Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-07-06
CsTIE0RNIAN
CONFERS FOR
COOPERATION
Irrigation Man Ayers
Interests Same and
Seeks Aid of Valley
In Boulder Dam

SAN BENITO, July Incorporation
Of California and the Lower Rio
Grande Valley in the Boulder Dam
4 project, in settlement Of questions Of
international water rights, and in
seeking protective tariffs on Next
can produce was indicated in confer
ences here Thursday afternoon be-
tween Ira Aten, a director Of the
California Imperial Valley Irrigation
district, with Valley men.
Mr.. Aten made the trip here to
confer with Valley residents regard
ing cooperation in matters Of water
conservation and use, and while here
expressed the belief that most Cali
fornians, and especially the growers
are with the Valley in seeking a
tariff on Mexican vegetables.
He conferred here Thursday after
noon with W. w. Houser, manager Of
the Valley Water Users association,
and other officers of that ~organiza-
ton, and also with w. T.. Anderson,
member of the international Waters
commission, and Frank Robertson.
manager Of the San Benito Irrigation
district. He also talked with j. +.
Bell, manager Of the San Benito
Chamber Of Commerce, on the tariff
question.
Interests Coincide
"The interests Of California and
the Valley on water questions are
harmonious in the main." Mr.. Aten
said. THE Imperial Valley is seek
ing passage Of the Boulder Dam bill
to conserve water, reclaim lands. and
permit further development. We are
willing TO consider, and usually in
clude the demands of other sections,
If they will make those demands
known. The Valley wanted a change
in regard to supplying water 10 Mex
leo, and that change was incorporated
in an amendment to the bill. As it
stands now / understand most Valley
interests are in favor Of it.
IF Arizona, Nevada and other
states which are fighting it will
make some concrete requests, and tell
what they want, we would be glad to
meet and settle matters with them.
But we are not going to turn the pro-
ject over to power interests. We are
told by engineers that the power
which will be generated at the dam
can be made to pay for it in 80 years.
Southern California needs the power,
and will pay for it. There Is no rea-
son why we should not keep il a pub
lie project"
Agree on Water
Mr.. Aten said that California and
the Valley have reached a joint
agreement on matters pertaining %
international water questions, and
that they have both favored the at
titude of the international water
communication a. -a.a1- A.. 49,
river, and Rio Grande water ques-
tions jointly. "We have both agreed
10 let the commission settle these
fled that the commission will settle
them 10 the best interest Of both
sections"
Mr.. Aten explained that the grow
ers in the Imperial Valley are in
favor Of a tariff on Mexican toma-
toes and lettuce, and other farm
products. He said that special finan-
cial interests in Los Angeles, inter
eSts which are financing the tomato
growing industry in Mexico, appear
ed at Washington to oppose the high
er tariff.
There is not as much conflict be.
tween the Mexican and California to.
matoes as between Mexican and Val.
ley, or Florida tomatoes, he said
California tomatoes are harvested il
the fall, and in the late spring, and
none of them come on the market
during the time that Mexican toma.
toes are moving.
Favors Tomato Duty
~Still we are in favor Of any tariffs
measures that will help the Valley
or other growing sections Of this
country" he said.
The California man arrived in the
Valley Thursday morning, and Il
making his headquarters at McAllen
He will be in the Valley until Sat.
urday, and will spend considerable
time talking with Mr.. Anderson, Mr.
Houser, and other Valley residents
who are interested in water cues.
tions.
The Valley has worked for the
Boulder Dam bill, having at one time
sent several persons to Washington
TO aid IN the attempt to secure its
passage.
The bill is to come up again as
soon as congress and MI
Aten expressed the belief that its
passage viii be only a question OF
time.
To See Irrigation
Much objection % the all-Ameri-
can canal is raised he said. eve
have worked out our own project
spending ten years at ii. and we have
followed the advice Of reclamation
engineers and others in this part OF
II. The canal need not be built now.
n 70 all lntents Will probably not
be built for ten or fifteen wears. Rut
II is necessary 70 make a reclamation
project Of the bin. and when the
canal is built, il will be paid for
eventually by those property owners
who are benefited by il. The build
ing OF 1t will wait the decision Of the
reclamation engineers"
The Imperial Valley man exnects
10 look over the irrigation projects in
che Valley before leaving this sec.
oon, and said that he is well pIeased
with the Valley from his first visit 10
y.
The necessity az a tariff or Nor-
'can tomatoes 70 protect the in5us-
try in the Valley. and tho homo ~
California support in securing ,bis
cariff was impressed upon Mr.. Atom
by Mr.. Bell. 1T simply means thpt
the industry Is AZ stake" Nr ReIi
said. with u a tariff Nevico c.n
force US to give ID growing III III
matoes. IL is one of the mo-+ ;-
portant agricultural Problems f,r-
ing the valley now, and residents of
the section are gradually lining m
to support 1t, whether they grow to-
matoes or not"