Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-12-12
A DEMAND FOR ACTION.

The Board of Trade of Sacramento has
adopted the recommendation of the Presi-
dent of that body, that Congress should be
petitioned and importuned to at once take
steps to reclaim and improve the Sacra-
mento river. The Board is impatient at
legal delays, and while individuals and
private societies are struggling with the
hydraulic mining evil, it sees clearly that
the total destruction Of the navigability of
the river will be worked. 1t therefore de-
mands that something be done now by the
Federal Government. Whatever it does
will be accompanied by a mandate forbid
ding any persons or corporations to con-
tinue in acts tending to nullify the work of
the Government. In other words. the
whole matter resolves itself into the orig
mai proposition of this paper, that Gov
eminent injunction should be laid upon
acts tending to destroy the navigability of
the Sacramento river. For that proposition
we contended for months, confident that in
time it would be accepted, as it has been.
by all the people, notwithstanding it was
opposed, misrepresented, antagonized and
seorned IN certain quarters by those who
can see no way to an end but through the
laws tedious delays. There is no demand
by the Board of Trade, nor by the people
for any certain method of work by the
Government. No demand that there shall
be dams, or no dams, or levees or dredpers
or none but that some steps shall be taken
by Government to check the destruction of
the river, and the blotting out of the COM
merce of the free highway of the Sacra-
mento valley, and that there shall be no
longer acquiescence by the silence of the
Federal Government in the system of
mining that is rapidly bringing about the
direful end indicated. There is now
no longer voice lifted in any
quarter deprecating appeal to the
Government, for interference and for
river work, from which relief may be
had. The only question now is how best
to bring our plea to the ear of the ma
tional Government. The adopted report
referred to contained these expressions,
which cover the whole question:
After the Judge Temple decision, no official
of any department of the General Government
was justified in further declining to render all
assistance in his power TO prevent further dam
age being made or to proceed to repair injuries
already done. All moneys that the citizens of
those few communities have been from self
preservation. compelled to spend since the Tenn
pie decision, in order to enforce the benefits of
that decision, said to be about hall a million
dollars,is legitimate claim against the Gen
eral Government, and should be at once pre-
sented for adjustment and liquidation There
are many precedentS to warrant Government
officials, where Government interests are at
stake, to protect its interests and prosecute the
private citizen in order TO maintain and execute
both Congressional enactments and common
law. AT present we have the remarkable sitIla-
ton of private citizens doing the work of their
Government, and at The same time they and
their neighbors are being deprived of repair re-
lief already appropriated, and which thousands
of citizens situated near other rivers of the land
are constantly receiving l can readily under
stand how inaction on the part of the General
Government could be construed by the hydrau-
lie miners as license to continue work but do
not see how reclamation done on the rivers by
the Government could be so construed.