Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-04-02

WOULD ROB NEW MEXICO.

NolLD RUB NEW mEAISD,
The state Of Texas, when admit
ted to the union, surrendered none
of the public domain to federal
ownership. New Mexico coded all.
The general government has been
of late years carrying on reclama-
ton work which makes public do
main marketable, but landowners
and those who purchase from the
government pay back the cost Of
construction
Now come speculative irrigation
companies, owners of a large area
of the land Texas held out and gave
to railway company or sold for a
few cents on the dollar, and ask
congress to lend 100000 to be
used in constructing canals for
their lands and S1,500,00O for a
dam, the cost to be repaid eventu-
ally by landowners.
The amount the government is
asked to advance is nearly three
times greater than the sum eX-
pended to date for the Elephant
Butte dam, canals and drainage
under the Rio Grande project,
though not an acre of the Texas
region on the Pecos belongs to the
United States.
The most vital feature of this
Texas enterprise is that it depends
entirely upon getting a right in
New Mexico which would eventual
ly cripple the Carlsbad federal
project. the Fort Sumner irrigation
system, limit the productiveness
and restrict rights present or posi-
BILE, from the very source of the
river down to the Texas line
A former state engineer of New
Mexico is in the service of the as
sociated Texas irrigation companies
and Ibis familiarity with the laws
and conditions in this state are
utilized in the plans of the Texans
They have taken steps to secure a
water power site north of the Tex
as line, as the easiest way, to ac-
quire rights, and have subscribed
$4,000 to pay for the cost Of a
federal survey of the site.
THE promoters have already had
introduced in congress bill for a
bond issue by the government for
the S16,50O,0O wanted to make
their speculative lands worth ten
times that amount. And this, too,
at time when congressman are
harassed in order to cut down
debts and taxes which have been
so multiplied by the great war cost.
And when federal projects affect
ing the public domain in New
Mexico and other states are being
denied funds by congress for COM
pletion, and other approved prof.
ects must wait until the national
finances are more sufficient to
meet expenditures.
One reason for the haste of the
Texas promoters is the fear that
what is left of the public domain,
exclusive of forest and other re-
serve, will be coded to the states
which turned the land to federal
possession, in which case New
Mexico will proceed to cause the
use OF the Pecos waters under
prospects to be extended or created
But if Texas irrigation companies
can first get a grip through con-
greSSional action and begin the use
of water for power, to pump from
OF ~, ri tg
accrue which may not be over
turned by present or future claim
ants in this state.
Aside from privately owned
lands on the Pecos. from its source
to the Texas border. under irriga-
ton by community bitches and
from the federal project at Carts
bad, the state has a direct ana
large interest in conservation OF
Pecos waters, because much of the
land below carlsbad has been Sc
lected under federal grants made
to New Mexico for maintenance of
public institutions and other pur-
poses When irrigated under COM
pany, state or federal supervision
or aid in years TO come, the eco
nomic and financial benefits to the
state will be immense. If there
be finally state or federal soldier
settlement cooperation, the Pecos
area may be ideal for such purH
pose. But if the water supply be
encountered under the plans Of the
Texas companies, New Mexico and
her people will be deprived of ben
eff, of area that was hers and has
been returned but gingerly, while
Texas, that contributed nothing TO
the national domain, will have per-
pesuated the impoverishment OF
our waste acreage. Such land Will
be, worthless if water may not be
used simply because it must flow
down to a reservoir to operate It
power line to another state which
will drain the Pecos flow, to enrich
alien companies and land specula-
tors.