El Nuevo mexicano., 1916-06-29
a Step Forward

The now assured completion and success
OF the Sanguijela irrigation enterprise neal
Las Vegas, one OF the most important pri
yate projects in the Southwest, is of more
Importance to this state thar many people
realize. This proposition, Which has beer
hanging fire for SO long and which 1t is said
has been more or less of a football in the
meantime, contemplates the reclamation 81
some $4,000 acres of the finest land in New
Mexico, to be sold to settlers in small
tracts. This means hundreds OF small far
mers for San Miguel county.
1t Is not unreasonable to expect that the
population of the city of Las Vegas will be
greatly increased, some estimating that il
will be doubled. The success of this pro
ject Is bound to be a powerfully stimulating
influence to agriculture all through that sec
ton, 1t is certain to mean greatly increas
ed prosperity for the county and city ano
better business for everyone.
This, however, is not the most important
feature of the prospect.
The New MEXICAN con1mends to the con
sideration Of those Interested in the better
ntent Of political conditions in New Mexico,
the possibilities which will materialize with
the advent OF hundreds OF small farmers in
to the county of San Miguel. This sugges-
ton, moreover, is not based on the theory,
SO popular with our enthusiastic Democratic
frienos that all immigrants into New Mexico
without exception are lifelong d~evotees OF
the principles Of the late Thomas Jefferson.
Regardless Of their political Affiliations, it
Is the small farm population which is going
to reYolutionize the politics Of New Mexico.
1t is the small farmer who is going to loosen
the grip Of the millionaire l%andholder of this
state from the state Republican ~organiza.
tion, from the legislature and from the body
polite. The small farmer is the urgent
need of this state economically and politi-
cally; and we can think of no better place
to which to import the small farmer than
San Miguel county.
Now this isn't an editorial on party poll
tics. 1t is an editorial on the body polite
in San Miguel county. No one who knows
conditions in that county; the preponderant
influence of divine-right political dynasties
and the cost of this domination to the peo-
Pile; no one doubts that the settling up Of
this great rich county with a s~mall-holding
agricultural population is going to work an
economic and political reimbursement which
will be absolutely wholesome and which will
be profoundly important to the progress of
the development Of the vast resources OF
the county. 1t is going to bring San Miguel
county right up to date in every sense of the
word; and it is going to give Las Vegas
prosperity and pep and push.
There is no need to go into details or to
argue about the incubus which has retarded
progress in a Miguel county. The frank
Las Vegan will admit it as soon as we. MOI
is Santa Fe county in a position to call the
Kettle black.
Every time you bring in a small farmer
and put him on a small farm you are boost
ing popular government and helping pass
prosperity around New Mexico. San Mig
uel has taken a big step forward in this d.
%rection; and the state will congratulate her.
While we are on the subject, reference
should be made again to the valuable work
ofthe New Mexico exposition managers, and
the men at the New Mexico building at San
Diego, who were chiefly instrumental in get
ting the present deal for the completion of
the project started. This thing alone has
been worth to the state all that the state
participation in the exposition has cost.