Imperial Valley press., 1926-10-14
SAVING" IMPERIAL VALLEY

special session of the state legislature for the pur-
pose of ratfyng the siX-state Colorado river COM
pact fearing that to delay action further on Colorado
river legislation SIS eopardize the whole plan and
continue the flood control to Imperial Valley,
has caused little surprise in this community which
is so vitality concerned with the governors action
To the uninated, the governors announcement
would indicate solicitous regard for the welfare OF
Imperial Valley. Those OF US who are familiar with
the history of the valleys problems during the past
four years know that such soicitous regard exists
in the mind in the acts of CALIFORNIA; chief executive
Indeed a contrary opinion is held by those who have
been fighting for the salvation of Imperial Valley as
guaranteed in document only-the SwingJohn-
son bill.
The reason for the governors act is 50 apparent,
that is forced to wonder that he, and those who
induced him to call the special session, hope to get
away with the fmsy pretext that they have the well
fare of Imperial Valley at heart.
Last Saturday, there meeting of valley
ranchers and business men, at CaleXlco. The meet
ing graced by the presence of Harry Chandler.
surrounded by group of men wrho are sympathetic,
to put it mildly with what Harry Chandler considers
necessary for Imperial Valley.
1t is needless to say that Mr. Chandler dominated
the meeting His presence there guaranteed that:
The meeting followed an inspection of levees in Mex
leo, forming part of the flood protection for lmpe-
rial Valley. The meeting decided that these levees
in such dilapidaed condition, "due to the negl
of the Imperial Irrigation District that the
valley is in immediate danger, should the Colorado
river decide to go on rampage.
Further. the meeting decided that in order to avert
any such catastrophe the government should be peti-
control purposes and thus save the valley Such ap-
preparation to be made after survey of the evee
system by impartial United States engineers
With such appropriation granted, the Swing
johnson bill would stand chance of passing through
congress sometime in the fall of 1886 The valley is
safe Uncle Sam, thanks to your small appropria-
ton for flood CONTROL and there is need for Boul
der Canyon dam or the Al-Amerlcan canal. We
wise men have saved you the enormous expenditure
1ncidently OF the "Iiood protection work to
be paid for by the appropriation would help to re-
claim land in which Mr. Chandler is interested, below
the Pescadero levee. That would just be Incidental.
Immediately following Mr.. Chandlers visit here
the governor also becomes solicitous the flood
menace to Imperial Valley and decides that special
session of thel gelslature is necessary to
1t is odd that the governors socitude should be
aroused after the Chandler visit especially in
view of the fact that during his four in office
the governor has fit to "tnkers dam
whether the Swing-J oilnson Dill ever passed The
help he has given that bill about equal to the help
Mr. Tunney recently gave Mr.. Dempsey
Now with his term of office nearly over, and beaten
for denomination, the governor processes great
concern for the future of Imperial Valley.
The saving at Calexico, and the saving at Sac
ramento too close together to be Matched out
of the same nest-the canny mind of Mr.. Chandler.
Two such savings these, with the Swing-John
son bill coming up IN congress in little than a
month, strongly of double-barreed at
tempt to kill the BILL to tool the people of Imperial
Valley.
The Frney resolution, passed by the last legsla-
ture, and written in part of the Swing-Johnson bill
is the center Of attack at Sacramento. his resolution
has been declared absolutely essential to protect the
means OF bringing the upper basin states to the sup
port Of this community. kescnding the Flnney
luton, which governor WISHES to accomplish at
his special sion, will in all probability hinder action
by congress at this session the Swing-Johnson BILL
and Will postpone progress on the bill for years
which exactly what VI Chandler WISHES.
The governors apparent solcltudc is as absurd
the claim made at the Caexico meeting that the dis
tric deliberately courting flood in the valley
by allowing the levee TO dsinegrate. thereby hoping
to stimulate congress into quicker and favorable
action the bill.
Mr. Chandler and his friends, the allied power COM
panies, representatives Of which among the
'ranchers" at the CaIeXico meeung, the handWrt
ing on the wall They realize that II ! never
with them, if they are TO prevent passage Of the
Swing ohnson bill.
We in the valley should take leaf from their book
and also realize that it is now never" with The
SwngJ J0hnson bill is the for Imperial Valleys ills
this fact being admitted in recent months by many for
opponents of the bill.
Get united behind the bill as we behind the
recent request for appropriation from the super
Visors to help it, and the Savings Calexico and
Sacramento will be beaten they deserve be beaten
Continue the squabbling and scrapning and Imperial
Valley will yet be "saved'-tor It's ancient inhabitants
Al, "a, ind a,1I4 ratfl flpSr,a