Imperial Valley press., 1924-08-18
GRAFTON SHOWS
CANAL. CAN. PAY
ITS own BILLS

CharacterRing the arguments oil
prominent leaders in the Colorado
River Control club as lacking in
sincerity, John NJ. Grafton pioneer
ranchcr ncar9Et Centre, declares in
Il letter that farmers who know the
needs of the Valley are able TO see
great benefits from an All-Amcrlcan
canal. The letter follows:
Dear Mr.. Wills:
s In response to- your invitation to
JOIN and contribute to the Colorado
River Control Club, an organization
whose first purpose you say is to
promote the construction of Il flood
control and storage dam on the
Colorado River: and second TO urge
II manner and place as to make pos
sible the maximum development OF
hydro electric power.
Now, Mr.. Wills, al of this is
clearly provided for in the Swing
Johnson bill, which is well on its
way the. enactment. This bill would,
not only give us all that your pro
gram includes but would also give
us the privilege of deciding for our
selves whether or not we wanted
the All American Canal.
| had an interview with your
manager Mr.. Paris: and he stated
".that it was Il matter of principle
with him That an All-American
Canal would place a heavy debt OF
our lands, and that it would not
benefit us in any way. Now per
haps that is true, so far as Mr.
Paris is concerned personally, but
as farmer, who has lived here
continuously for eighteen years,
can see Il great many. benefits ac
cruing from an All-American Canal
not. the least OF which is our es
cape from the demonation of q for
eign country, and the return Of the
Federal Land Bank loads 80 the
Valley which we have been repeat
" assured we could not get as long
as we were dependent on Il forelgI
country for our water supply.
also asked Mr.. Paris if there was
any power on the All Amcrlcal
Canal; his answer was: Some,
don t know just Show much.
Gives Figures
Now we all know that your man
.ager who was for many years CON
inectcd with the liolton Power com
pany knows power and knows inc
value of power and for him to state
I that the All American Canal would
place too great q burden on the
land without making an invcstlga
ton as to the amount and value
of the power that could be gehef
ated is to me sufficient evidence
of the lack of sincerity iii the dup
policy in this matter.
Maps on file at the , district OF
fees with computation from emln
ent electrical engineers, show pos
sible power development of from
$4,000 to 100000 horse power, SUI
ficient to repay the entire cost o.
construction and later to care TO
all the over head of the district, CIV
ing us absolutely free water for ouI
lands. ...-.,
An Illustration Of the value o.
power is furnished us by the san
River Valley project when max
imum $1,000 horse power returhet
them $4s0,000 last year. TO sun
the whole matter up, Nr. wills, II
view of the fact that the leaders
of your organization. have never
been active in trying to get storage
and flood control through Nhe EN-
ac-ment of the Swing johnson blli
but on the contrary have for th'
most part actively opposed 1t an
forced to the following conclusion
That your organization IS nothing
more or less than a tool of th'
power interests in an cndeavor t'
create discord among ourselves an'
defeat the Swing-J Johason bill.
If anyone doubts this, the active
part taken by the leaders of th'
organization in the effort Of th'
power interests to defeat PM Swing
will surely confirm this statement.
(Signed) John M. Grafton.