Gilpin observer., 1907-06-20
To Win With MoIasses.

A revocation or at least satisfactory
modification OF the Interior Depart
ment order preventing the use of Rio
Grande water for new irrigation pro-
jects in the San Luis valley promises
to be one OF the beneficial results OF
the land convention.
This means that the federal govern
ment will shift its position and per.
init new reservoirs to be erected to fur
nish water for territory in southern
Colorado and northern New Mexico
equal in size to the entire state of Con.
necticut-
This promised relief for the San Luis
valley has been contested for years
and the bureau at Washington has ig-
nored the law for 1891 and refused to
accept reservoir filings for irrigation
schemes. Two conferences held yes
terday by prominent irrigation men OF
| Colorado and the officials from Wash.
ington may mean millions of dollars 20
Colorado, because the land convention
loomed up as a dark cloud for the fed.
eral administration on the political
horizon.
There was conference attended by
r. A. Ballinger, commissioner OF the
General Land Office; Prof L. G. Car.
penter of the State Agricultural Col
lege. United States Senator Guggen.
helm, Congress sman W. A Haggott,
Congressman Robert Bonynge. Attor.
ney General Dickson, Judge Holbrook
and Judge Charles d. Hayt The ques.
tion before them was the deprivation
Of waters of the Rio Grande to which
the settlers and land owners in the San
Luis valley are entitled under the fed
eral law as enacted in 1901. These
rights were abrogated by arbitrary
rules Of the department in defiance OF
which such authorities as Frank c.
Goudy declared to be "the plain letter
of the law"
| With Congressman Bonynge was
committee from the San Luis valley
consisting Of Speaker Robert G.. Breck.
enridge of the Colorado House OF Rep.
resentatives. Gen. Ira ]. Bloomfield
and Judge c. C. Holbrook. These same
people. in the evening, had confer.
ence with secretary James r. Garfield
of the Department OF the Interior. It
is merely a department order which
has made all the trouble. The law On
the subject is satisfactory. All that is
necessary, therefore. is for the federal
officials named to secure the consent
OF the President to modification of
tho order. thus placating some OF the
bitterest opposition to the administra.
tion's policy In the West. One OF the
leaders in the fight declares that the
int'mation Of these officials was that
the controversy could and would be
amicably settled. A tentative promise
was made to modify the Objectionable
order. II possible, after further consid-
Grafton.
Speaker Breckenridge declared mo
lasses will catch more flies than will
vinegar. But we want to know where
we stand with the government. Our
rights under the law are clear, and II
we do not secure the modification In
tho government order which now feel
sure will come then we will be forced
into the courts. But we are not look
Ing for . fight II there is any other
way"
Professor Carpenter explained, from
statistics. that the San Luis valley
could be properly irrigated, as allowed
under the law. without interfering with
any rights which the republic OF Mex
leo had under a treaty by which that
country Is to be allowed $4,000 acre
feet OF water annually from the Rio
Grande. Both Secretary GARFIELD AMI
Commissioner Ballinger. at these two
conferences. were very much I'm
pressed with the representation Of tho
case.