Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-03-19


that the public derived no benefit from them. Any
man who visited Yuba Nevada and Sierra counties
would see thousands of men, not Cinnamon, working
there every day. There were fine churches, school
houses prosperous villages and thrifty people. 1t
was not that the money was all carried off by
corporations owning the mines. Many of the mines
were worked at small profit. In the speakers own
county there was population OF 30 600, and more
thrifty pcopls could not be found. This debris
question had been forced u on them. The miners
were willing that the agricultural interests should
be justly protected, but he did not approve OF the
spirit of the amendment of the gentleman from Sac
ramento (Ar Young) at this time. There were three
bills before the House and he thought the amend
ment should be considered in connection with them
all.
Mr.. Downs said this was matter with which the
State could not triie. It should be decided by this
Legislature otherwise our constituents will hold US
responsible. | am in favor of ths amendment of
fered by Mr.. Sweetland, and opposed to that offered
by MIR. Young. am also in favor of taking up Mr..
Carr's bill and let that go to print; also Mr.. Cham
berlains bill. Get them all fairly before u.s. and we
can decide the merits of the whole.
Mr.. LEvEE hoped the amendment OF Mr.. Young
would not be adopted.
Mr.. TYLER said he had heard no one state the dis
tinctive characteristics of the different bills. He
understood that the original bill under consideration
was prepared at the request OF the farmers in the
valleys where the debris comes down.
Mr.. CHAHDLER-You have been misinformed.
Mr.. TYLER-Then in whose interest?
MIR. CHANDLER-ln the interest OF the hydraulic
miners and the swamp land owners In the other
counties ninetynine out OF every hundred are op
posed to it.
Mr.. TYLER replied that he simply was trying to
get at the principles underlying these two bills He
understood that this bill operated upon the princ
pie that these several districts should be taxed,
that bonds should be issued to pay the expenses Of
reclamation OF the several districts He referred TO
the substitute striking out the enacting clause.
Mr.. You've said the substitute to which Mr.. Tyler
was evidently intending to refer consisted OF the
amendments 10 the Brown bill that instead of there
being paid Commissioners, the Governor OF the
State and the State Engineer should act as Commits
soners that the bonds instead Of being unlimited
should be limited in amount, that there should be
no Chinese employed, and that the reclamation dis
tricts should remain they are.
Mr.. TYLER replied that the sub 'titute was then
simply the Brown bill with these amendments. This
establishing reclamation districts a new problem
in legislation, ald one that could not be solved
hastily. He did not believe that the miners could
be stopped or ought to be stopped. He understood
that the amendments introduced by NJ. Sweetland
were prepared by Mr.. Yourg. The amendment of
Mr.. Young was proposition to turn round and tax
the whole State.
AN INTERRUPTION.
Mr. You've said the gentleman either intended to
msrepresent him, or else he knew better.
Mr.. TYLER declined to be interrupted.
Mr.. YoUNG-The gentleman is misrepresenting
me.
Mr. TYLBR-It is false.
Mr.. YOUNG rise to a point order.
The CHAIR-You had no right to interrupt him.
Mr. MAYBELI-I demand that the gentlemans
language be taken down. He SAID it was false.
Mr.. YoUYG-I do not desire to have the language
taken down.
Mr.. MAYBELL-I desire the language taken down,
and that the Chair shall mete out justice.
The CHAIR-You out of order. The gentle
man intimates that the Chair does not desire to
have the same justice meted out to gentleman
the other. Do you mean to insist that the Chair
is partial?
Mr. MAYBELI.-I do not wish to say that the Chair
is partial.
The CHAIR-Iti is not in order to charge the Chair
with partiality unit he makes ruling. In par
liamentary sense do not see that the words are
offensive. To say the words, 1T is false" does
not Imply the gentleman is liar. There is a great
deal of difference parliamentary. The Chair rules
that the words are not, under the circumstances,
offensive.
Mr. BRAUNHARr-It is not Mr.. Young who is in
terested in this matter, it is the House.
The CnArR-It is true. But the House must de-
eide whether the words in themselves necessarily
insulting.
The CHAIR then put the question, "Shall the
words of the gentleman from Alameda be taken
down by the Clerk? and on division 1t was de-
clared lost.
THE DISCUSSION RENEWED.
Mr.. TYLER argued that the amendment OF Mr.
