Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-03-19
CagcKIKG ENTERPRISE.

!
statsment that the promoters of the Colusa
irrigation canal scheme have admitted that
the extra session business has paralyzed
that enterprise. That is to say, capital
has such distrust of the regulation craze,
now being egged en- by the radical Demo
cracy, that il refuses TO invest IN the canal,
and hence the scheme has come to stand
still. Referring to the canal and the extra
session and regulative and cinching mania,
the Star says "I5 is a political muidle
through which our perception fails 10
penetrate, but we will risk the asser-
ton that if our canal project is
permanently defeated by this extra
legislating, more will be lest to the
State than it would be possible for such a
body to make good. We believe Mr., Green
is clear-headed on all political questions
especially relating to California, and he
believes no relief will be derived from the
Legislature that is about to meet"
To this Mr.. Green, the chief promoter of
the canal plans, replies through his own
paper, the Colusa San. He recounts the
history of the scheme, hia belief in its
feasibility, the vast benefit It viii be 70
country, etc, and adds these significant
words: Everybody said that it was a
grand enterprise the cheapest irrigsting
canal il America, but the consumers-or
the Supervisors elected By taem-had a
right TO fix the price of water. Men Of
means insisted that the people had gone
DAFT on the regulation business, and in
stanced the supposed fact of heavy pres
sure on the Governor 70 call an extra ses.
sion of the Legislature, when no extra
ordinary occasion could be named, OF
course it was known chat the army of
blackmailers would be in full bowling
force at Sacramento, giving capital the
chance of coming ont or being eiuched.
We found that amid such commotion was
no. the time TO ges men 10 put their money
where come one else was 90 control it, and
concluded to take a rest. With this out of
the way we can get tie necessary capital
10 ore day to 90 the whole work. If there
was any way of fixing charges in advance
the work could be done"
The Suo, in iss chagrin at the suspension
of the canal project, cannot, however, re-
press growl at the railroad companies for
rot paying up" and submitting to the
unjust demands made upon them. Thinks
that had this BEEN done sit would have
given the just, the conservative msn, q
chance to stand between them and black.
mailers and demagogues that howl at their
heels for a diyy.'"
But the Sun forgets that submission to
robbery once would only encourage greater
exactions thereafter. The railroad corpo-
rations had to make a atand somewhere or
else 50 out Of the business, To the "your
money or your life demand of the politi-
cal highwaymsn there is no limit. Aud,
by the way, the railroad company, OF which
the Sw, now makes complaint for its re-
sistauco of injustice, did pay its taxes, and
more than under the law could have been
collected. II fact the Courts had uni
formly adjudgsd that It owed the State
nothing that it was the injured party.
Yet in the facs of these facts comes the
call for the extra session. But the case of
The Colusa canal scheme IS bus typical of
what will happen to all material enter
prises unless the insanity Of the regulation
craze is brought TO 4 speedy termination.
We agree heartily with the SIN when it
says "And we wish to add just here that
we have full faith in the spirit of justice
possessed by the people, to regulate and
coDt-ol alj such quasi public works. The
people, uninhuenced by demagogues and
such blackmaileTs as make their living by
selling out a supposed influence, always do
justice. The great public heart and brain
are in the right place"