Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-01-15

apain and enforced and fortified by every
argument that occurs to the writer. The
absolute need of remedial legislation hav.
ing been demonstrated, the Governor nat
urally goes on to a consideration OF the
principles by which the question should be
governed In this connection he defends
and iustifes the Drainage Act of 1880,
showing that the doctrine OF general tax
alton contained in it is one of almost uni
versal application, and citing many illus
trations of this. The argument in this
connection is followed by one in behalf of
Congressional aid for the matter, and the
message concludes with a reiteration of
the emphatic views of the Governor re-
garding the extent and seriousness Of the
dangers with which the State is threat
ened, and an earnest appeal to the Legisla-
ture to meet the emergency with wisdom
and courage.
It is impossible to deny that, taking it
altogether, this is an Executive commune
cation Of more than commonly high
order. It is not TO be regarded as an
argument, since that term implies pur-
pose to uphold or to put down particular
side of case. 1t is rather, has been
before remarked, judicial in lis tone and
treatment, the only question upon which
positive and emphatic convictions are ex-
pressed being the absolute necessity of
some systematic remedial legislation. We
believe that this really succinct review Of
the debris question will cause it to be
better understood in all its bearings than
it has ever been before, The Governor
has taken a position in the matter which
does him infinite credit, and which proves
that he possesses the instincts OF true pa
triotism and craftsmanship At the risk
of being reproached as an alarmist by those
who never believe in the reality Of dan
ger until they find themselves overwhelmed
by it, he has called public attention TO the
greatest question of the hour in a manner
the earnestness and even solemnity Of
which must enforce recognition, while the
considerations presented must convince
the most incredulous of the gravity Of the
situation
As the Governor tells tie Legislature,
it is called upon to decide the fate Of the
Sacramento Valley directly, and OF
Every much wider interests indirectly"
To treat such subject as one Of mere
''local concernment would be fatuous.
II ever there was State question, the
debris question is one, and this Governor
Perkins has proved in what we must re
gard as convincing manner. There are,
no doubt, several powerful considerations
intimated in his argument but he has not
pretended to do more than recapitulate the
leading IDEAS, and 1t must be admitted that
he has acquitted himself with sufficient
| Judgment IN that regard.
One thing this message viii certainly do
namely, make it impossible to treat the
Debris question any more as one Of eom-
parative insignifeance. No doGbs efforts
will be made to confute the Governor
calculations for the purpose OF inpeaching
his judgment, bat we have sufficiently
tested his data to be convinced that not
one of his approximations cau be success
fully attacked, and that on the other hand
it woald have been possible for him to
have made much stronger showing with
out mourning the charge Of exaggeration.
His summary OF the case, however, win
compel attention, and viii cause the Legs
lature TO understand that this problem is
not of an abstract question, which can
safely be dropped as policy or eSigency
may counsel but that it IS IN very truth
question of the existence Of the Sacra-
mento Valley, and ultimately Of the haroor
of San Francisco and the San joaquin
Valley also It is, ia fact, a question
insisting upon adequate treatment, and
this fact the Governor has unquestionably
succeeded in demonstrating beyond CON
troversy.
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