Young proposed to change the tax from district
one to tax to be levied upon the entire State. He
was in favor OF levying the tax, or great portion
of it, in the rnines
Mr. MAY said it did not surprise him that men,
work He referred to past legislation upon this
question: and thought the state had been liberal in
furnishing funGs to secure the report OF competent
engineers upon the subject. The State ought to
pass law similar to the one under consideration,
that would enable parties directly interested to pros
ecute their work with little injury as possible to
other interests The speaker did not feel author
ized, as Of the representatives from San Fran
csco to that the people of that city should pay
thousands OF dollars in taxes under the legislation
proposed.
Mr.. BENNETT said the Brooks bill proposed to
caniZe what would be called q drainage district,
which is not at the present time specified, but is in
the brains OF the Commissioners who may be ap-
pointed. They have control of those districts they
will take in eighteen or twenty cou1ties, each side
OF the Sacramento river, and counties Will be placed
in the list not subject to overflow any more than
counti,s in the southern part OF the State. The
proposition is to stop the debris in the mountains
well to levee the Sacramento river and to re-
claim swamp lands of the State. II would be such
burden on these districts as they would be unable TO
bear. l. is matter of dollars and cents
which any man can figure. The work, if
done will be done at the expense OF the high
lands which are not interested or in any danger
of overflow The fact sares us in the face that the
debris is coming down the river and threatening
the low lands that are high lands now. These farm
ers that own these lands want protection but they
do not feel that it is incumbent upon them to pay
this large bill in their own defense, when the evil
comes from the mountains and the damage is done
by other parties. They simply ask that the State
vent the debris from coming down from the mount
aims That is all they want and all the miners
want is the privilege of going on with their work
unmolested. The Engineer has been before the
committee, and they have come to the conclusion
that the debris must be stopped in the mountains
or the low lands will be covered. Are you going
to stop it or not And if you do, who is
going to pay the bill! The hydraulic Interests In
the mountains perfectly willing to be taxed, not
exorbitantly, perhaps but fair tax, and let this
be done, and under the plans proposed by the en-
glneers stop the debris. think we ought to take
the Chamberlain bill. Let the dams required be
constructed, and in part payment OF the work levy
tax upon the water used by the miners in the
mountains 1t is unfair to tax counties where they
get no return, and shall vote against this
Mr.. McCARTY of Lake urged the necess ty OF some
action
Mr. CHANDLER said there seemed to be a great
deal of time taken up in the effort to convince the
House that the ( rmers along the Yuba, Bear and
Feather rivers desired to have system OF levees.
They desired no such thing All they ask is to be
protected from the debris. Is not the whole State
interested la the rivers which convey its products to
the metropolis? The Engineer has reported that it
is practicable to stop the chris. drainage system
is not asked by the farmers all they ask is to be
protected from the debris.
Mr.. Downs was opposed to both the bill and all
amendments hut was in favor Of the Chamberlain BILL
but if this was to be test vote to the proposition
he would vote for Mr. Young's amendment. In going
to Marysyille the committee found majority OF
the people were in favor of State aid Sutter and
u
of the people everywhere were favor OF State aid
and against bonded indebtedness.
Mr.. FISLAysoN regretted that there was not more
of desire to work harmoniously in this matter.
The people OF the mountains were jealous of the
people OF the plains; the people OF the plains were
Jealous OF the people of the cities All should work
for the common veal, for whatever hurt the people
OF Siskiyou or San Diego hurt the people of the
whole State He should vote for Mr. Young's
amendment, and hoped it would carry
A vote was taken Mr.. YouDg's amendment,
and it was lost-ayes Is, noes g.
AYTI-cHINEsE AMENDMENTS.
Mr.. CoECoRAs offered an am ndment to add new
section, providing that no Chinese should be en-
ployed on any OF the contemplated work. Adopted
Mr. MEDALLION, also offered amendment that
no material used in the Construction OF such works
should be purchased from any contractor employing
Cinnamon. Adopted.
THE SUBSTITUTE DISCUSSED.
The question recurred on the adoption OF the sub
stitute and Mr.. MATHEWS offered an amendment to
Section II, providing that ii there is bonded in
debtedness the question of taxation should pre-
viously be submitted to the people. He wished to
give the people opportunity 20 say whether they
would be exterminated by taxation or not.
Mr.. BROOKS offered am Idment, which was
accepted by Mr.. Mathews, providing that the Act
should not take effect until thirty days after an
election to be held for the purpose of allowing tine
people to vote upon the question, and making a
two-thirds majority necessary to levy the tax.
Mr. TYLER though the Legislature was capable of
judging Of these matters and he had serious doubts
whether an Act with this amendment would be sus-
tanned by the Courts.
n,