Imperial Valley press., 1921-10-07
Los ANGELES
TAXPAYERS
TO FIGHT
SCHEME
Oppose Plan to Grab Great
Colorado River Project
While their Own Aque-
duct Is Practically Uncom-
pleted.

| The people of the city of Los An
| geles have rebelled at the program of
extravaganza and profligacy prepared
for them bv the municipal ownership
faddist and "grag-all' gangsters who
are members and officials of the Pub
lie Service Commission and Bureau of
Power and Light, of that city's admin
istration.
With water and power plan under
way which has cost the taxpayers of
that city $20,000,000 and more in the
last IL years, and which is less than
one-fifth advanced toward completion
the taxpayers have taken the bit in
their teeth and have started a move
ment to curb the activities Of the
"grab-all" gang which would saddle
them with a crushing deb. of more
than $10O,000,OOO.
The sane and conservative people
of Los Angeles have organized what
they call the Peoples Economy League
to combat the plans of the Public Pow
err League and Mulholland, Scatter
good, Matthews and Haynes.
The league is composed of maHy of
the: leading business men and club
women of the city. Its object IS to
block the move to commit the city to
the blunder of entering into the power
business on huge scale outside the
State. '
Explaining the plans and objects Of
the members said last n,ghr that the
the league, Herbert l.. Cornish, one of
Organization takes the position that
! it is unwise for Los Angeles to at
tempt the Colorado river enterprise,
especially while the city's own aque-
duct power program remains so far
from completion. The league opposes
the Public Service Boards scheme both
on the ground that the city cannot
carry it through successfully and be-
cause the city's activities will tend to
block or postpone the accomplishment
of Colorado river control.
The steps thus far taken by the
Public Service Board have already am
broiled the city in harmful controversy
and the league members are convinced
that further efforts of the kind will
not only Intensity the i'll feeling of
other communities toward Los Angeles
but will retard the consummation of
the greatly to be desired Colorado pro-
ject. -,
I "The league takes the position" said
Mr.. Cornish, "that it will be virtually
impossible for Los Angeles to achieve
! Colorado river development for sever
al reasons. 1t is not at all likely that
the people will tolerate the idea o.
such a bond issue as would be needed
for the work-a cost variously esti-
mated at from $50,000,000 to $780,
OOO. 100000. Another insurmountabIe
difficulty is the certain opposition OF
other states and other communities in
this state to any plan for Los Angeles,
as city, to undertake the rivers de-
velopment.
"At first we paid little attention to
the movement started by few mpni-
c;pal ownership enthusiasts to boom
/ Los Angeles as the most logical cor
poration to perform the Boulder Can
yon work. But when the plans of the
proponents continued, it became neees-
sary to take measures to HIATT effect
ually any attempt to make Los Angc-
les shoulder this staggering burden OF
bond debt proposed for ner.'
"Los Angeles is aiTeady committed
to it's aqueduct power projects, which
is yet far from completion. Indeed, oi
the $4,000 horse power of electrical
energy possible to be developed alonf
the aqueduct and on -he Owens river
only $4,000 horse power have oeel
realized.
'Then there are the various othe
municipal projects to which the cit.
! Continued to Page 81