New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-05-02

you r. going on the PLATFORM
assumed the newspaper "No1
Then will you sit with mel"
III you will sit UPSTAIRS" scOwled
Hardin. Il don't want to be dragged
onto the platform"
Down In the orchestra. Black from
the WIstaria was haranguing a group
Of gestlculating ranchers. Phrases
climbed to the men On the balcony
seats. keep their pledges. Promise
makers. Let them look at u crops I"
III Marshall expects to cOerce
those men. l lose my guess. Then he's
no Judge Of men," cried Hardin.
"I.oOk at those faces." The floor was
a sea Of impassioned features.
Something's going to drop" echoed
Brandon.
From the wings. Babcock's inquisi.
tive glasses were seen to sweep the
house. Hardin could catch the sum-
mons Of an excited forefinger to the
group unseen. There was a minute
Of delay. Then BabcOck's nervous
toddle carried him onto the stage.
De Ia Vega followed Babcock.
There was a hush of curiosity. The
house did not know who he was. Be-
hind him, soldlerly, stiff, stalked Mac
Lean. Marshall's entrance released
the tongues. There was an interval
Of confusion on the stage. BabcOck,
like n restless terrier. was swapping
at the heels of the party. At last
they were all fussily seated. De In
Vega was given the place Of honor.
Marshall, Babcock put on his left,
MacLean on the right.
Babcock raised his staccato gavel.
hush fell IN the house. His words
were clipper and sharp.
you have left your blowing to come
here. You are anxious to hear what
we have to say to you. You cannot
afford to be Indifferent to It. You ac-
knowledge, by your presence. a de-
pendence, n correlation which you
would like to deny. Irrigation means
cooperation. suffering together. strug.
Cling together. succeeding together.
You prefer the old individual way.
each man for himself. l tell you 1t
won't do. You belong in other oun
tries. the countries of old-fushiOned
rain. You want to hear what we have
to say to you, the company who saved
the valley, the company you are suing.
But you have also suits against Mex
leo. There is Il gentleman here wlo
has a message from Mexico about
those suits. l have the honor, gentle
men, to introduce. Senior de In Vega"
ladies'" bowed the Mexican. Gen.
tlemen, Mr.. Chairman. 1t is with an
appreciation of the honor that l ac
cepted for today the invitation Of Mr..
to you; / must tell you first my
thought as l sat there and looked at
you, the youth, the flower of the Amer
lean people. A few years ago, we
were calling this the great Colorado
desert; now, the world calls 1t the
dollhouse of America. This theater
is built over the bones of gold-seekers.
who dared death in this dreaded
desert to find what was buried In
those mountains beyond. The man,
l say. who crossed this desert. took
the hazard Of death. 1t was a coun.
of mine who piloted. fifteen
years ago, n little band Of men, across
the desert. Perhaps he cumped on
this very spot. 1t is not ilnpossiblei
1t is here, perhaps, that he got his
He saw q wonderful tel.
he dreamed to quicken 1t with
The useless waters of the Colorado.
You will all agree that 1t was Gull
ermO Estrada who dreamed the dream
hat has come true; that 1t was
him that some of your coun.
.rymen secured their privilege to re-
claim this land. Later. when one of your
,ountrymen found he could not fulfill
lis promise to you, the promise to de-
liver water to your ranches. he came
o my nation and got permission to cut
nto the river on our territory. Most
gladly did Porfirio Diaz grant that
privilege. For that. today. you are
suing him. This. l am told. is your
complaint"
His abrupt pause betrayed a con-
used murmur of voices. De la Vegas
,Olite ear tried to d~ifferentiate the
phrases. There vas a tumble of sound.
De la Vega looked inquiringly at Bah
'Ock. who waved him on.
ut has nothing to do with the his
DRY, but I would like to say in passing
hat so assured were your people of
ur friendly feeling toward you that
hey did not wait to receive permits
ion from Mexico to make the cut.
four people were In a hurry. Your
rOps were In danger. First the lack
f water, then too much water dam
ged your valley. A few acres"
A voice from the crowd cried out.
A few acres? Thousands of acres"
instantly others were on their feet.
Thousands of acres. Ruin" One man
,as shouting himself apoplectic.
BabcOck's gavel sounded a sharp
taccatO on the table.
Thousands Of acres" De la Vega
unruf1ied. "And more than that.
he valley, it must be remembered.
oes not stop Mt the line. Mexican
,nds, too, have been secured by the
ctiOn, the result Of the action Of your
.rigatiOn company. 1t was a mutual"
e paused, and a quaint word came to
is need. "A mutual bereavement. 1t
i'd not occur to us to accuse you of
ur troubles. Your damage suits panied
nd astonIshed us. But they gave rs
lso n suggestion"
The rustling and the murmurs sud-
emily ceased. A president hush wait
d on De la Vega. you have been ad-
ised to sue us. To sue us for giving
that concession. Therefore, the
My answer is for us to withdraw that