El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-06-03

ers who are able to buy and cultivate
only a small tract
How many readers of this article
have known instances where some ex-
tremely rich old mossback owned
great deal Of property in a certain
community, and impelled by a close
penurious spirit steadfaStly refused TO
give dollar or take one step toward
ma tiers OF public progress and devel-
opment- 1t is not necessary for me
TO enumerate the drawbacks incident
to such situation. But had you ever
realized that the state is in much that
attitude toward the west? Although
it owns millions Of acres of land in
this section from which we derive no
revenue in the way of taxes, and
should be vitality interested in seeing
portion of its lands highly developed
in order that the remainder might
bring a good price, that the taxable
values of the west might be materially
increased. and its semi-arid sections be
settled and made productive, yet it has
done practically nothing toward de-
veloping those lands.
Texas NegIeets Great Resource.
Texas is one of the few states in the
union today that has not taken some
step toward developing and conserving
her water resources. a resource which
means so much to this section of the
state. There is not a statute upon
our books today defining, regulating
or conserving the riparian rights. The
nearest approach to an intelligent
handling OF the situation was the ap-
pointment of a committee in 1909, with
the commissioner CT agriculture as its
chairman. to draft such laws as would
be expedient, said committee to re-
port to our last Legislature. But if
this committee ever made a report it
must have died there, for nothing fur
Their was ever done
In passing, let me acknowledge our
appreciation Of the experimental sta
ton recently established near Peeos.
1t is one of 10 such farms. and the
trans-PecOs country feels grateful for
what we have received in this respect.
Let the good work go on.
But contrast the general policy of
this state with the policies of Okla
homa and the territories of the west.
Oklahoma has this year let a contract
for the drilling of nine deep wells at
cost of $4,000. appropriated by its,
last Legislature, to develop the morf
backward portions of the state, or PCS
sibly l should have said those sec5ions
less favored than others. Our federal
government has recently aSffborized
the expenditure of more thar go ooo 0oe
in storing and conserving..ff1e waters of
New Mexico alone, to sag nothing of the
work done and the money loaned In
other territories of. the west by the
sovereign owners of the soil.
The injustices Which have recountedt 4
are not Iaary but stern realities 1
with Whlch I'VE come face to face
every uay' and which must be over
conie pei bre we can progress to any
materlat extent. There are vast re-
sources, here waiting TO be developed
ana a abundance of capital eager to
oeNeIop them, but with the present
81 1tus of titles and the present atti-
Jude of the state towards her pioneers
in the west. no sane business man
can afford to do more than await
more favorable legislation.
This section of the state feels that
the present situation is sufficient to
Justify the calling of a special session
of our legislature, in order that a bill
may be passed giving to the man who
has settled and bought this land. not
only everything upon the land and
beneath it, but comforting upon him
the privilege of disposing of same in
multiples of 40 acres. We plead only
for justice. for equity. for a square
deal, and we prefer to believe that
it will not be necessary for US to re-
sort to court procedure. which would
necessarily be at great expense and
costly delay. but that our Legislature,
when informed of the facts, will do the
square thing towards west Texas.
Loose the shackles. cut the legal knots
that bind US, lend q helping hand in
overcoming the natural obstacles
which confront us. and let us go for
ward together, a common people with
a common aim. to make the Lone Star
state the greatest state in the union,
not in a few, but in all respects.