Imperial Valley press., 1908-02-15
Vicious and VengefuI 0pposi- ton to Reimbursement
 of Railroad
ENTITLED TO SQUARE DEAL
L. M. Holt and George chaffey Butt In to Fight Compensation Bill. in Congress, and Prevent Redemption of Government Promise.

Next week the House Committee on claims will consider the bill to reim- purse to the Southern Pacific the mon ey expended in closing the break of the Colorado and building works to control the river in flood season. The amount named in the Flint bill is $1 1,666, ,00O, in round numbers, but late Washington dispatches say the claim presented by the company is approxi- mately a million
 Just what amount was expended on river work, not counting the cost of moving tracks near Salton Sea, the railroad officials doubtless will be able to show by their books, and the Gov ernment is bound in good faith to pay what is justly due in redemption of the promise made by President Roose welt when he appealed to the South ern Pacific to save Imperial Valley.
 That the railroad did save the val ley and the Government works at La guna cannot be denied, and the value of the public service rendered is in no way reduced by the consideration that at the same time the Southern Pacific saved it's own tracks and was directly interested in preservation of the irrigation systems of the South west.
 There is no question in the minds of valley settlers that the Southern Pacific is entitled to just compensa- icn, not only for saving the valley lrrigation system and making possible the future reclamation of a large area of public land, but for protecting the Yuma project and doing work that was within the province but not within the power of the Government to accom-. plish.
 1t appears that factious and venge. full opposition to the Southern Pacifics claim has developed, however. L. N Holt, who has succeeded in dangling the relations between the railroad company, the c. D. Go. and the water users of Imperial Valley by securing a decision invalidating the agreement under which the railroad has been operating the irrigation system, is quo ted in Los Angeles as saying: Il have instructed my attorneys to take action that will result in preventing the Southern Pacific Company from ob- taining the $1,666,OOO claim that it is trying to have appropriated by Con. gross to reimburse them for moneys expended"
 George Chaffey also has butted in for revenge, on account of suits that were brought against himself because of his operations in the early history of the c. D. Co.,, and boasts that Hun saker and his attorneys are going to use the decision of the Court of Alp. peals in strenuous effort to prevent the passage of a bill to reimburse the Southern Pacific. Chaffey has no legi innate interest in the matter and does not represent anyone or anything in Imperial Valley.
 The settlers of this county have nc sympathy with l.. M. Holt or George Chaffey in their efforts to prevent a settlement of the questions vexing the valley and retarding it's development They are not indiscriminate eulogists of the Southern Pacific, having their own criticisms of some of the details of that company's management of traf fic, but they hold that even corpora tion, an octopus" is entitled to a square deal, and in gratitude for ser vices of incalculable value, they would rather see the railroad get a little more than little less than rigid balance sheet might show to be tech nically due.s