Arizona republican., 1918-08-05
Where the People
 May Have Hearing
THE DRAINAGE PROJECT.
To the Editor of the Arizona Repub
 lican


 election to be held August 6 for the purpose of voting on an assessment for drainage system you do not mention an element that will probably decide tne election, that is the great body of water users who realize that they are the owners of the project and that, as such, they are responsible for the safe guarding of the property that has been turned over to them on such generous terms by the federal government. when called on to vote, they must vote lntelligently, c~- to vote intelligently lntelligently. and to vote intelligently they must have full knowledge of the facts that make action necessary as well as full details of the plan under winch money is to be expended. In the present case we have little knowledge of the facts and none whatever of the plan under which s600,000 is to be spent
 Has a competent engineer made a survey and report on the drainage situation? Has a ca. iul estimate of The expense been made? Are we sure beyond a reasonable doubt that the ex- penditure of s600,000 will drain all the land requiring drainage? Can the com plete drainage of 50,000 acres be car red out within veal? If not which 1 first attention? Why do not the own CTS of the threatened lands come out like the -highliners and petition the governors for relieft v we are to pay for draining 50,000 acres of land should we not know just where these lands are situated and who owns them? 1 ny IS 1t necessary to collect all the money in six months when it will take more than a year to spend it? Why l" 1t not better to experiment to thL extent of say s50000 before calling for the larger sum?
 If the city bonds itself for $100,000 to help in the drainage, Judge Sloan says the city must own the pumps purchased with the money. Is it desir- able to have two systems operating in the valley?
 Is the drainage water suitable for irrigation? The University of Arizona has already issued warnings against its use. Is it not c remedy dangerous to introduce water, amounting to 25 per cent of our annual consumption. which at the best is under suspicion What does Arthur Davis, the govern ment engineer, say to the proposed eX- penditure?
 Questions without end can be asked. If there are answers they have not been disclosed to the owners. In the old days when the water users were pros | pective owners only. those in authori- tv recognized their right to full knoWl- edge before being called on for assess ments and in drawing of the by laws of the Water Usnrs' Association it was provided among other things page 32, section 44-that:
 "The secretary shall forthwith | cause copy of tho OropOCed nm
 dertaking to be printed in a news
 paper .. at least thirty days be-
 fore the election"
 and further (section 45):
 The secretary shall also issue
 notice of a special election
 Said notice shall be in substantial
 ly the following form:-
 Notice is hereby given that :.
 special election (. will be held
 for the ratification or rejection of
 proposed undertaking -.
 "A copy whereof may be seen at
 the office of the secretary. and a
 copy of which was published in
 the. on the. ..... day Off,.
 On the first occasion of a special election since we have become actual owners, both of these vitally impor- tant requirements-the publishing of d copy of the proposed undertaking and the special reference to the date o publication in the notice of election have been disregarded.
 It is impossible to escape the con. viction that the vote will be illegal however cast. and that it is the dut, of every water user having the pros perity of the valley at heart to vott mo-" and then immediately take step. to support the management in tht drawing up, under the supervision O competent engineers. a proper plan tt be given full publicity with ample tim, for discussion before the calling of al election.
 It is a safe prophecy that 90 pc cent of the water users would vote t put up the money necessary to carr, out such an undertaking
 E. ID. RYDER,
 Phoenix, Ariz., August 4, 1918.
 (The essential questions in the fore going letter have been answered in tn discussion that has taken place. competent engineer has made a surve of the drainage situation and the Wate Users Association is in possession 0 his findings. It has been estimate by the same authority that the plan can be installed for s600,000 As [ the question in relation to the city part in the undertaking, reference i made now to an editorial which ap pears in these columns this morning
 As to the drainage of any specific area of land, it is proposed to lowe the water level under all the land and to prevent it from rising to tn lands to which it is now dangerousl near or which it has already reached It is said that the area mmediatel thretened is between 10000 and 50, 900 acres.
 As to the question whether tn drainage water is suitable for irriga tion that has been answered man times. Generally it has been found { be entirely suitable. It may be tha the water pumped from some localitie will contain at first too much salin and would not be used But analyse will be made of the waters and watt that might be harmful will not | used. It is further stated that all ( the water used will be mixed wit canal water.
 As to the complaint of the write that the matter has been irregularl presented. it may be said that ever formality has been complied with an notwithstanding the conviction of Il writer that the election will be i legal, gentlemen of undoubted leg learning hold a contrary opinion. fact. the validity of such an electie has not been questioned by any con petent authority or. so far as we hay heard. any authority)