The Imperial press., 1904-12-10

rights thereupon offered to buy the same
 for $50, 0,0OO), and
 Whereas, this association now asked
 by Messrs. Holt and Lombard to ratify
 such employment of said firm of Thayer
 & Rankin for the fee, and upon the terms
 above stated, and whereas such water
 rights either already belong to the Otis
 syndicate for their lands and are there
 fore not subject to our disposal, or if
 they should belong to this association,
 are worth not less than $J00,0O0.
 Now therefore, be it resolved that this
 association does hereby repudiate and
 disavow the action of said Holt and Lom-
 bard in employing said Thayer & Ran
 kin for the fee, and upon the terms afore-
 said, and does hereby disaffirm all lia-
 bility OH account thereof, and for the
 following reasons:
 l. Said action was wholly unauthor- ized.
 2. That the fee agreed to be paid is so enormously exhorbitant that 1t could not be honestly earned by any honor able or legitimate professional services; that such attorneys, or any attorneys, could render in the premises.
 5. This association, as a representa- tive of the people of Imperial Valley, cannot fail to endorse any action that savers of purchasing governmental favor under cover of paying an attorneys lee, or otherwise.
 Furthermore, we believe that should this Association countenance such em- ployment, 1t would be impossible to free the transaction in the public mind from the stigma of intended official bribery and corruption, and our Association would thereby become an uncalled for direct slur and reflection upon the honor and integrity of the Reclamation Ser vice, which we hold in highest esteem and our willingness to pay, and the ne- cessity for paying, such an enormous fee to blast up the project would weaken the chances of government ownership, l as 1t would argue that we have no conti- l dence in the project on its merits, while | quite the contrary is the fact. We are therefore convinced that should we affirm the action of Messrs. Holt and | Lombard We should show ourselves un- worthy, both in business ability and | moral rectitude, to be representatives of ! the people of this Valley and would | loose the sympathy and support of all high minded and right-thinking men, | htd VIC Nphll bt Abi NhioNN ihhOtA III CNi for government ownership | did not end in obloquy and disgrace to ! this Association and a lasting blot upon | the good name of the community we represent.
 Furthermore, if the price asked for | the property is SO indefensible that 1t requires this enormous fee (variously ! estimated at from $250, 900 to $l 900 ,0OO) ! to properly present its attractions to the it should occur to us that it might expedite and facilitate govern ment ownership of the canal system II we were a little less ardent and reckless | in our efforts to bring about the pur- chase at the California Development ! price.
 Gleason and Ravens were appointed a ! to ask Attorney Ward to | serve without pay during the next two To this Mir. Ward consented. | But upon hearing that the Thayer X | Rankin contract had been entered into, Mir. Ward came into the meeting and l in the following words announced his ] resignation as general attorney for the association:
 "MR. PREsIDgNr-I hereby tender my as general attorney for the Water Users Association, to take effect immediately, and in explanation de- sire to say that l consider the action