Imperial Valley press., 1923-10-23
L. A. Times In !
Bitter Attack
On Water Rate
Continued from page y


them out Of public life. lie denies
| the people the contribution which
brains anu constructive enterprise
could bring them the while he keeps
mp q ceaseless agitation and seram-
bles things generally through stu
pid and selfish Incompetence.
"The situation has recently been
made worse by the elimination of
the mutual water companies, thus
putting into the hands of the poll
tician the whole machinery of wa
ter distribution. The mutual water
company was the last line of def
ense. II was born of necessity
and the device Of making its WA
ter stock {. chattel, not appurtenant
to the land, but essential TO it, and
therefore capable of being used rs
collateral, was 4 stroke of brilliant
financial genius for a situation
where there were no land titles.
But the mutual water company was
swept away aad reports are to the
effect that q situation has been ere
ated which is disheartening TO the
most patient and optimistic Impe-
rial Valley citizen.
Followers of Imperial Valley,
;ffairs have learned of recen:
move Whereby the directorate of
Imperial Irrigation District have
created a tax with the frank pur-
pose of increasing the contribution
Of the nonresident, particularly the
man who has purchased land for
speculation and not for farming.
G'he plan imposes q blanket tax
which is admittedly more than the
necessities and then allows certain
credits TO the water user to be tax
en- up as he uses the water. BY
its operation n great body of peo-
pie away from Imperial Valley who
must be relied upon to interest new
settlers in the valley have been
made resentful and their friendly
sclf-interest has been turned into
active enmitv. Moreover, all this
has been done without benefiting
the resident farmer. In practical
operation the payment of the tax
must anticipate the use of water.
Even though he ultimately gets
back q part of the money, the res
ident farmer is not prepared to ac-
cept this extra burden, and the ear
rying charges Of interest or penal
ties if he does not pay promptly
more than offset the advantages
that might accrue. Finally, in the
case of both the resident and non
resident, the method is ore of COM
pulsion, always and everywhere a
basis of deep resentment and dis
cord.
"Under the system of political
control the affairs of the farmers
and water users are largely control
led by those who do not own land
and who are not interested in the
water system. Nonresident land
owners have no vote and the res
ident landowners are outvoted by
the nonfarming citizens. This CON
dition is taken advantage of by
politicians and DEM; gogues to fur
ther their own. ends and subvert
the interests of those chiefly con
cerned-the landowners and farm
ers. The system. virtually amounts
to taxation without representation.
"In certain important respects
there are most encouraging aspects
to the Imperial Valley situation.
Farming problems are being attack
ed with energy and understanding,
already giving premise of excellent
results. 1t is land of opportunity
for the man who is willing 10 work
with his head and his hands and
wait out the delnise of the politician.
The great need of the hour is for
the people to wake up and rise up
to snite the Gemasogue. Perhaps
there is nowhere a parallel Of q
country Of such marvellous fertility
and resources being brought to con
fusion through a stupidity of man
agement. In the Judgment Of many
students of Imperial affairs & pres
ont ayowed policy Of the politicians
involving new burdens Of bonded
indebtedness means bankruptcy.
" What can the people of lmper-
al Valley do 10 remedy the situa-
tionf A country of such resources
has great reeuperative possibilities.
The valley may be too far commit
ted to public ownership to change,
but it Is possible to remedy many
Of the evils Of political control.
Such remedy was proposed by As
semblyman Frank Beale at the re-
cent session Of the State Legisla-
ture, but his measure failed TO be
come a law. Mr. BeIle's bill pro-
posed TO restrict the voting power
on matters relating TO water affairs
10 landowners. That bill would
nave restored, in measure, con
troll of water affairs to those who
pay the bills. .--.
All Invited to