Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-04-23
CALIFORNIA Legislature.
FIRST EXTRA sEssIoN-NINErgESTs D y
SENATE.
S.cRAurNrn. Anil % lss1

SENATE.
SACRAMENTO, April -, 1881.
The Senate was called to order a; 10 O'Clock,
| President pro tenn. Johnston in the chair. Roll
called and quorum present. Minutes read and
approved.
The Assembly message. announcing the passsae
of the Senate bills for the deficiencies in the hty-
secoud fiscal year, was real Also the amendment
toS. B. p, which amendment was eaneurred in by
the Senate.
The following deficiency bills for the thirt. first
fiscal year were read the second time ana ordered
engrossed: $. B. II, rewar,i5 by Governor, $500 ;
5 - . stat onerS, etc, r legislature and State
officers, oSS Il ). b %. repairs to Stste Capi-
tol, s5lS So; 5. 81 postage, etc., for Clerk Of
Supreme Curt $50 40; ). b 81 salary o; Reseiste-
OF Land Onlce, S26l CO. S. B. 81. postage, etc tor
| Superintendent Of Public Instruction. $3.50 Is $
! B. 80 p9stage etc, for Secretary oi Stste, S512
! Consideration OF A. B. 8, general appropriation
! bill, was resumed, on the amendment peldIHg yes,
| terday.
Mr. scar said he eoull rot account fer lie posi-.
tion taken by Senators yesterday except that per
! s0nal necessity governet them He did not believe
| the gentlemen would favSr levyirg speeia! AK to
carry OIL this scheme, and vet there IN differ
ence between that and ttking it from, the Treasury
| y here is this to st0pl II it is right levy Tx
for irrigation bitches you have the same right 20
provide FOR mining bitches: if it is rght 10 fiji val
ieys, the same right exists to level mountains This
| irrigation Act had been the entering wedge which
had led to the debris Act and these had already ex
pended 1900 Geo. and had been OF ro possible public
| benefit. Ii this amount now in the Treasury
| it would reduce the tax levy for the eomi year
one-half He thought the Senate should strike out
| this appropriation or turn over the keys OF the
| Treasury to the State Engineer and his cohorts.
| AIR CHASE called attention to the inconsistencies
i Of the last speaker and said he ha1 watched his
course for three sessions with interest. First,
the gentleman was IN favor of debris, then opposed
it then Tor the engineer bill. and now after the
work has been in progress and this is required
pinrf,ptg II igp I II
not objet to the Legislature appropratng $40 100
to pay Ter machinery bought without a warrant
Of law. The water was Of more value than the
mines, and this appropriation Is needed t. complete
what hiss been mmenced and unless tbs is done
the $4,000 already expended viii prove OF no
value.
Mr., PARDgE eoull see no difference between this
and the debris Act, so far as general benefit
cerned, and if the principle good sixty days ago
it was soo1 now If he eeud believe this bill oulG
benefit the suthern ties tenth the amount
of tax, he would favor il. This is . scheme for cap
italists and monopolists, and the people should
be taxed for what will be benefs to them. If he
had the power lie would dissolve every commission,
for be believed the tax ist mu t he cutdown There
is no virtue IN the proposition, and the expenditure
OF s30, 600 in the southern counties would benefit
no one except those who receive the salaries
Mr.. WESosLL said that consistency had nothing TO
d with it the only question is whether it is right
He then took up the Act under which tue subject
originated, and made extended argument to So ow
that the Ac. expired by limitation on toe 1st Of
Hay, 1850, claiming that the language Of the act
was not such as would be used we're il for perma
nent Office.
Pending the amendment, at 1880 the Passr.
TENT deeafed a recess until o'clock.
Afternoon Session.
Tie Senate reassembed at O'clock President
pro ten. Johnston in the chair.
I On motion of Mr.. JOHNSON, S. B. l6 was teInpora,
The consideration of S. B was resumed.
Mr.. CHESEY said that one OF the members of
the Judiciary Committee who had reported to this
body that there WAS such an officer as State Engi-
neer, he elsnled it du to give his reasons there
for. The question is one OF construction OF the
statutes, and ii take the act and apply the rule
of grammar we fad that the term two years applies
t. the appointment and not to the duration OF the
Office. Subdivision of the ct provides fer ascer
tanning the number OF acres to be reclaimed by rIi
CATION and also the supply of water to be furnished
by the streams in different wears: and how could he
do thisi the 'erm for ohly two years Also to
ascertlin the time during which the water supply
would furnish irrigation, and two years could not
accomplish this. Sub DIVISION AZ requires full
port the first OF Jcne, 1885, OF the then condition
Of the inquiry, which would indicate that this
WAS to be but a partial report. 1t is ob.
jected that no benefit has resulted bu:
the benefit from water to the waste plac 8
does not warrant that assertion. Ii the arid plains
~ere supplied with water this approximation would
soon be returned in incre ased taxes, 0tAer States
and countries Lave redeemed deserts, and We
should do The same. 1t is shame to appropriate
to the agricultural Socl6tes ana Eob tc auOpt some
scheme to bring water to those waste places. We're
the appropriation SI00 006 the taxpayers woul not
object. The appropriations t. tn agricultural
soc ties are for purpose, but take away agricut
ure and manufacturing interesf faisS take away
commercial int rest and both fall.
Mr.. NYE took the position that to secure immi
grafton the agricul ura lands must be made fertile
by a good supply OF water, but at the same time
favored the amendment OF the committee.
Mr.. BAKER, i'll resp nse t, the accusation of in
consistency, claimed that this. bill was for
carrying on III the southern counties what
had been done in other portions-that he
had upon a occasions voted against the de-
bris Act and a. all times when this proposition had
been before the Senate, had favored it.
Mr.. ESos said that it was conceded that $4,000
would not complete the work, ard the next LegIs-
lature would be asked for another appropriation
Hs wasn favor of appropriations if the public could
be beuefted thereby. Had always voted in their
favor when such were before the Legislature. He
appealed 10 his Democratic friends to vote against
this appropriation, by it the Republicans were
trying to break up the Democratic majority by fur
nishiDg them with water.
Mr.. liTTTELL discussed the eonstitutionaty of the
State Engineer Act claiming that the office could
not be vacated without ct for that special pur-
pose instead of which the Legislature had appro-
priated money to continue 1t. He was in favor OF
allowing the completion but considered the present
sum too much would vote for $4,000
Mr.. RowEbL said the Inhabitants interested in
this did not want appropriations to construct the
contemplated works. All they wanted was Iegisla-
tion that would enable them to make judieious
OF their own means
Mr. JOHNSON called attention to Supreme Court
decision which covered the State Engineer ques-
ton, which left in his mind that there was such an
officer. He also called attention to the report of
the United States Surveyors to the importance OF
this work.
The question recurring on the amendment to
strike out the appropriation, the roll was called and
the amendment prevaed-ayes o, noes il.
Mr.. HuDsoS reported several bills properly en-
rolled and placed in the hands of the Governor
At Sis, on motion of Mr.. Esos the Senate adj
journed until 10 O'Clock tomorrow morning.