La Junta tribune., 1912-08-03
DITCH ASSOCIATION.
Arkansas va,ie>y Ditch Association
Holds All Day ssssIon.


A called meeting Of the Arkansas
Valley Ditch Association convened
IN the district court room last Wed.
nesday morning at 10 o'clock and
remained in session practically all
day. Many matters vital to the ir-
rigatiOn interests Of the valley were
discussed At length.
One Of the most important things
coming before the association was
the matter Of committing the state
OF Colombo to the defense OF its
waters through the political parties
Of the state. II was decided that
this question would be presented 70
the state assemblies of both tho dem.
ocratic and republican parties. That
this might be properly done the fol-
lowing resolutions were unanimously
adopted:
Resolved. by the Arkansas Valley
Ditch Association at It's regular an.
nual meeting held In la Junta. Colo.
on this Both day Of July. 1919. that
q request on behalf Of this assocta.
tion and its members be made upon
the state assemblies Of each politi.
cal party In this state to pass reso-
lutions committing said parties to
the policy Of defending the water
rights OF Colorado and her citizens
against invasion by outside states
and the citizens of outside states.
and to that end declaring II to be
the policy Of the state OF Colorado
20 defend the waters Of her natural
streams by the appropriation OF funds
by the state in her sovereign capaci.
".
Situated ms We are upon the very
crest Of the continent all waters hav-
ing their source In Colorado flow nat.
urally into other states. II has Al
ways been the policy Of the people
Of Colorado to appropriate these va.
ters to beneficial uses for Irrigation
and domestic mining and manufacture
ing purposes and this policy. spring.
ing from necessity. was woven into
our constitution. Viewing with jeal-
Gus eye the unprecedented progress
made by Colorado In her agricultural
Developments. other states. while
not needing these waters for irrtKa-
ti0n. have undertaken tn prevent such
use by our citizens. The axricultur.
Al interests Of this state depend for
their very existence upon the integ.
rity Of our laws concerning water
rights: therefore. be II
Resolved. that II should be the
policy Of Colorado - . sovereign
state 70 protect her water rights
against ths encsoacAnents Of outaid.
srs even - she would protect the
homes Of her people from Invasion
II 10 therefore the policy of each
party Of the state OF Colorado that
the state. on behalf OF IL citizens.
shall defend all suits of whatsoever
character and wherever brought hav.
ing for their subject matter any
claim 70 the use. beyond her hound.
aries. 70 the deprivation Of Colorado
and her citizens. OF waters flowing In
the natural streams Of Colorado. and
to this end the next general assembly
should Appropriate sufficient funds to
defend all actions now pending con.
eerninG the waters Of the Arkansas
and LaSamie rivers and 70 defend all
actions such ~ those threatened
ooncerning the waters Of the Platte.
Rio Grande and Grand rivess.
Matters connected with the present
status ol the case Of the United
States IrriGatins Company W. the
Graham Ditch Company q ais were
presented BY Attorney =. A. sabin.
President W. ". Wiley. and Sscrc.
tary G. ". Hall. Engineers. attor.
neys and geologists have bcen contin.
uousiy In the field gsthering the
necessary evidence to properly Dc.
fend this suit.
Division Engineer Y. X. Chew was
present and took up with the asso.
citation the matter of the Illegal
action Of the West Pueblo Ditch and
Reservoir Company In attempting to
change . decree properly dating
1887 To one dating 1877. The aaso.
cistioh voted to defend the divi.
sion engineer and water commission.
sr Of District ~ In whatever action
they took TO properly administer the
decree.
The question Of the proper aud eff.
cisnt Standardization Of The reservoir
and canals located on tributary
streams vas discussed at i"nsth.
TIE sdviaability oe perferting .
STATE vide orgaaisattoa q IRRIGATION