Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-17
Presidents Attitude.

time to time that he would not interfere
in any factional disputes. The Ohio dele
cations seem to be putting their case
pretty strongly up to him. however. The
fact that Senator Dick and Mr.. Ellis have
announced that they will remain here
until the others have gone is taken by
many to indicate that there is decided
lack OF concert of action. The President
Is extremely anxious that the Ohio re-
publicans shall get together and be able
to present solid front to the democrats.
"A strong effort Is being made to have
the President attend the conservation
congress at St. Paul in September next.
Col. Roosevelt is to speak and Clifford
Pinchot will be one of the leading par
Elephants.
B. N. Baker of Baltimore, president of
the Conservation Association. in charge
of the congress, and John B. White Of
Kansas City called on Mr.. Taft this after
noon at Burgess Point and urged him to
accept the invitation to- speak which was
extended to him month ago. sThe Presi-
dent gave no definite answer. He took
the matter under advisement. but as
matters stand at present it Is extremely
unlikely that he. will be able to accept. ST
Interest In Colorado River.
President Taft had an extended confer
ence with W. H. Holabird of Los Angeles.
representing the California Development
Company. and Capt. Allan Kelley OF
southern California regarding the situa-
ton in the Imperial valley of California
and the proper steps to be taken to re-
store the Colorado river to its original
bed. Congress recently placed S1N0,OO
at the disposal of the President to De
used in the protection of the valley of
Investigation warranted the expenditure
Of the money.
The President has selected J. A. Ocker-
son Of st. Louis, an engineer OF the
Mississippi river commission, to go to
California at once and study the situa-
ton. The Imperial valley, which is set
tied by some 10000 people, lies below the
level of the sea. 1t Is irrigated by
canal fed from the Colorado river by
means of a dam at Yuma. Several years
ago the river, which runs along shelf,
dropped out of it's original bed and took
another course to the sea: The water
began to back rapidly toward the Yuma
dam, which was saved by e. H. Harri-
man and the Southern Pacific railway.
Dam Still in Danger.
The people of the Imperial valley claim
that the dam still is in danger, and that
II it were destroyed they would be left
entirely without water and be compelled
to move away. They also claim that
there Is danger of the Colorado dropping
of the second shelf where its course now
lies and flooding the valley and the
Salton sea.
The projected Improvement of the river
calls for the construction Of some TWEEN
ty-five miles of levee to throw the stream
back to its original course and keep it
there. This levee, however, would have
to be constructed on Mexican soil.
The plan proposed by the President at
the conference today is to determine all
the parties at interest in the project to
secure q detailed report from Engineer
Ockerson as to the practicability of the
levee idea, and an estimate as to whether
the improvement could be carried out
within the appropriation available.
If the improvement can be made for the
81 600 900 the question arises as to how
the government can be reimbursed. in
dealing with Mexico the President has
proposed that a court Of arbitration be
appointed by the two countries and that
the arbitrators shall direct the work. 1t
Is also proposed that they shall assess
benefits wherever they find they can legit-
imately be levied.