Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-08-26
~Ineendiary Words
lcontinued From PAGE one.y

ing circles in order Were marked $500,
sl.5e and $500 which figures indieat,
ed the price to be paid per acre by
purchasers depending on their rela.
tive distance from the town Of Las
Vegas.
ANY one upon the payment OF that
amount per acre could purchase l6D
acres, by depositIrg $3.50 additional.
Of this amount, $500 was To he ap,
piled to a fund for defending their
fights and $I.50 was TO pay for re.
cording their deed. Persons who
could show ten years residence on
land would be given title upon pay
ment Of $3.50 Mr.. Romero said he
would at once establish a recording
office In the council chamber and that
it would be ready in twenty-four hours
for business. The speaker then in
dulged in a long disgression setting
lbTbl HON he Huptu " cpehu NV iNN'
of his life in fighting to establish the
rights of "his children" to this land,
He as the head of the town Of Las
Vegas and consequently the admins
traitor of the 100000 acre grant, would
be a father and a protector to them
and would fight their battles for them.
He declared that he would rather be
dead and in the cold tomb, v feet
under the ground than to e his
children robbed of what was right
fully theirs. Such noble sentiments
provoked tremendous bursts of APP
plause. .
The speaker then went on to show
how he would have the fences remov-
ed where land had been enclosed
without due consent from the town
council. Notice would be given and
il the fences were not removed, they
would be cut down and the wires
rolled up and delivered at the houses
of its owners and thereafter the fenc-
ing of large tracts would be enjoin.
ed, not through the court, but by the
town council. 81. ~
The mayor explained that he would
do This cutting of fences by the same
right by which he had ordered his
marshal to cut down the poles Of the
Las Vegas telephone from the plaza
when they failed to remove the
poles at his orders, He would fur
their order that the use of the ditcl
which leaves the river at Los Vigiles
be discontinued and il the order we're
not obeyed he would order his mar.
shall 10 deputize ten men from Las
Vegas, ten from Los Yigiles and the
same number from other settlements,
until he had a total of two hundred
men gathered. He would then proceed
at their head, mounted on a horse
with a rifle in his hands and would
lead them to the ditch and they
would fill it up. He himself could
not aNist with the work, being too
%corpulent, but he would supervise.
The speech Of Mr.. Romero was in
flammatory In spirit from beginning
to end and he might properly be
described as a defiance of law and
order.
Some of his countrymen wlo lis
tened In wonder TO his words, said
afterwards that they we're appalled,"
at what they heard.
He begged his fellow citizens TO
exercise patience for twenty.four
hours and listen to him until he has
completed his scheme for administer
ing the grant IN preference 70 await.
ing the lawful and regular course
which the grant commissioners Q
ommend.
Mr.. Romero had the audience un-
der the spell Of his representations,
and had worked on their feelings un-
til merely the i~nflexion Of his voice
was necessary to arouse the greatest
applause and enthusiasm.
Judge Long Speaks.
At the afternoon session Judge
Long took the floor and spoke at
great length and with the greatest
force and clearness in answer TO the
statements Of Mr.. Romero.< The
judges rehearsal Of absolute facts
and sensible arguments and advice
was received by his hearers with uni
form GOODNESS. the only applause oc-
curing when he spoke Of his friend
ship for Mr.. Romero.
Judge Long devoted considerable
time to the work Of the board Of
trustees OF the grant. dwelling on the
conscientiousness and the interest
with which they had looked after
the interests of the grant.
CONTINUED on Page Eighth