Sacramento daily record-union., 1881-02-16
THE SITUATION REVIEWED.

| close OF Jne session, possIDlllGy tHdt tne
debris bill will be repealed, and the longer
action upon it is delayed the greater is the
danger that in the event of its repeal it
will be too late to introduce any legislation
for the protection of the threatened inter-
ests. The RECORD UNION has throughout
this contest endeavored to maintain a
course of action as far as possible calcu-
culated to serve all the interests involved.
1t has sought to preserve the farmers with
out destroying the miners. 1t has labored
to promote belief in the wisdom of recog.
nizing the principle of community interest.
It has striven to obtain the greatest good
for the greatest number in the most econ
omical way. This we still believe to be
the most statesmanlike course, and that
which will produce the best results. But
we see now danger that, through the
growth of antagonisms and the exasperating
effects of mutual defeats and disappoint-
ments, the interests which are most
threatened may be eventually left out of
consideration, and situation be produced
of the most hopeless and disastrous char
acter.
1t is therefore necessary to consider very
seriously what the position of the Sacra-
mento valley would be if the debris bill
was repealed and nothing was put in its
place. In that event we should be worse
off than before this agitation commenced,
for it is evident that the heavy rams of the
present winter have washed down an I'M
mense quantity of debris into the upper
sence of any preventive measures this
must find its way in the course of another
winter into the lower courses of the
streams. and may quite possibly destroy
the navigability of the Sacramento. 1t
must further be apparent that if the debris
bill is repealed, and that is the end of leg
islation, the damage done by the hydraulic
mines will become greater than ever, and
there will be no remedy against it but the
SAON anu ullSSl IdIl dCLaOn VI tltS SOuIUS.
The first thing to be done, so far as this
community is concerned, is to protect the
Sacramento valley, and it must be realized
now that if the debris bill is repealed, as
the case stands, that will become impos-
sible. When military commanders are
preparing to defend positions, it is Gus.
tomary for them to construct several lines
of defense, one behind another, to the end
that if the enemy should carry the first
line there will be second one to fall back
upon, and if the second is carried, third.
In the present case, however, we have but
one line of defense, and if that goes we
are at the mercy of the hydraulic debris
and the floods This is not sound or safe
position, and it ought to be amended with
out delay, but SO far nothing has been done
to guard against the worst that can hap
pen.
There is indeed talk of demanding the
stoppage of the hydraulic mines, and if the
debris bill is defeated it may become neces-
sary to insist upon that measure. But the
stoppage of hydraulic mining would not
make the valley safe as things are, and
that fact cannot be given too much prom
inence. Let US suppose the debris bill
beaten, and let US suppose that it has been
found possible to enact constitutional bill
suspending hydraulic mining, or compelling
the miners to hold back their debris. It
ably provide for the future, but it is very
clear that it would afford no adequate Sc
curity for the present. The one imminent
danger to-day is the immense mass of
debris which has long since left the mines,
which cannot be reached by any law stop
ping hydraulic mining, but which will
inevitably be washed down into and over
the valley if nothing is done to restrain it.
That is the one vital point which is not
and cannot be reached by any action,
either in the Legislature or the Courts,
against hydraulic mining. Perhaps there
are some who think that if the sending
down of new debris were stopped the
rivers would clear themselves in time.
But there is unfortunately no warrant for
such belief. On the contrary, the ten
dency must be to fill up aid choke the
river channels more and more every year,
and in the absence of preventive measures
the rivers would all be paralyzed long be-
fore the debris in sight had been conveyed
half way to the sea.
Again, it must be realized that if the
debris bill is repealed and hydraulic min
ing be stopped, the people OF the Sacra-
mento valley will have to contend single
handed with this debris. They cannot
then look for help either to the State or to
the miners. They must tax themselves
to fight the common enemy, with the con.
seriousness that failure means irremediable
ruin, and that even success may be pur-
chased too dearly. A dispassionate review
of the situation consequently compels the
conviction that 1t is of the first Importance
to desire some alternative measure or
measures in advance of the final determi-
nation of the present struggle in the As
sembly. To postpone action on this until
the end of the contest, which may be also
the end Of the session, is to imperil every
thing, and nothing can be clearer than that
the people of this valley cannot afford to
take the risk of two more winters without
remedial action, as they will be forced to
do If the repeal of the debris bill finds
them unprepared with some protective
legislation.
THE SPEAKERS RULING.
The Speaker of the Assembly has again
been compelled to undergo an assault upon
his position that bill cannot be taken up
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