Rocky Ford enterprise., 1912-12-20
MUCH NEEDED
Legislation
Will Probably Result from
Saturdays Meeting
WATER RIGHTS AND GOOD
ROADS DISCUSSED
And Resolutions Adopted that will
Undoubtedly Have Force in
Next General Assembly

ings that has ever been held in south
ern Colorado was that OF last Satur-
day. when the joint conference of the
Arkansas Valley Commercial Assoc
citation. the San Luis Valley CONNER
| cial Association, the Gunnison Valley
Commercial Association and the San
| Juan Congress with some thirty new
ly elected national and state legisla-
tors was held in Pueblo.
When. President Scribncr of tho
Arkansas Valley Commercial Asso-
citation called the conference to order
there were present almost 200 dele
gates. who represented AZ cities and
| towns in southern Colorado-and
each of the 200 was there to help
boost this section of the state.
A paper on Our Water Rigts" by
| w. NJ. Wiley of Holly. president of
the Arkansas Valley Ditch associa-
ton. opened the morning session. The
discussion that followed was partici-
pated in by many of the large num-
Der present.
The Arkansas valley and all other
rich agricultural sections in Colorado
will become mere barren deserts un-
fit for anything unless the state lcgis-
laturc takes the responsibility for the
various water rights suits now pend
ing in the courts" declared Mr..
Wiley.
The speaker asked the newly elect
ed Legislators and the commercial
| representatives present to aid the var
ious companies and individuals in
their fights to retain or regain the
water which properly belongs to them
and without which they will be COM
PEELED to remove from the country.
The rights to water from Colorado
I l..s, ..I H.. ,.l
every side of the state, according to
the speaker. Wyoming = capitalists
are contesting the rights of northern
Colorado farmers to the waters from
the Laramie. Utah and New Mexico
people claim western Colorado farm
ers have no right to the waters of the
Grand and Kansas and Colorado in
| vestors are attempting to get the title
| to the waters of the Arkansas.
1t is the last named river and suit
in which Wiley is SO deeply interest,"
ed and he discussed the question in
| every detail He took up the begin
nine of the suit. showing why it was
| started and brought it uJ to date.
pointing out that the Arkansas Valley
Ditch association had been fighting
| single handed the suit. He stated
| that much money had been expended
and that help would have to be had
| soon.
Discussions by many prominent
men most deeply interested in state
water rights, occupied the remainder
OF the session. All were as one on
the question. every speaker taking up
the question from the side argued by
| Wiley Although called up several
times to talk. Govcrnor-clcct Ammons
refused to speak until the following
| resolution was presented. he amend
| ing it, after a very short talk. by in
,erting clause three:
| Whereas, The agricultural inter
csts of the state depend upon the
| right OF the people to the waters OF
the state. and.
| Whereas, The constitution OF the
state guarantees to the people the
| right to use OF its waters, and
| Whereas. the best use OF the water
from the standpoint OF the country at
large requires it be used near the
source OF supply. and
| Whereas. The right of the use OF
the waters within the state of Colo
RADIO has been attacked by the state
of Wyoming, and by citizens and cor
porations of Kansas and other states,
therefore
Be 1t Resolved. By this meeting of
the Arkansas Valley Commercial as
sociation, the San Luis Valley Com
mcrcial association. the San Juan con-
gress and the Gunnison Valley Com
mcrcial association that the lcgisla-
ture be earnestly requested to give
adequate financial aid to the people
who are now defending and those
who may be called upon to defend
the right of the citizens OF Colorado
to the use of its waters, in order that
the burden OF this expense may be
borne by all OF the people of the state
because all of the people are equally
interested in the outcome OF these
suits. which are vital to the interests
OF Colorado"
Talking from the standpoint of one
who has thoroughly investigated and
knows all about good roads. c. r.
McLain OF Canon City. president OF
the Rainbow Route association. led
the afternoon discussion on Good
Roads" He was followed by X. II.
| Higgins OF Pueblo, A. T. Stewart of
Buena Vista. and T. J. lyman of
Canon City.
| The distribution OF the state funds
formed the theme OF McLain's discus
sion. He pointed out what large
fund the state had for roads and
showed how il should be distributed
to accomplish the greatest amount of
good. After talking along this line
for few moments, the speaker turn