TEE IRRIGATION AGE. 27 



The big Rio Grande Dam Company in New Mexico, whose con- 

 struction was stopped by an injunction last year, brought by the Fed- 

 eral Government is said to be preparing a suit against the United 

 States for damages. There is no question but that the suit brought 

 against the company was an unjust one and was instigated by rival in- 

 terests. The 'News' freely discussed the issues at the time, and the 

 decision rendered by Judge Bantz in favor of the company and subse- 

 quently confirmed by the Supreme Court of New Mexico was approved 

 in these columns. Undoubtedly the Irrigation Company suffered 

 great loss, but against the United States it has practically no redress.. 

 It might bring a suit in the Court of Claims, but if a judgment were; 

 rendered in its favor it would then have to obtain a special appropria- 

 ation from Congress. The reluctance with which Congress passes ap- 

 propriations of this nature is well known. The great grandchildren 

 of a man with a claim against the Government may realize some bene- 

 fit out of it. but he never will." 



It is alleged, and to a large extent credited by the English share- 

 holders that the government is determined to one way or another leg- 

 islate the company's rights out of existence. This, of course, cannot 

 be legally done, the Supreme Court having again and again ruled that 

 no Act of Congress may be made retrospective to the extent of inval- 

 idating existing rights. Possibly the authorities count upon exhaust- 

 ing the patience of the English shareholders to such an extent that 

 they will abandon the enterprise. If this is their object, they have- 

 certainly gone about it in a masterly way. 



A number of the wealthiest men in England are interested in the 

 undertaking. They believe in the enterprise, appreciate its merits 

 and command ample capital, but, unhappily, they no longer have confi- 

 dence in the good faith of the* authorities at Washington, though none 

 the less determined to fight for the company's rights. 



A large percentage of the failures of American irrigation com- 

 panies has been due to the high rate of interest they have had to pay 

 for capital for construction works. The success of the Rio Grande 

 Company would have inspired confidence among European investors,, 

 and other American irrigation undertakings would have benefited 

 proportionate!}-. As matters now stand American irrigation securi. 

 ities are absolutely unsalable abroad. 



So much for the patriotic efforts of General Anson Mills. 



NATHAN G. BOYD. M. D. 



