The Lamar register., 1911-07-26
REP. NEWTON WRITES ON BILL
Declares Measure Is All Right and
That Small Ditch Rights Are
Amply Protected
Grand Junction, Colo.
July FL, 1911.


and also noted your editorial
few days ago On the subject, taking
some remarks of Mrs. Agnes Rid
die as text. There are two
sides to this subject. as to all
others. Mrs. Riddle fought this bill
vigorously when 1t was up in the
house, and there were others who
did the same; 1t was discussed in
the senate and there were several
open meetings where 1t was thor
oughly chewed over; We had sew
eral meetings called by the farmers
of the Arkansas valley to talk over
the bill. as we'll as the Parrish
amendment, which latter is the
bone of contention. as the other
provisions are admittedly valuable.
The ASSERTION of Mrs. Riddle that
CERTAIN parties were ordered to vote
for this bill by the interests" is
pure fiction, aside from the possible
Tor 1t secured by trades, and
think this is true as to some of the
Denver members of the house
and 1t is true of most all the pet
measures.
voted for the measure, after
giving several weeks of careful
study. and / am sure that no one
ordered me to support IL. and there
was no trade. so far as l was con
cerned A companion bill to the
Carpenter bill was introduced In
the house by Hasty of Prowers
county. a republican. and he ask
ed number of republicans for
their help II after a careful study
they could support the measure.
and he asked especially that we do
not make up our minds until after
a close investigation: he was
rair man and there was no attempt
to force anyone to vote regardless
of the merits of the question.
believe that every voter who
gives this law a close investigation
will come to the conclusion that
did-that It is a wise provision. and
sooner or later We water users of
the western slope viii demand just
this same thing
In all the comment on this law
the claim Is made that the reser-
voir will take away the rights of
junior bitches: start fair and re-
member that II dis not sought to
give any reservoir any right which
any ditch now holds. The reservoir
now has no rights whatever: you
can build a reservoir and store wa
ter and some party can come along
after your reservoir Is completed
and water stored. build n ditch and
demand that you turn down to
him the water stored. Get the
idea. that until the Parrish amend
ment becomes a law every ditch is
senior to every reservoir; then how
can the reservoir interfere with
or take away any right now held
by any ditch?
Nearly all the water in our
streams is now appropriated and
the only new water to be secured
is by storage of flood water; If
the storage reservoir can not
hold its water there will be no
safety in building reservoirs. talk
ed with a large number of farmers
in the eastern slope. and dozens of
them who at first were fighting the
law, finally became its most ar
dent friends. also went to Hon.
Frank C. Goudy. who understands
irrigation laws and water rights
and is certainly in sympathy with
the ditch people and he said that
he could see nothing in the pro-
posed change that would in the
slightest degree interfere with any
he said that II Colorado lands are
to be reclaimed much of them must
existing rights-more than that.
come under the reservoir system
and the waters which flow past dur
ing the non-irrigating season must
be saved, and unless we give the