Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-11-14
COL. GAY ISSUES
A STATEMENT TO
|RRIGATI0N|STS
Urges Prompt and Enthusiastic COOpera-
ton on the Part of All Persons Inter
ested in the Progress and Development
of Lower Rio Grande Valley.
INTERESTING INFORMATION IN
LETTER FROM. DICK burgess
State Representative from FL PasO Dis
trict Writes Colonel Gay He Believes
Congressman John Garner Can Bring
About Necessary Legislation.

The following statement from Colonel ID.
i. Gay. president Of the Brownsville
auxiliary of the Gravity Irrigation As,o-
citation OF the Lower Rio Grandc Valley.
and Wee president Of the general organiza-
ton. contains besides information from
Colonel GaN very interesting information
from Representative Richard +. Burgc> of
the FL Pa~o district:
To the Brownsville auxiliary of the Rio
Grandc Valley Gravity Canal association /:
The directors IT the Gravity Irrigation
Association Of the Lower Rio Grandc Val
ley met al Mission, Tuesday, November 10.
\ quorum was present.
The future course to be pursued wa~
fairly well discussed. We concluded that
the treaty with Mexico ~ the end that
the waters of the Rio Grandc could ~ oh
tanned for irrigation and not for naviea-
tion l. vital to our project, and the qucs-
tion should he urged by our Congressman
and Senators. and every pressure should
b. brought ~ bear 10 4 speedy conclusion
Of this question.
That We should assist senator Sheppard
by every means IN our power to the end
that the government appropriate the nee
e~Sary funds 10 make the survey 1T the
Rho Grandc for the conservation II the
flood water.
In view OF the fact that the International
Irrigation congress at IL last convention
"a Calgary. Canada. on October n. passed
resolutions i%ayoring legislation by Con
grc>~ whereby the control Ut United States
reclamation projects may be- turned over
1" irrigation district organizations. and in
view OF the fact that members of the lrri-
CATION congress hold that federal control.
e. between those states not IN full posses
sion NJ their national resources. " essen
tial 10 the equitable distribution and util-
%ization of the waters of the interstate
stream, we recommend that a gigantic ir-
r%igation district BE- formed in the counties
~ Cameron. Starr and IIidalgo a. soon a..
the condition a. above stated will permit.
To accomplish this end there will have
To Ice some amendment, 10 our irrigation
district law 70 which We respectfully re-
quest our legal fraternity to give some
thought.
\ letter from Richard =. Burgess of RI
Pa>o, the Texas Wee president Of the In
ternatlonal Irrigation congress. Leads us Ia
believe there are possibilities ct success, IN
obtaining federal aid. Mr.. BurgcE letter
~ mc reads:
u ann ~ receipt At your letter " the
Both ult. asking whether I think itp o,-ible
Tor YOU to get any assistance from the
reclamation service ~ the United State,
government ~ the development ~ yuur IT.
rigation project.
Under the present federal irrigation
law. ! do not think il will be possible to
get an appropriation for the beginning of
4 project located exclusively III Texas. Ynu
perhaps understand that the fund from
which the United States builds these irri-
CATION works l. derived from the sale of
lands belonging To the United States gov
eminent and located in arid states.
The immense project which the United
States government b. carrying out here H.
wolves more than twice ~ much land IL
New Mexico n It does in Texas and carries
out a treaty obligation with the republic Of
llcNlco aud tins wa~ the basis unon which
he got tins enterprise started. A. van
state. the United State government owned
ne lands M Texas and quite 4 bitter fight
Ma made al that time against devoting
amy part Of the reclamation fund tor de
velopmcnt 81 irrigation in Texas. but the
hight was gradually won On the ground
that A wa, \ necessary part II work IL
hc done ~ New Mexico where the govern
ment did own public land and in carving
out a treaty with Mexico. I'm like a
the government J. surveying work IL be
done uu the Pecu~ river III Texas M ar-
count ~ the necessity ~ making some pro
vision Tor the use ~ the wafcr> ~ that
stream jointly m New Mexico and Texas.
Row there IS, however. a very interestino
possibility in connection with your use of
the waters OF the Rio Grande. but that
will necessitate some new legislation n
washington and perhaps a new treaty
with Mexico. ! believe there are very great
possibilities IN this line IL YOU will work
out a consistent plan OF action.
once spoke ~ rhi~ matter with Mr..
Garner. a" not think II would n.
possible 10 get your affairs In the hand.
OF y more effective representative than he
a. Ia fact, | believe he can bring about