Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1907-08-26

the very heart or the government and
welfare Of New Mexico 1t was print
cd IN full last week by the New Mex
ican and is worthy Of being read care
fully second time and studied by
every citizen of the territory.
1t was unanimously resolved to
print the address in full in the min
utes Of the Bar Association for 1907
ana a vote of thanks was extended to
MI Renehan for delivering it.
Upon motion. committee consist
ing of President Renehan, A. B. Nc
Millen, &. A. Richardson U. S. Bate
man and r. G. Gortner, was appointed
to formulate a code of irrigation laws
that will reconcile the differences that
were created by the passage by the
last Legislative Assembly of an ir-
rigation act that does not express the
wish of the people and Is not at all
adapted to irrigation conditions as
they exist in New Mexico. 1t was in
discussing the resolution calling for the
appointment of this committee that
the strong resentment against fed.
eral interference and encroachment
was most eloquently voiced by men
like Hon, G. A. Richardson, Hon. b.
M. Read, Hon A. B. McMillen, Hon
u. S, Bateman and others. 1t was
maintained that the irrigation law
placed upon the statute books by the
last Legislative Assembly had been
placed there upon orders of Sub0rdi-
nate employees of the Reclamation
Service who had threatened to stop
all reclamation work in New Mexico
unless the law was placed upon the
] statute books, marking the first step
| toward the control Of all irrigation
! waters in New Mexico by the federal
Eanth1rities depriving citizens Of vest
! ed rights, some of which had exist
ed before the Pilgrims landed at Ply
mouth Rock, and long before the
| founding of the Mexican Republic OF
| acquisition of New Mexico by the
United States. 1t was pointed out how
the law is not at all adapted to con.
ditions in New Mexico; that the terri
torial engineer had tacitly admitted
this, and how it will retard develop
ment, building up one section at the
| expense of another. In other words
| the mandate went forth to the terri
torial administration to place the law
upon the statute books at any cost
and the administration cringed like a
| craven, lashed its cohorts in the as
| sembly and without consulting the in
| terests most vitally affected took a
long step toward robbing the people OF
| New Mexico of their water rights, as
| was shown in recent instances, relat
! ed by Mr.. Richardson. w. C. Reid
who confessed to having taken part
in placing some of the laws upon the
statute books, sought to defend the
course of the territorial administration
at that time, and R. E. Lund, of Ros
well, warned against any hasty action
that would reflect upon the national
administration and its irrigation pol
icy. The discussion resulted in the
appointment of the committee above
named.
Revision Of the Laws.
Hon. Benjamin M. Read read a very
interesting address upon the "Revi
sion of the Laws of New Mexico,
which will be printed at an early date
In the New Mexican. The discussion
which followed it showed the vital in
terest taken in the revision of the
laws by the bar Mr.. Reads clear eX
PLANTATION Of the methods adopted by
the revision committee and the work
already accomplished, convinced those
present that the work is being wei
done. Here, too, w. C. Reid took 8
stand against the majority, and de
clared that an expert from Nebraska
should have been engaged at $4,000 6
year to make the revision and espe
cially to do the indexing. He also cen
sured the other members of the com
mission, insinuating that they neg
lected their task. Hon. B. M. Read il
reply pointed out very conclusiyely th'
impractibility of such a course and hov
unnecessary it is, for an index canno
be made until the revision is printed
and the changes which would certain
ly be made by the Legislature, which
must approve the revision, would
make useless any elaborate index pre-
pared by an expert at this time. Ht
defended the other members of tht
commission, saying that they were do
ing their duty; that one-quarter O
the work entrusted to them is com
pleted and that the revision fund i.
still practically intact. Practical.
every member took part in thu
discussion that followed, and Mr.. Reat
was rendered a vote Of thanks for hi
address, which was ordered printed ii
full in the proceedings of the conven
ton.
Mr.. cowan's Address.
I In the afternoon, Hon. Samuel H