Imperial Valley press., 1909-11-20
Visiting Statesmen Discuss Problems of Reclamation
 With Valley Settlers
Senator Carter AppIauds Protest Against Land Office Practices and Senator Jones Says Valley Does Not Need Reclamation Service-Direc- tor Newell Willing to Aid.

Senator Thomas H. Carter, of Mon tana; Senator F. E. Warren, of Wy oming, and Senator w. l.. Jones, of Washington, have assured the set tiers of Imperial Valley that they will do what they can to expedite the settlement of all questions of title and to procure such notifications of the land laws and practices of the Land Office as may be required to protect the bona fide reclaimer of desert land from harrassment and blackmail. The assurance was given in public speeches and private conversation last Saturday night at a reception given to the visiting statesmen in the Oregon Hotel at El Centro. Sena- tor Carter is chairman and the oth- CTS are members of the Senate Com mittee on Irrigation, and they have the power to make their promises good.
 Senator Carter took for text the following declaration, printed upon a card and presented to each guest by the El Centro Chamber of Commerce:
 "The settlers of Imperial Valley ask from the Government only clear ti- tie to the lands they have reclaimed from the desert, which connotes pro- tection against frivolous and specula- tive contestors. They find that the existing land laws offer premiums on perjury, theft and blackmail. They think the cases affecting land titles and claims in this region should be tried by a court or a commissioner in this county, and not by clerk ill Los Angeles. They look to Congress for a square deal, and are confident that it will be given to them when the peoples representatives in Wash ingtOn become acquainted with exist ing conditions"
 The senator began by saying what everybody says first,-that the Im- perial Valley is a revelation of un- dreamed possibilities of reclamation and he paid the usual compliments to the people on their energy and en- terprise in tackling region "dedi- cated to desolation through the ages" He left the impression, without def inately committing himself, that he regarded favorably the proposal that the government supplement the work already done by constructing a high line canal, and he put himself on rec ord as opposed to the taxation of possessory rights that may be taken away from the settler on technicali- ties. The government, he said was ''hypercritical, over -exacting and un- just in it's treatment of settlers on the frontier" and he was glad to find the people of Imperial Valley willing and ready to protest against the in justice of being subjected to needless delays and hardships. The system of the land department, he asserted, was inherently wrong and was born of the theory that every man seeking to acquire a piece of land was scoun drel per SC. In conclusion, Senator Carter said: Your people should have their titles, and that without delay"
 Senator Warren also promised as sistance in correcting defects in the land laws and said the people of the valley could appeal to him and his colleagues as to their own represen- tatives. He said he had tried and would continue his efforts to pro- cure notifications of land office prac- tice and amendments to land laws compelling contestors of claims to give bonds for the costs of proceedings and the expenses of contestees.
 There was nothing equivocal about Senator Jones' remarks on the propos- al that the Reclamation Service take over the valley canal system He said, "I find that in mogc places where the government has charge of reclamation work, the people wish 1t hadn't There is no necessity for the government taking charge of irFiga- tiOn here"
 w. r. Holt told the senators that the valley may need some govern ment aid in solving the problem of control of the Colorado river and ir- rigatiOn of the whole delta. He QuOts