Imperial Valley press and the Imperial press., 1906-06-16

of the office that we are glad to see him publish, for it gives us an opportunity to give some history that will prove in- teresting to our readers.
 To begin with, we will state that the old c. n. company push always did covet that office. So self sufficient and cock sure were they of their ability to control Judge Wellborn and have him appoint a man of their choosing, that when Roy McPherrin was brought out to Los Angeles from Nebraska to work for the c. D. company push, one of the considerations promised him as an in- ducement to enter their service, was that he should have the appointment of United States Commissioner at Im- perial. When Judge Wellborn refused to appoint him the push then sought to accomplish the same ends by having a man appointed Deputy County Clerk at Imperial, and have the filings made be- fore him. So sure were they that this would go, that they had large amount of filing blanks printed for his use, but the United States Land Office turned the scheme down. Soon after this Judge Wellborn selected Mir. A. E. Dodson, of San Diego, for appointment as United States Commissioner at Im- perial. MT. Dodson had filed a home stead on land at Blue Lake, and had not bought any water company stock. He was, therefore, one of that hated class of San Diego homesteaders against whom the c. D. company push were at that time extremely bitter. The push, therefore, protested violently against the appointment of MT. Dodson, and Judge Wellborn, rather than appear to take sides in controversy, withdrew the appointment. Emboldened by what they conceived to be their success in knocking Dodson odt and unable to comprehend the lofty character and un- sullied integrity of Judge Wellborn, the push then piled him with importunities, petitions. appeals, and every kind of scheme they could concoct, in an en- deavor to secure from him the appoint ment of henchman of their own to do their bidding.
 As early as March, 1902, We were as- sured by Judge Wellborn that if the time ever came so he could make an appointment of U. S. Commissioner at Imperial, he would give us the appoint ment. But he pointed out his experi- ence with the appointment of Mir. Dod- son, and frankly stated that he would not make any appointment at all as long as there was such a clamor from the c. D. company people, as to place him in the position of taking sides in controversy During the time between March, 1902, and July, 1903, most strenuous effort was put forth by the, C. D. company push to land this posi- tion for one of their henchmen. We saw the petitions of several of the candidates they were urging, and we must say that II. c. Oakley's was by far the strongest of the lot. It was signed by all the big bank CTS, lawyers, and capitalists of Los Angeles, the total of their combined wealth being about $5O,OOO,OOO The petitions of E. F. Howe, T. P. Banta, H. N. Dyke, ct al, were not no preten' tious, but they were all in the running, one after anotLer. It was not until the push had exhausted itself and became convinced that Judge Wellborn never would make the appointment that they ceased their perniciOus activity, gave up in despair, and the condition arrived when the appointment could be made. Then, on July 18th, 1903, We were ap- pointed. And right here we will state that United States Commissioner is not an officer of the United States Land Office, nor connected with the Land department in any way. He is an at- tache of the' United States District Court, and belongs to the Department of Justice. His fuction is to sit as committing magistrate for the Federal Court, the same as a Justice of the Peace does for the Superior Court. But