Imperial Valley press., 1921-07-20
bALDERDASH
AND MALICE
USED IN
REPORT
Ell Centre Morning Newspa-
per Deliberately Misrepre-
sents and Falsifies Story of
Meeting of Irrigation Dis
trict Board.

With the evident and specific pur
pose Of incensing Imperial Vale.
ranchers and farmers against tn
board of directors of the Imperial Ir
rigation district, the ri Centro Prog
ress in its morning issue breaks fortl
with the following:
"Orderly but forcefully Imper- -
ial Valley farmers told Imperial
Irrigation board yesterday that
the land owners and the water
users desired f. N. Cronholm re-
tanned as general manager, AND
WE'RE TOLD IN RETURN THAT
THEY HAD ATTENDED THE
MEETING UNLIMITED AND
WERE UNWELCOME AND
THEIR DEMANDS WOULD RE-
o;EIVE SCANT CONSIDERA-
TION. - The days pro-
ceedings of the board, with all
members present, began with a
star chamber session. at which it
was rumored, the board agreed not
to heed the representations'of OF the
hundred or more farmers waiting
for admission. Much criticism Of
the secret session was heard and
the board did not make it's rela-
tions with the public more friend
ly by the proceeding. Both
before and after the meeting, the
farmers were thoroughly aroused.
Threats were boldly made on the
streets as to what would be dCne
in case the board failed to give
consideration to the demands
AND AFTERWARDS TALK
WAS HEARD OF TAKING
ROPES TO THE MEETING AND
no TEAR DOWN THE BUILD
ING BRICK BY BRICK. CHIEF
OF POLICE MATLOCK WENT
TO THE DISTRICT OFFICES
AND REMAINED DURING THE
MEETING"
Thus it appears that the Progress
which has vaunted to the skies IT
claims as the friend of the farmer, de
liberatelv forsakes its bond of friend
ship with him, and attempts to pictur
the Imperial Valley farmer as
would-be lyncher, law breaker,
bolshevik, an anarchist, ANYTHING bu
the abiding and home loving citi
zen that he really is.
Such a subtle and unwarranted at
tack upon the good name of the val
lev ranchers, land their conduct, ca
only be characterized as an insult an
serious affront to the community. HOY
long do the farmers of this conmunit
propose to allow their good name t
he trampled in the dust and 2to hav
the alleged news of their ;mob-laN
threats heralded to the world ut large
The Progress evidently intended I
kill two birds with one stone throug
the publication of their story whic
purported to chronicle the facts o
Yesterdays board meeting, viz: With
out reason or cause to incense the pub
lie against the District Board, and t
deliberately and purposely threate
the board with physical violence b
picturing the farmers and rancher
as raging mob equipped with rope
prenared for hanging party and tn
further suggestion that the buildin
be torn down brick by brick"
Never in the history Aof Imperis
Valley journalism has The Press bee
confronted with such brazen an
,,shameless Misrepresentation of fact
What the ulterior motive of the Proc
ress can be in degrading and pollutin
it's news columns with such absoiut
falsity is hard to understand: An
then the inference that Chief OF Pollc
Dave Matlock attended the meetin
for no other purpose than to keep OF
der and protect the board from VIZ
lence.
In an interview with The Press thi
morning, Chief Matlock said that h
had attended yesterdays session