
condition Of things tina, needs your
attention and a condition which Is, I
assure Won. absolutely wrong and on.
pressiyc.
New Mexico, Mr.. Secretary. Is not
very powerful before the national d
ernment. hnt conditions here have
become i~utolerahie. anil our people
DO not think that your department. or
The government II acting az promptly
CONTINUED on page e.1