Imperial Valley press., 1910-08-20

public or political corporation of. the state entering into a contract relation, such as taking canal concession from the Government of Mexico, would< be.
 Besides this are the essentially in- ternational questions relating to equal and exact justice in the apportionment of the waters of the Colorado between the United States and Mexico; and the fact that the principal part of the main canal Is in Mexico; that the principal part of the expenditure for maintenance and operation would be required to be made there; that there, the principal part of the protective work of the Colorado is required, and that under the present concession, Mexican lands are entitled, if needed, to one-half of the water carried, ana service rendered by the canal system.
 Involved and difficult of adjustment as all these complicated relations may be, it is imperatively necessary that they be dealt with, not in makeshift manner, but upon the basis which will be permanent, workable and just, to both sides of the line.
 The United States Government has not only appropriated a Million Dol 1 lars for work on the Colorado river, below the line, but has incurred at least a moral obligation to see that money expended at the request of the President by private corporation in protective work, is refunded. This shows that the United States has it's hand in the situation.
 | All these considerations show that the situation is such as can be dealt with upon a basis that shall be per- manent and satisfactory, only through the legislative and treaty making power of the United States. To bring this about, it is highly desirable that the people of Imperial Valley should nave the state government behind them. The relation of the state government to an irrigation dis trict comprising the irrigable lands in Imperial Valley, would be direct as to one of it's own public corporations for the welfare of which the state would be responsible, so far at least as it's | ;ra xryith f would be concerned to secure the proper legislative and international arrangements respecting all matters involved. The foregoing considera- tions are sufficient, in my judgment, to justify the people of Imperial Val ley in forming under the Bridgeford Act one irrigation district, to com prise all the lands in the Valley irri- gable from the Colorado river.
 4. To the fourth question put by your commission as to what effect would district organization have upon our present canal or prior water rights collectively or individually, answer that in my opinion, whaT- ever corporation, private or public, acquires the system of the California Development Company and it's MeXi- can subsidiary corporation, must rec ognize and respect the right of every land owner to the flow and nse of the water as acquired by him, upon such rates and terms as may be established by law. If public corporation like an irritation district succeeds to such ownership and control, it would be bound equally with private corpo- ration to recognize such rights to the use of water.
 The question thus put may be in- tended to go beyond the matter of the continuance of the water supply to water from the system of the Califor- mia Development Company. and to tmbrace the question of what effect the organization of the irrigation dis trict would have upon the rights of stockholders in several mutual con- panies.
 For various reasons, my recom- mendation would be that in the first instance the administration and dis tribution of the water supply by the irrigation district, be conformed to the existing system of delivery of the wa ter to the extent to which the lands within the boundaries of each mutual company, formed and to be formed, are entitled to water under the Bridgeford Act: that is. that such