Imperial Valley press., 1920-04-17


bringing the East out to see with =
own eyes. The wonderful production
of cotton, the best cotton in tn
world, of alfalfa, of livestock, of rice
of midwinter garden truck, and man!
other necessities, could not be tolt
convincingly at long range, but tril
of the Fastener along the road OF
one side of which is cactus, snake:
and sage, on the other wealth pro
ducing crops, would show him.
"The same water which grows the
cotton will furnish the power to turn
the spindles and run the looms to
make the cotton fit for human use
/ This would save to the Southwest the
lands no wdesert; it would save IN
transportation and all other costs 1t
was asserted that if these waters
which are going to waste annually
could be controlled so as to be used
for hydro electric power, in addition
to their use for irrigation purposes,
there would be developed 100000
horsepower for running the looms and
JIlC (lOi 4tS VI lAiC NOlAAlbhS' OiA( ~
thusiastic listener understood it to be
100 100000 horse power. It's imma-
terial. however. for it is as impossible
for most of US to imagine the full i'm
port of 100000 horsepower as of
l00,000,000.
There are now being irrigated by
the waters of the Colorado slightly
over 100000 acres of rich lands. One
speaker suggested the cost of the re-
clamation as SS0,000000, another.
S10O, 100000. and another remarked
that even if it should be a quarter of
a billion one year of full crops would
pay the entire cost.
President Seiberling of the Good
year Rubber Company referred to the
wonderful quality of the Pima cotton
IF Arizona and incidentally referred
10 agricultural possibilities under irri- |
cation by stating that the cost of the |
great Roosevelt dam is now covered /
;our times annually in the products of |
he Salt River Valley.
s"Boll weevii has driven Sea Island
otton into the sea; the finest long |
tapIG COllOH IouiIu any NAS1c III 1iiS
world Is the Pima cotton now grown
n Arizona and California.
On Friday there was rivalry between
peakers as to who could introduce
he greatest number of puns, quips and
tories to enliven their otherwise SER
ous talks, with Governor Campbell of
arizona and Vice President McCor-
nick of the Southern Pacific Railway
bout equal. But william Jennings l.
ryan was called for while the audi
nee awaited the coming of Helen Taft
nd told the following story:
when Joe Blackburn of Kentucky
7as running for congress he heard
hat hanging was to take place at a
ounty seat in his district and as
e knew the sheriff he made the trip,
oping to catch an audience. The
heriff recognized him in the crowd
nd invited him to seat on the scaf-
old with the priest, doctor, etc. The
risoner was to be hanged at 10
'clock but as arrangements got
head of the program the sheriff told
he prisoner that he had five Or more
minutes if he wished to say anything
o the crowd. As he replied in the
negative Joe jumped to his feet, asked
or the intervening time and launched |
plea for his election. In about two
minutes the prisoner turned to the
heriff and said: Sheriff, if it's all
he same to you, I'd like to be hung
low and let this fellow talk after I'm
,one'."
No talk of the day met with more
esponse as it progressed than that
f DIR. Elwood Mead, who explained
hat while others We're outlining great
chemes for reclamation and irriga-
ion he wished to present the human
ide of the question-placing the set
ler on the land, and under conditions
hat reasonably assured success. 1t
vas evident from the close attention |
,aid and the hearty appreciation man.
fest that he had suggested new |
md valuable line of action.
Joseph Simons, president of the I'M
,erial Valley Landowners association, |
asked the support of the league in |
seeking official creation of neutral
zone between the border for the ben
Eft of water users. He complimented
,he Mexican government on the favors
extended and the able manner in which |
luring the war they had guarded our
water canals below the line. But when
a canal breaks or other mishaps occurs
too much red tape has to be unwound
and rewound before one may go
across the international boundary to
make repairs, etc, So his organiza-
ton asks neutral zone. for water
interests only, tn remove this heavy
handicap to quick action in times Of
canal trouble.