Imperial Valley press and the Imperial press., 1906-05-26
DOWN ON THE
 RIO GRANDE
Waters of that stream divided by treaty between United
 States and Mexico

May 2lst is of much interest to our peo- pie as we'll as to a great many others.
 WASHINGTON, May 2l.-Secretary Root, for the United States, and Am basssdor Casasius, for the Mexican gov ernment, today signed treaty regulat- ing the use of the waters of the Rio Grande, which, if approved by the sen ate, will remove what has been for twenty years past a source of friction in the relations of the two countries.
 For almost century tine Mexicans living along the lower river have made large use of it's waters for the purpose of irrigating their lands. But in recent years private companies OH the upper waters in the United States have by the construction of wing dams, diverted a large part of the water to this side of the river. The Mexicans have presented claims for the damage sustained, but so far without success.
 Now the plans of the reclamation ser vice have made it certain that pratically all of the water will be retained on American soil until some proper scheme of division can be arranged. The con. struction of the $7,OOO,OOO dam across the Rio Grande at Engel, N. M., brought the matter to a climax and led to nego- tiations between the two countries which culminated in the treaty signed today.
 The underlying principle of the con- vention is the recognition of the com mon law right of the Mexicans to fair share of the waters of the river, but as the United States government is put to the entire expense of building the great dam and the canals, the Mexican share is only fractional proportion of the whole flow.
 It is estimated that the impounded waters will suffice to irrigate about 200, 900 acres of otherwise arid land, and it is stipulated that of this total 60,000 acre-feet of water, which is to make arabic about 9, ,0O0 acres of land, twill be
 
 border each year. For it's part the Mex ican government guarantees the United States government against any suit for liability on account of claims of individ- ual Mexicans who have so far suffered through the diversion of water.
 Opposition to the treaty is expected on the part of some of the western sen ators, who express the belief that either the United States is entitled to all of the water without compensation i'll view of the great expense to which it has been put by the work of construct ing the irrigating dams and canals, or that if the Mexican right is to be recog- nized at all it's title should be purchased outright by a cash payment.-Los Angeles Express.
 It will be remem bered that during the month of March 1905, Commission was appointed by the Secretary of the. Interior to negotiate treaty with Mexico, concerning the division of the waters of the Colorado River, and their use for irrigation. Sometime afterward a similar Commission was appointed to negotiate the treaty for the division of the waters of the Rio Grande, and to provide for their use for irrigation. The above item shows that the Rio Grande Commission has completed it's work and the treaty agreed upon is now before the United States Senate. Just what progress the other Commission has made in negotiating treaty for the division of the waters of the Colorado, and their use for irrigation has not been disclosed but it is safe to say that the problem presented by the diversion of that stream and it's discharge into Salton Sink is the most difficult enigma with which they have had to deal. In the Rio Grande case, Mexico pays the dam- age claims of her own citizens, in order to get a certain amount of the waters of the river delivered to their people for irrigation. should the United States undertake to pay the damages that have been done and may be done by this water in this valley and in the Salton