Rocky Ford enterprise., 1912-08-09
DITCH COMPANIES ENTER
POLITICAL GAME.
Propose to Have Parties Declare
Their Stand Upon Policy of De-
Tending Water Rights.

Il
sas Valley Ditch association in La
Junta the latter part of last week
many matters vital to the irrigating
interests OF the valley came up for
discussion.
One OF the most important things
coming before the association was
the matter OF committing the state
of Colorado to the defense OF its wat
ers through the political parties OF
the state. 1t was decided that this
question would be presented to the
state assemblies OF both the demo-
cratic and republican parties. That
this might be properly done the fol
lowing resolutions were unanimously
adopted:
Resolved. by the Arkansas Valley
Ditch association at its regular an
nual meeting held in La Junta, Colo,
on this goth day of July. 1912, that
a request on behalf OF this association
and its members be made upon the
state assemblies of each political
party in this state to pass resolutions
committing said parties to the policy
of defending the water rights of Col
orado and her citizens against in
vasion by outside states and the citi-
zens of outside states, and to that
end declaring it to be the policy OF
the state of Colorado to defend the
waters of her natural streams by the
appropriation OF funds by the state i'll
her sovereign capacity.
Situated as we are upon the very
crest of the continent all waters hav
ing their source. in Colorado flow nat
urally into other states. 1t has al
wavs been the policy of the people
OF Colorado to appropriate these wat
ers to beneficial uses for irrigation
and domestic, mining and manufac-
turing purposes and this policy,
springing from necessity, was woven
into our constitution. Viewing with
Jealous eye the unprecedented pro-
gress made by Colorado IN her agri
cultural developments, other states,
while not needing these waters Tor
irrigation. have undertaken to pre-
vent such use by our citizens. The
agricultural interests of this state de-
pend for their very existence upon
the integrity OF our laws concerning
water rights; therefore. be it
Resolved, that it should be the pol
icy OF Colorado as u sovereign state
to protect her water rights against
the encroachments of outsiders even
as she would protect the homes OF
her people from invasion. 1t is there
fore the. policy OF each party OF the
state OF Colorado that the state, on
behalf of its citizens, shall defend all
suits OF whatsoever character and
wherever brought having for their
subject matter any claim to the use,
beyond her boundaries, to the de-
privation OF Colorado and her citi-
zens. of waters flowing i'll the natural
streams of Colorado. and to this end
the next general assembly should ap
propriate sufficient funds to defend
all actions now pending concerning
the waters OF the Arkansas and Lar
annie rivers and to defend all actions
such as those threatened concerning
the waters of the Platte, Rio Grande
and Grand rivers.
Matters connected with the present
status of the case of the United
States lrrigating Company VS.. the
Graham Ditch Company ct al. were
presented by Attorney L. \. Sabin,
President w. NJ. Wiley and Secre-
tary g. NJ. Hall. Engineers, attor-
tinuously in the field gathering the
necessary evidence to properly defend
this suit.
Division Engineer L. r. Chew was
present and took up with the asso-
citation the matter OF the illegal ac-
ton OF The West Pueblo Ditch and
Reservoir CONF any in attempting to
change decree properly dating 1887
to one dating 1877. The association
voted to defend the division engineer
and water commissioner of District
II in whatever action they took to
properly administer the decree
The question OF the proper and eff
icient administration OF the reservoir
and canals located on tributary
streams was discussed at length.
The advisabil'ty Of perfecting
state wide organization of irrigation
interests was considered important
in view OF the fact that there is a
strong desire for efficient irrigation
legislation and for concerted action
of all irrigation interests against the
encroachmeuts OF outside states.
1t was decided to send invitations
TO other ditch associations of the state
inviting them to join with the Arkan-
sas Valley Ditch Associations in an
organization to be known as the
State Federation OF Ditch Associa-
tions.