Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-01-03

law itself, and can only be cured by con-
stitutional amendments. It is to be ex-
pected that serious elaboration will be
given to the radical evils which actual ex
pertinent has shown to exist in the new
revenue system. It is sufficiently notorious
that this system was framed in deliberate
| defiance of the best established economic
principles, by men deeply tainted with the
vicious theories of Communism, and who
sought to impose excessive and unequal
burdens upon capital. The new Consti-
tuition was in fact essentially raid upon
the rich men of the State. 1t embodied the
determination of certain classes to shift as
much as possible of the weight of taxation
upon those who had prospered. Among
the people who at the time made the
loudest outcry against evasion OF taxation
were many whose real purpose was to shirk
taxation themselves, and who with I'M
scrupulous effrontery voted to omit from
the Constitution all recognition of the prin-
ciple that taxation should be equal and
uniform. This omission was in itself an
advertisement OF the injustice of the inten-
tons of the Constitutional Convention, and
fresh declaration of their dishonest pur-
pose to punish industry and enterprise by
discriminating special taxation. The re-
suits of this fatuous and short sighted
policy are now being exhibited. Capital
lists are preparing to withdraw from State
where double and treble taxation is i'm
posed upon them. The one fact that the
California system of taxing shares and
stock as property is not recognized in other
States of the Union inevitably gives them
advantages as places of residence and fields
Of business activity, which must operate
to draw from this community all its
weather. citizens if the present mis-
chfevous and inequitable methods of taxa
ton are not amended. The idea that
men will submit to such wrongs, and
quietly continue to inhabit State which
thus plumbers them, could only have been
seriously entertained by persons whose
mental caliber was so small that they failed
to perceive the injustice and impolicy Of
the system they adopted.
1t is understood that an effort will be
made to secure the repeal Of the Drainage
Act, better known as the Debris bill. Such
an attempt can only be accounted for by
the supposition that the objects of the bill
have been misunderstood by those who OBJ
ject to it, and that they fail to realize the
gravity OF the situation which called for its
enactment. The subject of the disposition
of the mining debris is one which calls for
the most earnest and statesmanlike consider
alton. 1t is question which involves the
prosperity of the entire Sacramento valley,
and ultimately the integrity of the harbor
of San Francisco. 1t cannot with any re-
gard for the truth be denominated local
question, but is one of State significance
and Importance. Tne theory that in rails
ing the necessary revenue to handle it only
the test of immediate and direct benefits
should be applied, is one which can have
no justification under the circumstances
1t is certainly as much the duty of the
whole State to contribute to the prosecution
OF the engineering works required as it can
be the duty Of the United States to apply
the taxes drawn from the whole nation to
the interior improvement of particular
localities It is therefore to be hoped that
the present Legislature will not only refuse
to repeal the Act now in operation, but
that it will provide for the continuance and
extension of the remedial works recon-
mended by the State and Consulting
Engineers.
The question OF irrigation will come up
for treatment this session, and it also will
demand very careful and intelligent han
ding. The State Engineer has gathered
sufficient data to give an idea of what is
needed for the relief and improvement of
the southern regions which are at present
insufficiently provided with water. This
also is subject Of magnitude, and must
be legislated upon from broad and COM
prehensive standpoint. If the principles
sought to be applied by the opponents of
the Debris bill were made use of in this
case it would clearly be impossible to effect
any useful results The works required
for storing the surplus rainfall, and for dis
tributing it subsequently are beyond the
reach of local means. They might, per-
haps, be undertaken by private capital, but
in that case there is great danger that
powers would be acquired by corporations
inimical to the independence of the indi-
vidual cultivator, and therefore the case is
evidently one for State control.
The subject of county government, as
well as that of municipal charters, must
be considered also, and it is evident that
in both these cases it may be necessary to
propose amendments to the Constitution.
There are many other questions of import.
ance which will claim the attention of the
Legislature, but it is doubtful whether the
time at its disposal will allow it to reach
all these matters. 1t is to be hoped that a
conservative disposition will characterize
the legislation of the session, and that the
best interests Of the whole State will be
strengthened and fostered, instead of be.
ing marked out for malignant attack, as
has happened too frequently heretofore.
California has had sufficient reason to de.
test communistic propositions and theories
of all kinds, aud even after the brief ex-
perience had of the new Constitution it is a
perfectly safe assertion that if that instru-
ment had to be voted upon again it would
be repudiated by double or treble the ma
jority by which it was unfortunately
adopted.
The Marysville Daily appeal became of
age SATURDAY. having COMPLETED its twenty