Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-07-13
THE MANIA FOR LITIGATION.

dAu SuueaNoTinS 70 PersuauS eao PeoPiS
of as many counties as possible to bring
suit against the hydraulic miners. They
are encouraging if not actually maintaining
the belief that Multiplicity of suits will
somehow strengthen the position OF the
farmers and residents of the valley. And
they find many persons so simple and I'M
sophisticated as to fall in with their views.
It is, therefore, necessary tc point out
clearly that these notions are altogether
erroneous, and that they can only result
in the useless expenditure of the public
funds. There is no truth whatever in the
assumption that dozen quits are better
that one or two. a dozen suits will no
doubt put more money in the pockets OF
the lawyers, but that is all they will effect.
The case Of the plaintiffs in this contro-
versy is the same all over the Sacramento
valley, and if the principles in issue are
decided in one suit they will be decided
in all. Whoever, therefore, asserts that
there is either wisdom or necessity III
instituting many suits is guilty of a false
pretense, and may fairly be charged with
selfish desire to increase litigation for the
sake of its profits to the lawyers.
1t can make no difference in the result
whether there is one suit or twenty, SO long
as they are all directed to the same end.
Those who are the sincere and honest
friends of the people of this valley desire
! that the mischief done by hydraulic min
ing shall be stopped in the most econom-
ical way. That is why the Drainage Act
was supported. The engineering plans
which have been so unwisely and prema-
turely condemned would have secured
permanent safety to the valley without i'm
posing upon its residents any heavy taxa
ton. The State would have helped to
bear the expense, and the miners would
have paid large proportion of it. That
was the cheapest method of relief yet pro-
posed, and we still maintain that it would
have been the most certain and permanent.
TIE resort to litigation, however, has been
accompanied by an irrational movement in
behalf of a multiplicity of suits, which is
wholly contrary to the interests of the tax
payers, and which is equivalent to blind
desire to thrust fat fees upon lawyers for
no conceivable purpose.
1t might be proper that Sacramento
county should bear her share in the ex-
pense of litigation, but the only rational
way for her to do that would be to con-
tribute something towards the prosecution
OF one OF the quits already commenced.
There is no sense in beginning fresh suits
on behalf of this county. As we have said,
nobody but the lawyers has anything to
gain by that policy. Sacramento county
cannot influence the Courts any more than
Yuba or Suffer counties. This is still
clearer when we point out that it is pro.
posed to employ the same lawyer who is
already retained to prosecute the other
suits. The allegations are identical in all
these cases. The thing sought is the same
in all of them. The means of seeking it
are necessarily the same. 1t is therefore
perfectly apparent that the multiplication of
suits is solely foolish method of throwing
away the means of the taxpayers.
The public must understand that how.
ever farawsy it may seem to talk of suits
instituted by the county, it is always the
people of the county who must pay for
these suits. The county has no money of
its own. 1t is the money of the people
which it is proposed to give away to the
lawyers for these wholly useless and super.
fuous proceedings. And it must be fur
Their realized that there is no question of
any danger to the county from neglect to
litigate All the points the county could
set up have already been set up by Marys-
vile, and if they are decided in favor of
Marysville the cause Of Sacramento also
will be triumphant. The lawyers who
pretend that there is some special necessity
for separate suits on behalf OF this county
are endeavoring to cajole the public. Their
motives are conspicuously selfish and
personal. Il is their interest to have as
many suits as possible, SO long as their ser.
vices are retained, and we have no doubt
that if they thought it practicable they
would undertake to persuade dozen other
counties that they ought to litigate.
Every prudent and sensible taxpayer
ought to set his face against this ur-
warrantable squandering Of public money.
There is no Justification or excuse for it.
We have only to wait little, and this
whole question will be settled withou;
costing us anything. Why then should
we insist upon spending s20o or $50 OC
which we cannot afford, and the payment
of which will necessitate the raising Of the
rate of taxation Are the people of Sac.
ramento so rich and so careless of money
that they prefer to spend their earnings
recklessly rather than to save them That
is what the Supervisors appear to think.
The plain truth is that this proposed ex.
penditure must be sheer waste. 1t is not
required in any sense. It cannot strengthen
the case of the farmers against the miners
an iota. 1t is merely blind and silly &C.
lquiesceuce in the cunning and selfish de.
vices Of the lawyers who are trying to
enrich themselves out OF the popular
troubles, and who are using ignorant pre-.
udice to hoodwink the unthinking, and to
make them participators in the fleeing OF
themselves. Multiplicity Of lawsuits is
condemned by the law as pernicious, and
for the best possible reasons. In this case
the arguments against the proposition are
| if anything stronger than ordinary. In
facs it would be quite as justiiable and ra.
tional for the Supervisors to make an out.
right gift of $50, 600 or $50, 900 to the law.
yers, for no consideration but goodwill
and affection.
THE ALBANY SITUATION.