Arizona republican., 1910-07-19
IMPORTANT ELECTION
 OF THE WATER USERS
EXPLANATION OF AN ERRoNE-
 GUS IDEA SOME MAY HOLD.
Everything to Gain and Nothing to
 Lose by the Proposed Contract.

Day after tomorrow is the date of
 the special election of the Salt River
 Valley Water Users association. to
 pass on the proposition of assessing
 the members $2.25 per acre for two
 years, for the construction of the cross
 cut canal and the erection of new
 power plants. There are many argu-
 mentS nfaVOr of the movement, most
 of which have been placed before the
 members by the administration of the 1 association There seems to be no particular opposition to it, but in that fact lies one danger-that for lack of opposition there will be lack of inter-
 est and only a small vote will be cast
 while it is the desire of the association
 that just as big vote as possible shall
 be cast
 Attention has been called by SecTe- | tary Van der Veer to two points about | which many of the members do not | seem to be clear, as indicated by re- ! ports he has heard. One of them was i forcibly impressed by d conversation l between two members. one asking the l other how he was going to vote The reply was that he was going to vote against 1t. Asked if he had any argu-
 ment against the desrabiity of the proposed constructions he said he did
 not but was going to oppose the assess
 ment on the ground that if it was not
 voted the government would furnish
 the money and build the power houses
 anyway
 In that conclusion he was entirely
 wrong, and the association is fearful
 that some others might have the same idea, hence an explanation is desired. The government has already an rounced that it has no funds for the undertaking of the new work and the $2O.0OO.000 recently voted by congress IS not for new work but to complete old work partly finished The govern ments word has never been broken since the project was undertaken. even when it had all the facilities for break | ing faith. In this instance it hasn't | got the money to break it's word with | If 1t wanted to. The most that could | be done by stretching a point would ! be the completing of the canal sys- tenn, but the construction of power houses would be new under taking entirely. And suppose the gov ernment did do as the member im- agined it would; the expense would be charged back to the project and cost just as much in the end, while the proposition having been rejected the payment Of the regular annual con charge would begin next year instead of two years later. That charge will be at least S45O per acre and if the government builds the power houses it will be more. the ex- -ra cost of the power houses would be added to the project and payments would have to begin almost at once, whereas under the proposed contract, Or the next two years there will only pc charged the construction charges of he cross-cut and power houses. S250 l per acre. To vote against the con ract would be to save no money in he end, even if the government made 1 he improvements; would hasten the | ieavy payments by two years and if he governments word may be taken It face value the project would not | {, ret the improvements and would still 1 lave to begin the heavy payments next ear.
 The other question that has been requently asked of the secretary per onally and by letter from nonresident  and owners. is whether member who , annot be here may vote by proxy The nswer is that he can not and in this instance it is a little sad ! hat he can not for most of .he non esidents who have been heard from . avor the plan and would vote for it they were here. To vote one must e at the polls in person. and then can T nly vote his acreage and that not :. Q exceed 160. At this season of the ear q great many members of the as ociation are not at home and for that |, eason alone the vote would naturally '' Q light one so that for all these 7asons it is urged by the adminstra- " on of the association that every mem " CT who is in the valley should make ..
 special effort to express himself on " le question next Thursday, July 21. .,