Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-04

,e? One Is Untrue
Allison says that the district should allow
the Mexican lands $40 an acre the same as it did
the mutual companies. If the Mexican land own
ers will permit the irrigation district to assess
their lands at $3.50 an acre, or the same amount
the Americans stand, then the writer will assume
authority to assure them that they will be taken
in on these terms. American cities are also as
sessed and even Mexicali can be made to pay a
tax under these conditions-and all of this in
spite of the fact that the Mexican company has
no dredges and equipment while the mutual COM
panes had complete system of canals and
equipment which they had put in at cost of ap-
proximatey $25 an acre although they received in
return for such system but $40 an acre.
It is hard to tell from Alsons ram
bling cOnglomeratiOn whether he is at
tempting to throw cold water on the dis
trict proposition Or is preparing to fur
ther exploit the American farmers.
Allison talks about the All Ameri-
can canal and asserts that revenues from
Mexico would be lost. Americans will
doubtless prefer to swap the bad custo-
mer in Mexico and his one acre for
good customer in America who can be
made to pay his just debt and at the
same time get three American acres in
place of one Mexican acre. We would
get good responsible patron instead of
petty piferer.
The excess and overhead expense necessary to
maintai nthe system in Mexico would be eliminat-
ed by so pct. if this work could be transferred and
brought under the stars and stripes. Added to
all this the All American canal would develop
10000 stepped up electric power which would pay
Oft the cost OF the canal 20 years and gives the
American farmer dividend thereafter, the same
as is now the case in Phoenix where the Salt Riv-
er Valley project under the Roosevelt dam paws
so handsomely. There would not be five miles of
the All American canal which would not be serv-
ing water and providing electrical power and
Allison knows it.
Allison says that if the 1,67O, 1858 paid by
Mexico in four years, were wiped out the district
tax rate would be double. He does not add that if
the graft in Mexico could be wiped out the district
tax rate would be zero.
Allison makes great sport of the $4,000 acres
ne alleges were supplied for right of way for the
district in Mexico which at $50 an acre would be
worth $2,50000O. He doesn't tell you that this
land cost 81 an acre or only $4,000 and that it
wouldn't be worth cent over that today except
for the expenditure of the vast sums by American
farmers to protect it and provide it with water.
Allison doesn't mention the hundreds of
thousands of acres Of made land such as the Vol
cano Lake stretch which has been brought to a
was done by the Imperial Irrigation District and
goes to the Mexico land owners gratutiously.
What does Allison propose to pay the district for
this work in behalf of Mexico?
AInSOn doesn't tell you that lmper-
ial Valley farmers today cannot borrow
money from the Farm Loan Bank, be-
cause of Harry Chandler and the fact
that the Colorado River waters were
turned into Imperial Valley in 1907 by
the Mexican land owners and that the
great break in the levee was made in that
way. His yelled threat of suit against
the district could possibly be answered
here by invoking international law
which says that when the flow of river
is diverted from one country to another
the country at fault must pay the dam
age. Will Allison and his comnany nav
the damage inflicted then and which
has never been righted?
Allison and his page advertisement are like
the Illustration of the man in Jail. The door is
thrown open and there confronting him stands
his enemy, rifle in hand, and says, "Now escape
if you dare" That is the way he would apparent