Imperial Valley press., 1910-07-23
Boston, July 17, 1910.

Boston, July l(, l5lU.
 President Taft gave an hour out of his vacation yesterday to considera- tion of the Colorado river problem, having requested Col. Holabird and myself to present facts and explain the situation. Col. Holabird had maps and data arranged in logical sequence for the Presidents inspec- tion and made a concise statement covering the matter completely. The President studied the maps with care, obtained a broadly correct view of the physical conditions on the river, and questioned us shrewdly concern ing the situation in the valley and the interests affected by the menace to irrigation systems. Free and in- formal discussion of the matter, in which Secretary Morton, who had been studying the Roosevelt Harri- man correspondence participated, fol- lowed, and Col. Holabird and myself endeavored to make it plain that the vital necessity was prompt and ener- getic action on the part of the gov ernment to safeguard the homes of twenty thousand people and make possible the permanent reclamation of a million acres of desert in the South west.
 The President was much impressed by Col Holabird's statement of the comparative cost to the settler of wa ter rights in Imperial Valley and other reclamation projects, which tended to show that notwithstanding the admitted mismanagement of the c. D. Co.,, by the early schemers con- trolling the enterprise, resulting in bankruptcy of the company, the re- clamation of Imperial Valley had been accomplished at reasonable cost to the pioneer farmer and had added many millions to the national wealth. Col. Holabird's suggested argument was that the present troubles and dangers of the people were not brought about by their own extravagance, wasteful- ness or neglect, and that community of pioneers struggling against great natural difficulties and making good in the face of Encouragement result s.. hn onfc nf nthnrc had O right to expect consideration and aid equal to that extended by the nation al government so freely to the people and interests of our ports and water ways.
 A new and unexpected turn was given to the discussion by the Presi- dents suggestion that the govern ment should be reimbursed in part for it's expenditure on the Colorado by the various interests to be protected TT benefited, and that board of arbi- trators should be created to deter mine the proportion of cost to be assessed against the government, the settlers of Imperial Valley the Mex ican government, the c. D. Co., the Reclamation Service project, the cor Lporations doing business in the valley, the railroad and others.
 This was a new view of the case, and it took us by surprise. We had assumed, as the people of the valley had believed, that when Congress ap- propriated money for the construc- ton of protective works the govern ment assumed responsibility for con- trol of the Colorado as a public duty, precisely as it takes the responsibility of controlling the Mississippi and other rivers, and improving harbors and making New Jersey creeks navi- gable It had not occurred to our minds that the settlers of the valley would be expected to pay directly any part of the cost of maintaining the navlgability of a river in foreign country and saving to the country a great area of potentially productive land. of which they occupy but small part.
 It appeared, however, that Con-
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