The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-07-01
THE CASE OF SAN MARCIAL.

Ill Rocky Mountain DIVISION OIL IN american q NrOSS IN Just
L in and around the town of San Mareial where the now subsding
sorey needed. Red Cross officials gave The Herald a picture Of
conditions at San Marci9l which is tragic. Houses are submerged and
destroyed and valuable farming land has been ruinedi not for this
season alone. but for years to come, without very energetic recon
strucuon work.
If this were a solitary instance of disaster from floods in the Rio
Grande we might content ourselves with digging into our pockets
to help the San Marcial flood sufferers, or with our contributions to
the Red Cross. But the present disastrous condition at San Marcial
years. The whole valley is dotted with the ruins of once happy and
by The floods of spring and early summer, These ruins are to be
seen from the Texas line to White Rock canyon, If the villages were
all that have been ruined the story might no. he 50 grim. Villages
can be rebuilt on higher ground. The people have rebuilt them. But
the flooded, ruined farming lands have not been restored and this
great valley, which should he IA field of constantly increasing pro
duction, has a history of constantly decreasing production, because
The flood danger from Elephant Butte dam south has been re-
moved by the great reclamation enterprise. When the dam was com
1t was found necessary to drain the Mesila and FL Paso valleys, but
the land owners consented to further Indebtedness upon their lanls
and the reclamation service is completing IA drainage system which has
already demonstrated its effectiveness.
ton of the Rio Grande valley south of the great dam.
Why should not the reclamation service he called upon to save
the rest of this great valley from the Elephant Butte lake north to
White Rock canyon'
The land owners of the Mcsilla valley and of Texas did not get
the Elephant Butte project free. They pledged their lands to pay for
the construction and for the subsequent drainage.
This problem of the Rio Grande valley is not confined to the
lands Immediately around Albuquerque, or to Socorro' recently flood
concerns 200 miles of fertile river valley which should be highly
productive and which is not as efficient in productive capacity as il
States government that the remainder of this valley he reclaimed
The federal government would not be asked and could not be Gx
pected to pay for the great construction work necessary out of public
funds and present the completed project to the land owners But it
would be fair to go to the federal government and present this stu;
alton and the results TO he accomplished. 1t should be presented
in a big way, by big men, behind whom should be the united people
of the 200 miles of valley, all working with a common purpose to
the common end.
this n that reclamation service engineer is against it; that it is too
big FOR the reclamation service to tackle. If it is too big for the United
States government to tackle then it is, indeed, too big for us to under;
take. But the fact is that no effort has ever been made to get this
situation, the whole big situation and the whole big possibility of
splendid result, before the federal government. Half baked attempts
to that end have been started; They have never been finished
The time is coming when the United States government is going to
become actively Interested in internal development; when internal
development, production, realizing upon untouched q wasted re-
sources, will occupy more of the attention of the congress than IN.
ternatioual super governments, wet and dry planks and political
SUGGESTIONS.
We have never felt like discouraging in any way any local drain
age enterprise. Every such effort is bound to contribute its portion
to the larger results; but we have tried TO keep constantly before MS
the bigger picture of a vaney-widc drainage and river protective %s-
TEN; and by vaney-wide we mean the whole of this great valley,
throughout our state.
Recently the Chamber of Commerce has had letters from mem
hers of the present congress, residents of other states. who have ex-
pressed a willingness to help in bringing the problem of the Rio
Grande before congress. During the wal and during the life of the
present administration such an effort would have been wasted. That
will moi be the condition next year. A hearing for IA situation con
corning n whole state, IA be secured.
Even ii the Rio Grande valley land owners were united and or
canized and ready il is doubtful il private capital could he enlisted
than a local drainage enterprise. But in that twelve months plans
can be made for bringing the Rio Grande problem to the attention
of the federal government IN a way that VIII command Afternoon
This is a big job.
Big jobs, when they are tackled with courage and rcsoureefulnes'
and sustained energy, can always he finished.
II is the big jobs that get men onward and upward.
If the demonstrated business ability that is available within thu
membership Of the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce today coul'
be enlisted in this job, IL it could he organized and inspired and free
wit. the enthusiasm to go and the determination to go through, TIN
job Of getting the United States government onto the problem o
the Rio Grande could be accomplished and it could be accomplishe'
in a period OF time and brevty of which would amaze his.
There was never a better time to begin such a job than right now
Have we the courage to tackle i'll
Or will we continue to sit with helplessly folded hands watml
for something to turn upf
L.. Ibeen ranteo nv 0oyernor IArrazo