Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-03-11

that the question of paramount Importance
etore this body is that of irrigation; 1t Is Il
| well recognized fact substantlated by the stalls-
tics Of the State that since the census OF 1880 was
taken the population of the counties concerned
particularly in the matter ofirrigaton-the coun-
ties OF Fresno, Tulare Kern. MERGED, Mar1posa,
san Bernardino and Los Angeles-has doubled
in every instance. It has been further estab-
| lished beyond doubt that the prosperity ana
growth of those counties depends mainly upon
their facilities in their agricultural pursuits.
IN order to encourage and foster thelr hgrl-
cultural pursuits il has been further established
that irrigation is one of the elements, ana the
principal element; that it is one OF the great
concomitants desired in order to continue those
counties in their present path OF progress. AS
has been stated, appeals have come 10 TINS
Legislature and the answer 10 those appeals
means life or death to those communities. a
convention has been held in the irrigation dls-
trict referred to; might call it a Convention OF
the State of California. The representatives OF
| that convention and of the people nave ap-
peared before both branches OF the LegSla-
ture, presenting their necessities IN q proper
and legitimate manner. Petitions have been sent
| here-a hight guaranteed TO the people by
| the Consttution-askingu us in the name OF the
! agricultural interests of the state TO do some
thing to further its growth. has TINS leglSla-
ture deemed ii q question OF suthclent import
ance to be the overshadowing question OF the
present session? answer yes. And II has been
shown by this Senate stepping aside from the
established 1ule with reference 10 referring the
subjects to regular or special committees, and
making this matter the special for each day III
Committee of the Whole, 50 that every member
Of this body might be acquainted with the
merits of the measures proposed, with the argl-
meutS pro and con upon the propositions sub
mitted. BY unfortunate circumstances the .lme
of that Committee of the Whole has been lin
lied in its deliberations. IT has not been per
mitted by the rule first adopted 10 continue its
session until a final determination of the ques-
Il. II might be reached. Therefore the result
has been that We LETT off each day. during the
continuance OF the sitting OF that Committee OF
the Whole, exactly where we commenced. That
has not been the fault of the members of this
Senate; il has only been owing to a mistake
made in the organization and in the time al
! lowed.
For the reasons stated the matter is in its pres
, ent position. And we are now making prob
! ably the last appeal upon the floor OF this Sen
ate for its consideration of the subject. Some
of US have seats here as Senators representing
communities directly interested, where it is re-
! cognized that this is vital question which
ought TO be settled at the present session. We
come, sir, from those counties which have in
! creased in population doubly since the census
of 1880. We come from those counties where
immigrants arrive daily; where excursions
occur monthly for the purpose of bringing i'll in
tending settlers to view and locate and make
the ard wastes Of Fresno by hundreds and
/ thousands Of acres bloom as Il rose. And, sir,
the main question that is asked by them is
What can Ne cOniide i'll If we leave our homes
and come to settle on these California lands
Our reply TO that is this BY means Of irrigation
you can make those arid wastes flourish as the
lands which you see adjoining. That is the ill.,
ducement we offer them TO come Therefore
to day this is the vital question of the State 1t
not so four years since. because then rs
YOU might say, the population OF the state did
not need such encouragement. But people are
now pouring into the state by thousands. We
( have within our borders an immense territory
( which can sustain within its eXpanse hundreds
: of thouSandS more than we have to-day. De
stroy this interest and instead of a population
Of million and u half or two millions by the
date ofthe taking of the next census it viii
! hardly reach million; because this Legislature
! VIII then have said that the magnitude of the
subject is beyond its reach and that no action
can be expected ut its hands. By such an eX-
preston we Will acknowledge to the people that
we cannot recognize the fact that this inter
est should receive consideration at our hands.
We have admitted, by our own action, that II
should be considered; shall We now tell the
people, by refusing to bring up the subject that,
while recognizing its Importance, We, as mem
bers of the Legislature elected to enact needed
law, considered ourselves incapable of Crap
( ping with it, and Will let it die? Why, sir, at
every subsequent session the same argument
: may and will be urged. | believe il is an insult
to the intelligence Of a body like this, composed
of men selected from the Senatorial districts OF
the State-men with bright minds and intellects
capable Of grasping every subject without fear
! TO say that we are incompetent 10 deal with Il
question OF this magnitude. That would be
first an acknowledgment of our inability, and
next il would be an insult to the people OF the
! state.
