Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-02-21
A Shameful Story.

A shameful story.
EDS. RECORD UNION: Under the above
caption the Bee of yesterday has the follow
ing:
1t is said that corrupt combination has beer
made by the hydraulic miners and the support
ers of the Fresno irrigation bills, by which each
party to the bargain agrees to help the other!
bill or bills through the Legislature The ny
draulic miners want the Cross dam bill passed
and the water appropriations are willing to co
operate if the hydIaulickers Will help the Fresno
bills. This is report which we hear on gooc
authority. We trust, however, that 1t is MOI
true. 1t would be an infamous bargain-a burn
ing shame and disgrace to those agriculture
communities in the southern part of the State
whose representatives should strike hands witt
the hydraullckers over the wicked bill intro
duced bv Senator Cross We warn the represent
atives of the irrigation interests that any such
bargain must result in disaster. 1t is inconceiv
able that Legislators elected from agricultural
communities could support the Cross bill say,
as the result of bargain and sale.
Yes, this is shameful story, so shame
full that it is a shame that any newspaper
could be found shameless enough to prin
it. l would ask for the Bees good au
thority,' but as craven cowardice and men
dacious falsehood always walk hand il
hand, no man will step forward and say
! originated the lie"
Now, Messrs Editors, feel somewhat
deeply on this subject, because | was al
through the anti-slickens fight and have
been in the lnnermost councils of the lrrl
gators since the Ist of December last. Nc
man in this State spent more time anC
money in behalf of the valley interests, IL
proportion TO means, than /; and beipg
now in the full and complete confidence o.
the irrigators. such a story as the above
amounts to charge against me of treason
and bad faith TO the cause of the valley in
terests in opposition to hydraulic mining.
The Bee says that this would be an infa
nous bargain; that il would be a burning
shame and disgrace for the Representatives
OF agricultural communities TO shake hand:
with the hydrauiickerS. And so it woulC
be, but why? Because il would be, fol
gain, giving over the lovely portion of tho
Sacramento valley to destruction, to desc
lation. 1t would not otherwise be an infa
nous bargain, would il?
But let us cast our eyes in another dire,
ton. These representatives thus denounced
and detained represent people made happy
and prosperous by means Of the diversion
of water. The desert has been turned into
vast orange groves, vineyards, orchards
meadows and grain fields; cities have beer
built up; the industry thus developed anC
the wealth thus created amounts to hun
dreds OF millions OF dollars; but q crisi;
comes when legislation must be had or al
this must perish, and beggary and want
come to tens of thousands of people, anC
California set back in the march OF time q
score or more OF Years. When the repre-
sentatives Of these people come asking fol
just and equitable legislation, asking fOl
the preservation of their homes and theil
fire sides, we find the representatives of Sac
ramento tilibustering" on the floor OF
the legislative halls against the passage OF
any measure for their relief and one of the
principal papers of the city denouncing
them as lunatics, and giving credence anC
circulation to infamous falsehood. Hha
" bargG11 brought 0boJH sHch actions u!
Mesel
Even to save their homes the irrigator,
have made no bargains with the enemies
of the valley interests they would prefer
to defend their rights with their own gooc
strong arms, as the people of Mussel Slough
once did, to such bargain.
am in this contest to stay, and am will
ing to register an oath to oppose, as lon@
as ! can WELD a pen, any man for any
office, who through corruption or stupidity
opposes ali legislation for the relief of these
people. Mere party politics sinks into uttel
insignificance alongside such a question a,
this. Men try to get out of responsibility
in this matter by saying that it is too com
plicated, and they must have more time
The question is very simple, and he who
confesses that he cannot understand il
ought never to seek public office. 1t is
Shall the desert be a desert, or shall the
desert be an earthly paradise? Twist il
and turn il as you may, and that is all there
is 10 it.
The Bee says it is inconceivabe how
legislators elected from agricultural coun-
ties could support the Cross bill without a
bargain. It should have waited until they
did so before denouncing them. But did
it never strike the Bee that it was neon
ceivable how newspaper asking these
irrigators to save il and its constituency
from ruin, could seek to ruin them, and
how Legislators representing a conStitu-
cncy begging to be saved from ruin, could
Join in tiibusteTing scheme TO ruin Others
But without any bargains the Assembly
has done nobly, and there can be no doubt
but that the Senate viii do likewise, and
California viii receive such an impetus in
her onward march that the Legislature OF
1855 viii ever be held III grateful renem-
brance. W. 5. GREEN.