El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-12-28
MILLS TALKS ON
THE EARLY DAYS
Man Who Planned FL Paso
and Defied Vigilantes
Predicts Great City.

When the civil war broke ana BIB
Z Gen. Arson Mills announced his ale
glance to the federal government,
the vigilance committee in FL Paso
sent him word. through sheriff John
Watts. that 1t wanted to see him,
whereupon the general replied;
There's no one man in FL Paso who
can take me before that committee
He never appeared before the body.
The general, now in his S5th year.
related the incident at the chamber
OF commerce luncheon. given in his
honor at Hotel Sheldon Saturday
noon
Il am proud to be your guest to-
day" he said. because IL Is the cul-
mination Of a long life Any one OF
you would be proud. IN your Sath
wear to be invited to a congregation
like this. 7 came here as a boy, Sc
or So years ago. and have been among
you almost constantly since, being
absent never more than year at
time. except for four years service
in the civil war-much against the
advice OF my friend Mai Joseph Ma
coffin and others here. However. I
had served 10 years at the military
academy and could not go against the
flag"
After relating the vigilance COM
mittee incident, the general con-
when 7 came back after the war.
the town we had built was almost
gone. One by one my friends came 20
glad you licked us What would We
have been n we wonT And really,
tody 7 believe the southerners are
about the best American citizens that
exist. II 7 could have gone 10 the
present war. 7 should have sought
southern regiment
"As I said, we found FL Paso mostly
gone when I came back, but young
men began TO come and rebuild-the
growth has never stopped, and I don't
believe II ever will You have a neO-
pie here 10 make It the greatest city
IN Texas
saw River Dry.
Soon after the war, young men dis
charged from the army began TO settle
in New Mexico and Colorado, and they
took all the water from the Rio
Grande. remember at one time there
was no water here for eight years.
Finally the city council delegated me
TO devise a plan TO restore water. and
later I was appointed a federal COM
missioner We projected a dam for
Harris mill. three miles from here,
but T. A. smith and some others pre-
Il in New Mexico. and they moved my
dam 30 miles away
Some time later. however. Smith
came 10 Washington and asked me 10
help him get the postmastership At FL
Paso- 7 told him 7 couldn't. but I
would recommend him for the post
mastership at Elephant Butte dam.
However, he was appointed postmas-
ter for FL Paso and made good Of
ficial, as he has been good citizen in
everything he undertook
Admi-es Porfirio Diaz.
The gene al then turned his atten-
ton TO Mexico and paid his profound
respects TO Porfirio Diaz. saying. 7
was one Of the boundary commission
ers when Taft and Diaz met on the
border and heard each extol the 9TH
er To the skies. Nevertheless in six
months. we lent our Influence and aid
to the exiting OF Diaz and to helping
such scoundrels as villa told all
my friends here .<hey were making a
mistake IN making war on DiaZ No
president Of Mexico ever introduced
so many advances as Diaz did IN his
p years OF rule.
Wants No Mexican War.
Now there IS better way to ham
die Mexico than with the bayonet. In
vite them here 10 your schools AID
educate them, because they would be
a bad lot 70 conquer. It would take
500.0 600 men and 20 years to subjugate
them. and then II would be the kind
Of subjugation as there Is now in AUS
tria and Germany. I suggest this TO
you gentlemen, because you have
more influence than any other body
OF men in FL Paso to bring about the
solution
Yesterday. Gen. Miles and I were
in conference with Cen Luis Terrazas
and II would bring tears to your eyes
to hear him tell OF his sorrows. And I.
property and are making no amends I
for II.
Few Mexican Leaders Left.
From the time Diaz was deposed 20
about three months $50, never visited I
the Mexican embassy AZ Washington,
where I had always been a welcome
visitor Three months ago I rendered /
copy OF my book Cmsmoirs) TO the Nexi- I
can embassador and told him that. 4 he /
thought Il would have any good influ- /
ence in Mexico. I would accord him the I
right 70 circulate Il there He replied. d
three days later that he thought 4 would ]
Mexico 10 the thinking people There arc /
not many leaders LEFT in Mexico, you
know. as they have killed, exiied or op- /
pressed most Of them"
The general was introduced By ". +. 4
BurFes who presided Gen Mills laid /
1ut Fl Paso. and the village he laid out 4
has IN his lifetime and through his in I
n commerce now represents" said Mr.. /
Burgess He laid out wisely and well 1
the lines Of the city. and Il Is the judy
nent Of the people OF Fl Paso that ne
also laid out the foundation OF the city 1
ilong the lines OF good hearted. progres-
i've and law abiding citizenship"
Cen Miles Goes.
lieut.. Gen Nelson A. Miles, who was
10 have been a joint guest with Gen.
Mills at the luncheon. left the city for
Los Angeles; caiif, Friday night. the ir-