For these reasons, Mr.. President, as ! have
. stated, the argument Of the Senator from san
joaquin does not hold good. 1t is true that yes.
terday under the Constitution, we ceased 10 re-
cciye compensation for our services in discharg-
| ing our duties here. But l recognize, by the
fact that not resolution to adjourn sine die has
/ been presented to this Senate, that the members
understand their duty to the people and
wish TO remain until they shall have accom-
plished that duty, whether paid or not. If
that be the case why will you pre-
: vent us by an enforcement of the cold
rules OF the Senate, from bringing up this mat
ter now? Because it requires two-thirds vote
TO raise bin from the file which is at the bot
tom of it, is that reason why the subject
should not be considered of sufficient impor-
lance? If the matter had been left with the
majority am sure they would have taken the
subject in hand long ago Are these bills de
! fectlve? If so, let Us continue in the discharge
of the duty intrusted to us by the people, take
them up, amend them, as you have a right to
do and perfect them so that they win make a
system for the State. But in Gods name ap-
peallng as 6 representative from one of the
counties which has received the benefits of the
increase in population of which l spoke-Which
has risen from 81, UOO inhabitants in 1850 to y go
III 1855, and which is increasing in population
day by day, because of its vast agricultural re
I sources-appealing Il friend of all that sec
ton, friend OF the counties of Fresno, TulaTe
and Kern, say to you
Mr. Iangiord-Wil the Senator permit me a
question? How is your county irrigated? Tn
der the system you now propose, or under the
/ present system?
Mr. Del Valle-My county is irrigated suffi
GENTLY But the droughts that have occurred
there for the last five or six years and the want
of proper system of irrigation because of the
law upon that proposition not being sufficiently
clear have retarded the progress in sections OF
my county and compelled members of the
| communities on the same stream TO contend and
battle in the Courts. II is the question before
| this Legislature whether, by proper system,
we can not prevent that; whether by such a
system we can not distribute the waters of the
State so that the inhabitants of one section on
] the same stream will not have to contend in the
Courts with those of another. In that view il
viii be benefit 10 my county.
| viii not say sir that the system proposed is
perfect l am not now discussing that PROPOSE
tion. But viii say that If it is not, the Senator
( from san Joaquin or any other senator on this
floor has the right TO amend it. if he seeks to
perfect il, 50 that we shall have 4 system that
viii be proper.
Sir, Senators advocating this irrigation promo
sition stand here simply on this basis: That
there IS a section of this State which n. eds the
assistance of the Legislature to enable it to con-
tinue in its present path of progress. We recog-
nize the fact that there is section that will be
prosperous or unprospcrous according as our
decision on this subject may be. We recognize
4 the fact that this question is a question OF life
| and death to the particular communities re-
ierred TO. But We also claim that if the Legis-
lature passes laws for their benefit, It is not TO
/ their advantage alone. We stand on the grand
proposition that by benetiting the. counties
which directly require irrigation the people of
/ the whole State will be advanced; that the
great metropolis of California will have more
| wealth poured into its lap; that every branch of
| industry will be given greater impetus; for,
| sir the prosperity of any section of the State Is
prosperity 10 the whole commonwealth And
especially is that the case when that prosperity
is the prosperity of that particular branch of in
dusEry which to-day we recognize as the chief
one Of California-the agricultural interest.
There was time when mining was the front OF
all, the main interest OF the State. But little by
little, it has been supplanted by agriculture.
These, sir, are my reasons for supporting the
motion OF the Senator from Mono.
Now, recurring to the proposition that was
first stating when the Senator from San Joaquin
spoke, reiterate that we are not welded to the
language OF the bill presented here. We are
simply interested in the question of irrigation;
therefore, if any amendments are offered to this
bill, or to the kindred bills, which are proper
! and just ! for one shall vote for those amend
ments; not simply for the purpose of passing
Irrigation measures, but to perfect a system
! which shall be q benefit and advantage TO the
people OF the State.
Id) not desire 70 detain the Senate any longer
| upon this question. BY having given il, at least
| in some measure the recognition which il de