Imperial Valley press., 1937-06-04
WHATEVER THE OFFER,
THE PURPOSE REMAINS

Whatever offer the Nevada California
Electric corporation makes at this time
for All American canal power. the peo-
pie of Imperial Valley are justified in
regarding with distrust. 1t is self
evident fact that, whatever the details of
the offer, the purpose remains the same.
1t is to gain control of hydro-electric
energy from the canal.
The distrust with which we look upon
the Nev-Cal offer should not be thing
of prejudice. 1t should be the normal
distrust with which one business man
regards any plan proposed to him by
competing business man.
There is nothing terrible or criminal
or even illogical about the Nev-Cal de-
sire to gain control of All American cam
al power. Any of us, in the place of
the power company, would do the same.
1t is the business of power company Off
cials to protect the profits of their stock
holders-and Imperial Valley long has
been source of magnificent Ito the
power company profit We cannot
blame them for not wanting to lose it.
On the other hand certainly nobody
can blame us for wanting to keep the
profit ourselves. We are not ignorant or
inefficient because we want to keep con-
troll of an asset which will reduce our
taxes, lower our electric bills and give
each one of us voice in distribution
and sale of commodity which is as
precious to our community life as is
water itself.
We would be ignorant and inefficient
if we gave up control of that commodity
o.
When the power company hinges its
offer to finance construction of public
power plants on the condition that the
valley vote mo" on federal contracts
June 16, the power company has brought
its fight out in the open. The aim is not
to give Imperial Valley better terms,
more electricity or greater market. 1t
is to deprive Imperial Valley of control
over its own power resources.
Development of power on the canal
has been opposed, step by step through
the years, by the power company, be-
cause such development threatened to
put the people of the valley in the pow
er business. The power company fears
such powerful competition, for those
who are its customers now would be-
come its competitors under such develop
ment.
Now that the battle is lost, the power
company is taking the next step. From
the private company's angle, it is the
logical one. 1t would give the compa-
ny absolute control of the power. 1t
would leave the people with very little
voice in matters of rates, profits and
replacement of new lines.
Following logic to its conclusion, how
ever the power company cannot logical
ly expect that the people of the VALLEY
will give to the company the profit which
otherwise would go to pay off the peo-
pies obligations. 1t would not be sound
reasoning.
When the Nev-Cal says vote No on
June 16,'' it is admitting that its offer
and supplemental offer for canal power
is nothing but a last-minute, desperate
effort to head off municipal ownership.
The last-minute aspect of the offer, alone
is enough to demonstrate that it is moth
ing more than a campaign argument
against the federal financing contracts.
When the power company has said
vote no." the people have always voted
"yes." There is no reason to think the
precedent will be broken on June 16.
When Imperial Valley goes to the polls,
it is safe to believe it will cast hearty
vote in favor of controlling and selling
its own power.
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of a golfer.