Gunnison news-champion., 1908-12-25
AyyN - 1M 0uA01no

oOoooua1p oo1 ctsoeom q III OOo01o-
Do vsass 80 spssops'sAsd - Sar
to~s ys.ss hssa sehsps1 ~Vaa -
shs Nose -ChsnSiaa. ksoas kss-
sser tAsG our 6s1lDs csa.auns sAsoanh
o~t the sasse have kssa IsllsA 8
the s'sss sag sAss "TsAAy -
greet CO. d. - vNAe." A Dis
pssch tsom Issvss oa Sssssdag
stAAeD.
LEAVES, Isc IA Hs,ldiag sAsG
the depsrtn.ess a the Issessos ~
the right To coaAsspa irsisssioa pso-
)ects In Colosade fs tn wse a
stSesms which have tkeis so~sce in
the state and utilize the wsasss for
reclamation Of lands in other ssssss.
. decision 10 that e0ect by the de-
psrtment throw. wet Llsasot over
some irrieat'on psojes%s IN Colo
rsdo, particularIy in The Fen Luis
valley. AttorRey Chas H. Hayt kss
received from Frank Pierce, krut
assistant SECRETARY Of the Interior, y
letter which sets forth the depart
ments position. Iuasmuch ~ the
government CLAIMS the right 10 co.,
6scate waters OF thi. state for vscls-
nation projects Of other states. the
matter pseseRts Q serious pAass 70
the farmers Of tbs San Lsis vallsy
who are planning the cosstsuctioa
Of large Fsservoir 10 irriesas . tis-
trict - large - the state Of Asssa-
chusetts."
On this slse Pseblo Chisetain oakss
coMment - below, bet ~ voalA
like to sse tbs Chieftsia lisGle noss
stssasoss ia its Opposieioa -
willing 20 SO ths daaGes ssisiAG
from the oppositioa of bosA 1ssssasy
snd exclamation bsrssss 70 Fsssr-
voirs and mosntain rsschss. The
oppnsition to private rssssvoirv 10
hidden - msch - possible aad 10
bassd on the rarsly pxblishsA i4ss
that they sbosld be disosragsd sa-
I'll the government ssts ready TO
coa~trsct them. Then il will
proceed TO sss the water % cos.srv-
I'd in other sGaaes - il pleosss
Notice ths lsse svco00eadatiaa of
the depars@ess that I'll esvsssnent
land sasceptible TO irri9atioa shoald
be withdrawn pending Investigation.
The opposition to mountain
ranches is partly from the false and
misleading notion that the water is
more valuable lower down" doc
trine as ignorant of the real prin-
ciples of Rocky Mountain water con-
servation as it is vicious in design
and one that leads directly to the
ruling that the Chieltain condemns,
for if the government can favor
lower counties at the expense of the
mountain sections, II follows that
we cannot estop 1T from favoriDg
Arizona and New Mexico at the ex-
pense of Colorado. Another reason
is doubtless the belief az with res
ervoirs that the less water flied upon
by private Individuals the more
there will be for government clerks
to parcel ont and derive salaries
from in the future. The whole thing
is subversive of our states rights 10
an alarming degree and is part of
the dangerous movement toward cen
tralization Of power in Washington
which merits the attention Of all
thinking Americans.
The recent ruling Of the depart
ment Of the interior relative to the
water Of the Rio Grande river in this
state presents no new danger TO the
people of Colorado.
The Chieftain has repeatedly and
upon various occasions CALLED pub
lie attention to this matter and has
emphasized the grave menace to the
rights and interests OF this state.
I'VE believe that the federal gov
ernmept has entered upon a course
of action which is not only a grave
infringement Of the rights of the
state of Colorado and Of its people.
but cne that is quite inconsistant
with the federal constitution and
that must inevitably receive the con-
denim stion Of the Sapreme court of
the United States whenever the mat
ter is passed upon by that tribunal.
The only effect OF the recent rul-
ing should be TO arouse the people
Of Colorado TO a greater sense OF
their danger and to make more GER
tain the Appropriation by the incom-
ing Legislature Of sum sufficient TO
defend adequately the legal and con-
s,itutional rights of the people of
Colorado to use the entire rainfall
within our boundaries
The position taken by the depart
ment Of the interior is intolerable