Imperial Valley press., 1910-04-16
RIVER COMMISSIONS
 AM|ABLE GABFEST Has Been Talking of Control of the Colorado for Sev-
 eraI Years
Protective Work is a Government Job, / But Nobody is on the Job-ReveIa- " ton of Inefficiency and Negligence
 That Would be Ludicrous it it Were
 Not Shameful.

In January, 1907, President Roose- welt sent g. message to Congress on the subject of control of the Colorado, in which he urged the appropriation of $2,000,00O for permanent protective works along the banks below Yuma. The President said:
 "If Congress does not give author ity to make adequate provision to take up this work in the way sug- gested, it must be inferred that it ac- quiesces in the abandonment of the work at Laguna and of all future at tempts to utilize the valuable public domain in this part of the country" Congress has not made provision for taking up the work. Congress has not even given a moments thought to the matter. The representative from this district has attended to the ap- pointment of some postmasters, for which valuable service he thinks he is entitled to gratitude and reelection, S.pt it is not known that he has tried E1 direct the attention of Congress to the Colorado and President Roose- velt's warning of danger to govern ment works. The Colorado has been busy, however and is doing things that may cause abandonment of the work at Laguna dam. The flood can be kept out of Imperial Valley, even if nothing be done to restore the river to it's old bed, but the cutting back of the channel to Laguna dam can be stopped only by the construc- tion of the works recommended by MT Roosevelt three years ago. The consent of Mexico to the construction of those works must be obtained.
 The present status of the matter of control of the Colorado is made plain in the following correspondence:
 April 12. 1910. Editor, Imperial Valley Press.
 Dear Sir:-I was very much interested in your discussion of Colorado Control a Government Job," as contained in your issue of April 9th, and beg to hand you Herewith copies of my letter to Hon. Aknk P. Flint U. S. Senator, bearing E March 24th, and his reply bearing date April 5th, together with copy of a letter addressed to him by F. H. Newell. Director U. s. R. S., bearing date April 4th, which you are at liberty to publish If you think the matter wlli be of interest to your readers and for better informa- tion concerning the situation.
 have long felt that the control of the Colorado River should be a Government matter and the result of a Convention between both the United States and Mexico.
 Yours truly,
 w. H. HOLABIRD.
 Receiver c. ID. Co. In letter to Senator Flint, under date of March "A, 1910, MT Hola- bird says:
 q would like very much to have a conference with Secretary Newell and a representative of the War Depart ment concerning the future control of the Colorado River below Yuma. It is a matter of most serious moment in which the Government should be lnJSISSCou, OWlhS IO Ihc loi iOdShAn6 eaaeets that might result should the rfxS cut its way back up to the La guEA dam would come to Washing ton If, in your judgment, such con- ference is at all desired by the Gov ernment officials I have named"
 Senator Flint took the matter up with the Reclamation Service, received from the director a reply that would be a vast joke if the subject were not of the gravest importance. and then applied to the State Department for further light. The State Depart ment had not shed any light at last accounts, but there Is illumination up- on government methods of not doing things in this amazing letter from the head of the Reclamation Service:
 Washington. D. C.. April 4 1910 Hon. Frank P Flint,
 United States Senate.
 My Dear Senator;
 Referring to your letter of March 21st. rebaling to inquiry from MT. w. Fl. Hol- alslrd as to whether anything could be 9ifOmplished by his coming to Washing foh it seems to me that it would be pref erable for Mr. Etoiabird to get in touch with Mr. L C. Hill. our Supervising en- gineer who is still authorized. ! think.