Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1907-12-12
GOVERNOR AND COMMITTEE KEPT BUSY
WEDNESDAY, RECEIVING MANY VISITORS
Las Cruces and Water Users Association Prove Hosts OF the
Best People Realize Immense Benefits to Come From
Such Gathering as the Big CongresS-President
Holt Colonel TWtChell Colonel HOpeWel and
President Young Deliver Important Speeches.

he was knocked off his feet" as he
himself said.
The committee and the governor
spent a most pleasant day here.
which far exceeded anything they
had anticipated in the line of en-
thusiasm. The Mesilla valley Is full
ly alive to the importance of the Ir
rigation congress and will do every
thing possible to make it grand
success. AS Col. Twitchell said in
the course of his remarks, the Me-
silla valley and the Ell Paso valley
with 10000 acres of the most fertile
land in the world can produce mil
lions on completion of the Elephant
Butte project. "If the valley sur
rounding Riverside, CAL, with its g.
500 acres can produce millions an
nually, what can the Rio Grande val
ley produce with its 100000 acres,
as rich as the California valley, II
not rlcher?" said Col. fwitchell.
Acknowledge Debt To Congress.
President II. B. Huet, of the Ele-
phant Butte Water Users association,
made the address of welcome and in
his remarks said: 1--WE owe to the
National Irrigation congress the pos
sfbilfty Of our great project here and
our prosperity. In 1904. at the meet
ing Of the congress at El Paso the
matter of getting our great valley ir-
tee of five from New Mexico, five
from Texas and five from Mexico
was appointed and through their ef-
forts we secured the Elephant Butte
project from the reclamation service.
I'VE thank the National Irri-
cation congress for what it has
done for us and we are going
to do everything possible to make
the sixteenth congress a grand sue
cess"
Mr.. Holt then introduced Cover
nor George Curry who spoke in part
as follows;
Governors Strong Speech.
For many years L represented
Dona Ana county in the legislature.
When / come to the Mesilla valley
now it seems like home to me.
81 wish you to consider me as your
fellow townsman, George Curry.
Some of my dearest friends live
here. When / came to New Mexico
many years ago l came without a
dollar and / will never forget the
kind reception 1 received from the
people of Dona Ana, Lincoln and
Grant counties. 1 hope the time may
come very soon when / can turn the
state of New Mexico over to a native
born son of New Mexico.
Boosted Statehood and Congress.
81 came here today to talk state
1--WE should be able to select our
own officials: l don't want to cast
any reflections on the president of
the United States but we should
choose who shall govern us.
New Mexico has a larger popula-
ton than any state ever admitted ex-
cept oklahoma and a larger popu-
lation than nine of the old states of
the union today The only argu-
ment eastern states have is they
don't know our people; that there Is
too large a population of foreign
people. They refer to our Mexican
population--but fellow citizens, they
are the people who came here and
planted Christianity and who
brought civilization.
"In the war of 1851 New Mex
leo furnished more soldiers than
any other state in the union in pro-
portion to her population. In the
Spanish war she did the same.
mo more loyal and patriotic peo-
pie live on earth today than the citi-
zens Of New Mexico.
Meeting To BE Largest of All.
''The National Irrigation congress
must and will be the greatest and
most successful yet held. The enter
tainment given the delegates who at
tend from all parts of the United
States and foreign countries will
demonstrate that New Mexico can
handle her own affairs. If we don't
get statehood at this congress we
will get 1t at the next one"
The governors speech was recelv-
ed with prolonged applause.
Speeches were made by MeSsrs.
Holt, TwiJchell, Hopewell and Grey.
Governor Curry inspected the Ag-
ricultural college during the day and
complimented the board of regents
on the success of the college. The
cadets formed a military escort for
the governor from the Park hotel to
the hall.
Governor Curry addressed the
school children assmbled in the court
house yard and received prolonged
applause when he said that New
Mexico Is today spending more for
education than any state In the un-
ion in proportion TO the attendance
of children in all her schools.
"A formal reception was given in |
the evening followed by a smoker at |
the Park hotel.
Governor Curry and Col Twltchell |
went to El Paso today to see Judge |
A. b. Fall, the rest OF the delega-
ton returning TO Albuquerque.