“Why don’t the fellows protest in a way which will get some one after the land grabbers?” demanded Mr. Burt. “I am out here to write up the situation for my paper, not to show partiality to either side.”
“Well, then, Mr. Burt, let me tell you this much—from an impartial observation of one who has studied the problem for some years, and visited the Pueblos during all of several summer vacations—the passing of this Bursum Bill means that the water rights for irrigation belongs to those who have seized and held such water rights for the past four years. Can you imagine anything more intolerable, and so open-handed in its grab as this law? And this in defiance of an existing law of the United States Supreme Court in 1913 which ruled that no statute of limitation can operate against the Indians because they are Government proteges.”
“Gee! I didn’t know this!” exclaimed the newspaper man, apparently stirred.
“Maybe you didn’t, but this you know: that in New Mexico and Arizona where water means everything—and any land that cannot get water is absolutely valueless—any private ownership, or a syndicate’s claim on water rights, means added taxation, or no water—get me?” fumed Sanderson.
“Yes, I do. But tell me, Ranger, is there any solution, in your mind, for this problem?” demanded Burt.
“The solution is water! the draining of the waterlogged sections and the storage of it for irrigation purposes. The mountains of New Mexico, as well as the Rio Grande and other rivers, supply ample water sources for all the irrigation needed to make this land more fertile than you can imagine. Such work will not only redeem the deserts but redeem our honor, as well, because it will place the Indian above want and deprive the grafter of one secret way of wringing money from the defenseless.”
“Say, Sanderson, this must be my lucky day. I swore under my breath when I got word from the boss of our paper to stop off at Springer to wait for a messenger who would meet me. But I’d rather have met you and heard more on this subject than have spent the time in Las Vegas, in a luxurious hotel,” remarked Mr. Burt.
Sanderson smiled. “You didn’t think so when you first began to argue with me, did you? I have been given leave of absence from duty in order to accompany you and help you get ‘the right slant’ on this problem.”
“Well,” said Mr. Burt, “had I been given a choice of companions on this jaunt, I could not have selected one more to my liking.”
During the discussion between Sanderson and the newspaper man, Mr. Gilroy and the scouts sat perfectly quiet and listened. Julie was not a little chagrined to learn that she would not be the only attraction now; and Mr. Gilroy was amazed to learn how much the young man knew of the subject under debate. At this time Mr. Vernon entered the room and spoke loud enough to include every one in the party.