Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1933-12-12
Editorial Page
ard
Features
OPPOSE WATER PROJECT

Citing the All-American canal project
as reason why Imperial Valley should
support the Central Valley water project,
on which the people of the state will be
called to vote one week from today, is
not, in the opinion of The Press, found
ed on sound logic, for the two projects
are not analogous.
The canal is being built by virtue of
a direct donation from the federal gov
eminent, to be paid back by the acreage
to be benefited by the canal, plus sale of
power to be generated on the canal.
In the case of the Central Valley pro-
ject, the claim is made that the federal
government will make an outright dona-
ton of upwards of $40000,000 on the
total cost of S170OOO,00O, the latter be-
ing the amount of the bond issue the
people are being asked to approve.
There has been no definite promise
made that the government will give S4O,-
100000 toward the project, and in view
of the recent declaration by Secretary
Ickes that no more federal money will be
apportioned to California, Oregon and
Washington until other states shall have
received federal money proportonate TO
the amount appropriated to the Paclflc
coast, it is sheer recklessness and gamb-
ling. to assume that an outright donation
will be made for the Central Valley
project.
Again. by the terms of the All-Amer-
lean canal contract under which our
S6,0O0,000 appropriation was awarded,
no new lands are to be brought into CIVIL
ization. Plans for developing the mesa
lands have had to go by the board IN COM
pliance to the administrators obJectlon
to bringing new lands into cultivation.
One of the primary objects of the Cen
trail Valley project is to develop new
lands, despite the fact that adjacent
lands now in cultivation are over-produc-
ing and the crops they raise cannot be
marketed at a profit.
The people are being told that the
s17O, OOOO 900 bond issue, minus the prob
lematical gift of S40,000000 by the gov
eminent, will not cost the state anything
that it will be paid by the lands to ben
eft by the project Yet the very wording
of the act on which the people vote,
states that ''such bonds hereby authoriz-
ed shall be further reduced by such an
amount as may be appropriated and made
available out of the treasury of the state
of California in aid of the construction
of said project or any unit thereof,
The possibility that the state Will be
called upon to assume the burden Of
much of this S17O,O00,000 is too definite
to warrant the risk.
There is nobody, outside OF Imperial
Valley, who is going to be charged with
the cost of the All-American canal. There
is ''better than even" chance that tax
payers of the entire state will be called
upon to share the burden of the Central
Valley project. Provision is even made
in the act that they may assume such
burden. Such a condition places no
duty" on the people of Imperial Valley
to support the Central Valley project un-
less they are willing ultimately to accept
a share in its cost.
It should be remembered that the $780,
100000 in bonds, even minus the myth
cal S40,000,000 federal donation, draws
interest which over period of years will
reach to staggering proportions.
Were all the various factors to be con-
sidered favorable to the success of the
project it would even then, be risky.
With so many phases casting grave doubt