El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-05-12
permant chairman and Claude HuttO,

J
reach an amicable agreement on the
questions at issue. I'VE should work
for the best interests of the whole ter
ritory," he declared. I'VE must live
together and we have made concessions
all our lives and should make them
now to secure an agreement
Vice presidents were named for the
various counties represented Eu-
genio Barela was named for Bernalillo
county. Adolfo Bevia for Valencia coun-
ty. L. Clapp for Dona Ana county, Ralph
F. Twitchell for San Miguel county,
Robert L. Cooper for Santa Fe county,
ex-governor Prince was elected for RIO
Arriba county. Taos, Sierra, Socorro
and Sandoval counties were expected TO
have representatives present, but they
had not appeared at the time of the
selection of vice presidents.
Judge McMiIlen Speaks
o N Marion then called upon A.
B. McAIilIen to set forth the object of
the meeting Mr.. McMillen said:
There are approximately 500. geo
acres of irrigabIe lands in the Rio
Grande valley of New Mexico. 1t is
proposed to irrigaTe by the Elephant
Butte project total Of 100000 acres
in New Mexico, Texas and Old Mexico.
But 40. 600 of these are in New Mexico.
All Of these lands are undoubtedly fer
tile. but I believe that the rain that
falls in New Mexico should be used to
raise crops in New Mexico
I'm 1905 there were 100000 acre feet
set aside by the government for the
Elephant Butte project With this
amount more than two times as many
acres as it is proposed TO irrisate by
this dam could be irrigated, according
to the hest IRRIGATION data. But the
reclamation service wasn't satisfied
Of
losses arising from evaporation anS the
long distance the water IS carried he
fore it Is used Consequently in 1908
the service made aDDlication for all
tho hitherto unappropriated waters o.
the Rio Crande ana IT'S tributaries north
Of the Elephant Putte dam site. This
means that there could he no more new
irrigation projects north Of the dam
Tho reclamation service 1id not stoD
hero. ,r+ served notice that all con
templated IRRIGATION enterprises would
he contested IN the courts.
Tho "Cpuer Stream" Claim
"Gentlpmen 7 want to saw That irri-
CATION nractIce has shown that the hes
results are obtained bv beginning near
est thu source OF the stream-that more
land could be irrigated by developing
thp streams uniformly throughout It's
I4ngtF, than nv carving it number
pc In the case of the Elephant Butte
dam.
IT want TO eav that 7 have talked
18th the las Cr11cas delegation and one
of these gantlenen stated IN me that
unless all Of the waters Of the river
oar he secured for the dem the dam
will he useless tt is time FOR the DeO-
ME Of the northern end OF the territory
~ wake ND and realize their needs "a
the people Of the lower valley have
done don't blame the peonle Of the
southern erd for trying to get all thew
can But want to see the peoDle ~
the north awake. and when they do
p wake they will oppose the building OF
this dam"
Mr. McMilfen declared he Is willing To
see the Individual better himself all he
can. but he IS not willing to see the
government pick out favoritee- MY
objection is not to Las Cures" he said.
''but to the government. which is sFp-
posed to represent everybody fairly
getting the Creates good for the great
est number, which IS practically de-
stroying the Rio Grande valley north OF
the Elenhant Butte dam. I DENY that
this is fair that ii Is just. thet Il is
right II Is wrong to enrich Texas or
Mexico at the expense Of this territory.
If we can't get irrigation for all. I
believe the government should keep
off altogether"
NESTLE ysIIey Replies.
The Hon. TT. F. FERGUSON at the con-
clusion of Mr.. McMillen's speech arose
and called attention to the fact that
there were representa- tives of the Me-
silla valley present and suggested that
the gentlemen be heard. The Las Cru
ces delegation called upon Mark B.
Thompson. The chair announced that
he would be glad to recognize anyone
from Dona Ana county and Mr.. Thomp-
son took the floor.
He stated that his delegation had
come to listen and that they did not
exactly understand the situation. They
were interested, he said. in anything |
connected with the building or COM |
pletion of the Elephant Butte dam
ANY delay or interference in the I
of this dam strikes at the |
home and fireside of every citizen of |
the Nesilla valley" he declared. Il DO |
not know what the attitude of this |
body is, nor what kind of resolutions. |
if anv, it is proposed to adopt, but |
this delegation has come here In the |
spirit of Cancellation spoken of by eX- |
governor Prince I believe there is a 1
as to the purpose Of |
the reclamation service in connection I
" 18th this project. and / should like to |
explain" Here Mr. Thompson went in |
silla valley. related the early devel- |
0pment through the crude system of |
bitches and told of the marvellous fer
tility Of the soil. He told briefly the
struggles TO get the present project |
through congress, and in explaining the
placed on the water rights
IF the territory he read a decision OF
the secretary of the interior which d. |
'ected the head of the reclamation
service to release on application of any
riparian proprietor for his own use
Ie00 acre feet of these waters per an
lum.
Rights of Others Considered.
This means that a careful man who 1
Ices not allow any of the water to re-
urn to the stream can irrigate 500 |
acres" he continued. Does this look
ike depriving the farmers Of the use
IF the Rio Grande waters? The recIa-
nation service does not want to combat
he development Of the upper Rio
Irande valley. What it wants to COM
oat is your getting into the clutch of
corporations that will make you pay
'ent on the land you own and leave
| heritage Of debt TO your children
Il have facts here for this but do
Tot believe 1t necessary to present them.
We Will do anything to help you get
vater. We have for years labored for
his end In 1oO3 tba yovarDra1+ |