The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-03-29

fore congress-
The Herald - r~eaeonably sure that
The usual doses Of cold water win be
Thrown upon this great constructive
undertakine. That Il 20 be expected.
We win be told that nothing can bc
done 10 help this part Of the Rio
orande valley until onr land titles
have been cleared up. II viii be
Isiaied thai there ran be no compre.
hensivc drainage installation. Or ans
concentration Of the present hlt-a-
miss IRRIGATION system, until the In.
dams have been made into practical
farmers or moved outs OF the valley.
that the undertaklng Is too cfcat fof
a strusellns community Of farmers 70
undertake: that s0me or thc hand
owners are non-proafesalve and that
the number o. these is sanelent 20
block the development Of the under
taking: that the government In build
ing the Elephant Butte project has
done All Il can be expected TO do for
New Mexico. and probably a hundred
other kinds o. objections which have
just enough foundation ia unfortu-
nate fact 20 compel attention By
those who arc discouraged. or whose
faith has been wearied by years
without works
Perhaps Il II worth soyIne right
here and now. and In open meeting.
that theae numerous. n in some
cases formidable. objections must be
overcome before this valley and this
city can hope FOR any great develop
ment and rrowth and permanent,
wen founded prosperity. We have
the option OF sitting stilI and holding
our hands ana leaving the
ing % the obstacles and tho reaiiza-
,icn of the sreat destiny OF this rich
valley 10 our grandchildren or their
children; or We can put our shout
dcrs 10 the wheel and realize the
great development and the splendid
prosperity certain 10 follow It's
achievement. within the next ten or
fifteen years. u doea seem that un-
der present coSditlons Sc Is up to Al
TO do It's hest "a bring
about this development now. We
could stand cutie a considerable jolt
OF added prosperity here without be-
coming unduiy hilarious and this il
one way by which II may be brought
about.
In this. as In every other great un-
the first and the most i'm
Dortant thing Is 20 get a strong. en-
thusiastic and well founded start. A
Herald representative during the past
few days has asked half a dozen en-
Eineers. or men with knowledge NJ
for an off-hand estimate
Of the cost o. n drainage system for
this valley -betwoeD tho points con.
templated by the state engineer.
Those estimates have ranged from
to sas, OOO.O 900.
There is complaint because our
members OF congress- have not taken
the lead in this matter; the initiative
In presenting Il TO the reclamation
service. or 60 congress. a senator or
a representative would be a fool 70
before a board or a congressional
committee with a proposition to APP
propriate money for a project which
would cost from five 10 thirty-nye
dollars He would never get
a hearing. Before a move can be
made in this most important matter
for the future OF Albuquerque y o
the valley, We must know what Il will
cost, and Il is up to as, here at home
to find out.
Not practical to risk the money on
an uncertainty?
Why, doubling brother. the drain
age OF this great valley. and the in
stallation OF a modern. economic ir-
system Is as certain to come
as II tomorrow's sunrise. II is Just
a question OF whether We make Il
come during the lifetime of most Of
or whether We sit down and admit
Il too big FOR our energy and brains.
and leave Il for a future generation
realize the dream" and gather the
huge benefits therefrom.
A. il happens, II we are willing TO
take Just a little chance, we can he
reasonably sure that the preliminary
work which is so absolutely necessary
need not cost us a single cent OF d.
rect outlay Of cash.
Il Is a fine thing for Albuquerque
that the Commercial club is taking
hold o. this dream" II Is high time