Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-03-01

adopted q concurrent resolution memorable
ing congress tn adopt some plan for the
control OF the waters of the Mississippi
ard prevent floods" When I read that ar
ticlc the patriotic words OF =. =. PrentiSs
came to my mind, mot that | love he
union less, but that love the state II
Mississippi more" suppose senator
Cowcll j. a Texan. ii not IN birth, ~ adop-
tion. | suppose he would JOIN every Texan
Ia applying the language 81 Prcnti.s 10
Texas. ID such he true-and certainly IL
must bc true-thin | wish TO ask him. not
only him. but every member Of the legi~la-
turr, why some such resolution has not
been introduced A. ~ the rivers in our own
~tatcl senator Cuwcll knows and every
member Of that legislature knows. ii they
read the papers, what j. being done 10 con
troll the waters OF the Rio Grande. and
prevent floods. lie knows and every other
member should know that senator Morris
Sheppard has introduced a resolution in the
United States senate in reference 10 the
Rio Grandc a. Senator CowclI did as Ia the
Mississippi.
H. and every member of that ~legisla-
turc knows that the senate committee on
irrigation and reclamation Of arid lands
have reported that resolution favorablv.
and possibly he and every member knows
that the Gravity Irrigation Association of
the Lower Rio Grande Valley sent two
delegates 10 Washington 10 present facts
and reasons for the adoption nf the Shep-
pard resolution. llc and every member
should know n the Sheppard resolution j.
adopted and the $4,000 appropriated for
the purpose set out IN The resolution, that
all must know II means the storing of the
flood waters of that river from FL Paso to
the gulf. aud To store these waters canals
must BE- constructed. and when these wa
ter~ are stored they can be used for irriea-
tion purposes.
All know what this means 10 the state
1T Texas, and especially this entire border
from III pa~o 10 the Gulf. Ii J. ufact now
well known and fully demonstrated that
not over one-twenticth of the millions of
acres along this river can be irrigated un-
der the pumping system and that at great
risk and cost. be~idc~ being insufficient.
II i- \ fact well known that an along the
Rio Grandc there are great canyons and
basins NJ the chain Nj hills skirting it, val
lcy down Ia about six miles in Hidalgo
county where All Of said flood waters can
be- stored. Ii must be admitted that If the
tnited States senate committee reported
the Sheppard resolution favorably every
condition Of the proposition was fully in
ve~tigated. a. the writer knows IL wa~. IN
the proofs. evidence and records II the
subject having been submitted 10 the com
mittee, proving ~ and fully satisfying the
committee that il not only can be done. but
most important that il should be done: first.
10 prevent the continuous changing Of the
boundary line between the two countries:
second. 10 prevent the trouble and conrn-
sion that often arises between the owners
of the lands on the opposite sides: and
third. % store the food water and permit
the owners NJ the lands along Thu river ~
uSe II for irrigation.
What would b. the results? See what
has been done. and j. being lone under the
present pumping system. DO not stop AT
Fl Pa~o. Del Rio. Eagle Pass and Laredo
to see what i being done, but 20 down into
Cameron aud llldalgo COUNTIES. Still more
southern. more secure from the freezing
zone, and there You zee two crops NJ corn
growing yearly. from 80 IN - bushels Der
acre each crop; roasting ears for your
Christmas dinner: alfalfa from ~ix Ia
seven cuttings years. a ton 10 the acre each
cutting; all kinds of vegetables the wear
round; carload after carload of cabbace
and onions and other vegetables shippcd
~ mdwlntcr. furnished not only u the pco-
rte ~ our own state. but all over the
United states: even citrus fruits. oranges,
lemons. fir, dates, aIl equal and. some say.
superior ~ those Ut California ur Florida
Now, suppose al the millions of acre.
OF tins rich and fertile valley from FL Paso
To the gulf were placed under irrigation.
the shipment OF all these products would
- increased from one 10 twenty ears or
more II would furnish thousands Of happy
and prosperous homes for the people nm
over this country. ~ they IRE now flockine
here from nearly every state III the union.
! need not 70 further. All | have stated
= here to be seen. hut only enough 10 prove
waht can he done. Yet, strange To say. all
these facts are known. and if not can easily
be known. and not q single member of the
legislature has introduced snch n resolu-
ton a. was introduced ~ Senator Cowell
e. - the Mississippi. Not that ~ should
love the Mississippi less, but he should love
the Rio Grandc more.