The Delta independent., 1911-03-24

the Grand Valley at Grand Junction.
These and many other important
questions are before us for careful
consideration. Each and every one
of them vitally affect us in our
present and future prosperity. 1t
is right and proper that a congress
such as this should assemble to dis
cuss these and other questions from
the standpoint of the local resident
that we may be able to impress up
on the proper persons in authority
the needs and demands of the people
who are developing western Colo
rado.
Ladies and gentlemen. have you
ever noticed that in the speeches
that are delivered at the banquet
boards in Denver, Colorado Springs,
Pueblo and all other cities east of
the Continental Divide. but located
within the limits of this state, that
their reference to Colorado to its
climate to its advantages to its
resources; to its cities and to its
development has reference almost
exclusively TO that portion OF the
state which lies east of the CONT
mental Divide? When they com
pare Colorado to the eastern states
and affirm that the advantages
here are much superior to the op-
portunities there, their horizon is
bounded by the state line on the
east and the summit OF the Rockies
on the west. Let us never cease TO
impress upon them that the oppor-
tunities the advantages and the
climate of western Colorado is as
much superior to that OF eastern
Colorado as the advantages which
they claim in superiority over the
entire eastern section of our coun-
try. BY way of Illustrate n the
spuds of Colorado are known as
Greeley Potatoes. but If you Will
take up your Denver papers and
watch the market from day to day
you will notice that Western slope
potatoes. meaning those raised in
western Colorado, are quoted at
from ten to fifteen cents a hundred
higher than Colorado potatoes mean
ing those raised east of the Con-
tinental Divide.
There was time when ROCKY
Ford cantaloupes were considered
to be the best cantaloupes in the
west and even the crowned heads
of Europe wanted Rocky Fords' on
their tables. With all due respect
to that splendid section of our state,
we do not hesitate to make the
claim that the cantaloupes raised
in Western Colorado are superior
to those raised in Rocky Ford and
the eastern markets are beginning
TO find this out. However this Con-
gress is not called for the purpose
of drawing the deadly parallel be-
tween the eastern and western sec
ton of our beloved state but we
are here for the purpose of consid-
ering the question that vitality af-
fects us and your President hopes
that each and every one will feel
free to actively take part in the
debates whether you are on the af-
frmative or the negative of any
question under consideration and
that each one will do his best to
help solve the problems that are of
especial interest to us.
A question that never downs is
the question of freight rates. The
proper regulation of the roads
which we now have through our
State Railroad Commission is only
partial settlement of the question.
The construction of the Moffat line
through to Salt Lake City is of
great importance; the building of
the Moffat Tunnel will work wond-
cutoff is almost as important. The
sxrA ha ID 90
Grand junction to eat their even
ing meal at home and their morn
ing meal in the city of Denver and
II will be of equal benefit to other
sections of the Western slope.
The building of the connecting
link from Somerset to Marble, Car
bondale and Glenwood Springs will
do as much good for Delta. The
broad guageing of the Marshall
Pass will bring untold benefits to
Montrose and all this portion of the
state.
The building of the proposed
North and South line that will
eventually be a connecting link in
the great line that will run from
Seattle on the Sound to Galveston
on the Gulf is necessary to fully.
finally and equitably settle the
freight rate question.
In the opinion of your President
the time is ripe for millions ia pour
into the western portion of this
great state for development. The
tunnel. the cutoff. the North and
South road. and the construction
of electric lines-they are all sure
to come in time-the sooner the bet
ter for us. Already Grand JunNtion
and vicinity are enjoying the privi-
leges of an electric interurban. Sur
veys have been made to give the
same benefits to Delta and her