Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-02-12
the folly nf all talk about compromise.

the folly of all talk about compromise.
The disastrous effects of that food were
due altogether to the fact that remedial
measures have been delayed so long
While we have been talking the debris has
been pouring down, and the rivers have
been filling up, and now, when we tardily
begin to do something, we receive warn
ing which signifies that we have no more
time to lose. Of course it is absurd to as.
sumo that the system of the engineers has
been tested. 1t has not been tested, for
the sufficient reason that it mas not been
put in operation. Only beginning has
been made thus far To have had test
of the system we must have had the Sac
ramento river from its mouth up
Strengthened and leveed by the engineers
in accordance with their own plans, and
then indeed we should have been
in position to see what their
plans were worth. We have not doubt
of their success under such conditions
Had these levees been in place we are
satisfied that two-thirds of the body of
water now spread over the country would
have been carried to the sea in the regular
river channel, and that in the next sue
ceeding high.water season the whole of
the freshets would have gone down inside
the river banks.
But the engineering plans have only
been begun. The brush dams have done
all that was expected of them, but with
out the levee system which was to accom-.
pany them they could not check the spread
of the flood. 1t is, therefore, only by going
on with the works that they can be tested.
Standingstill, and trying compromises, must
prove equally fatal. Nothing can ever save
this valley but the correction of the rivers.
Nothing can correct the rivers but the
methods pointed out by the engineers.
We are thus shut up to two lines of action.
We must determine to insist upon the
carrying out of the plans which have been
drawn up by the engineers for our relief,
or we must prepare to abandon the Sacra-
mento valley. 1t is useless to talk of stop
ping hydraulic mining as a halfway meas
ure, because no such recourse can affect the
main situation. If the mines were wiped
out of existence tomorrow we should still
have to battle with the debris they have
already deposited, first in the canyons, and
second in the river channels; and the
reserves there accumulated are, according
to the highest authority, sufficient to over
whelm the valley in comparatively brief
period.
The fact to be recognized is that no
matter what is done about hydraulic min
ing the necessity of continuing remedial
operations in this valley must be the same.
And it must be realized further that unless
some one has plans to propose which are of
higher authority and better guaranteed
than those which Captain Eads, General
Alexander and Colonel Mendell have APP
proved, it is folly to talk of substituting
new or different methods for those which
have been already adopted. No matter
from what point of view we examine the
situation, therefore, we are compelled to
return to the conviction that there is no
tenable position for the people of the Sac
ramento valley but resolute adherence to
the relief system which has been begun.
Every other proposition leads US farther
away from the prospect and hope of rem
edy, and every suggestion towards partial
remedies plunges us back into the confu
sion and loss which that kind of expert
ment has alone resulted in hitherto. If
any lesson has been taught by the present
flood it is the futility of independent,
piecemeal reclamation work. Henceforth
all such enterprises should be carried out
upon single system, or they should be
left alone. If, however, we mean to oc.
cupy the Sacramento valley in perpetuity
we must all resolve to act tremendously
and solidly on this issue. We cannot
afford to fritter away our strength In d.
vided councils. We must agree upon the
main necessity of comprehensive and sci.
entitic remedies, and then we must strain
every energy to obtain what we want.