The Imperial press., 1904-08-20
PRESIDENT hEBER S PROPOSITION TO ARBITRATE RENDERED
 NUuATORN
Ky the Imperial Valley Water users'
 Association

To the Public Generally lmtrrial Set tiers EspeciAlly. and Imperial Valley
 Water Uscrs' Association Specifically
 On July 2S last, ai a niass meeting assembled ai lmp~rial..l made the ful- lowing proposition to arhiiraic ihs price oi the property owned by the California Development Company, anu sought la t-s acluircI by the Imperial Water Users Association in behalf uf the settlers tn the Valley, io-Wi,:
 Il propo~c that wc submit the
 question of how much We shall
 receive for our property, and
 how much vou will receive in
 damages by reason ut alleged
 failure 10 deliver water, io
 Board oi Arbitration Ia b~ se-
 leciesi tn The usual manner,
 which you all know is you sc.
 leci man. we select one, and
 the two a third. The decision
 d that bcard io bind both
 parties.
 The proposition was unanimously agreed io by the people assembled, " ho insirucied their representatives, the Water Users Association, to enter into articles 10 carry out the agreement.
 Articles oi arbitration were drawn up bv the attorneys exactly on the lines as above indicated and submitted for ap- proyal and signature io ihe Association. To my utter asioni.hmeni, l received & written ultimaium, under date of August l6, from the attorney represent ing the Association, addressed io me officially, demanding that the Company l represent shall submit the arbitration oi the price io strangers without the privilege of being represented on the Beard of Arbitration; totally ignoring my official proposition and the Ieople's acceptance, and foreign io the agree meni passed upon al the meeting.
 II will be remem ber,-d that when the price oi the Los Angeles Water Works was arbiiraied, each side appointed partisan, thoroughly familiar with the contention from It- own standpoint, and these two appointed third arbitrator. The communication also demands that the Com pany shall pay to the As spclAiion one-.iIth of the amount re- property.
 The demands are of such character that no sensible and self-respecting businetss man can for moment con sider; they are an insult to his intelli- genoe. and since the proposition of the company has been rejected, and 10 the end that the farce which now believe was intended by the Association as such, l submit the following as counter ultimatam on behalf of the Company:
 Notice is hereby served that the California Development Company, the owner oi the Imperial Canal System, declines to further consider, negotiate with, or 10 sell its property 10 said Water Users Association as now com posed.
 On all questions of public importance il is right that the public should be taken into confidence with the indi- viduals or corporations affecting the general welfare; and when such indi- yiduals or corporations take such action as may change the general condition of affairs in the community affected there by, it is wise tO set forth tbe reasons.
 First-As the head of the largest ir- rigaiiOn enterprise in America, my time on behalf of the Company Is very yalu- able, and as a business man cannot afford to waste IL in attempting to nego- iiate xiih men who ever disregard the elementary business priciples, which are truth, honor and fairness.
 seeond-There are certain inalienable rights youchsafed in the constitution to the citizens of the United States, which
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