Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-02-12
RIGHT ACTION,

Some days ago Senator Langtord pro
posed in the Legislature the abolition of
the office of State Engineer The bill was
referred to an appropriate committee, and
then members of the Houses began to in
form themselves regarding the engineer
department 1t is not creditable that there
is such lack Of intelligence regarding it.
1t was reasonable to suppose that the peo-
pie understood what scientific work was
being accomplished under it. When it
was established in 1879 they certainly
knew that 1t was intended as an Office of
investigation into the subjects of irrigation
and drainage. In no State i'll the Union
is there so broad an area to he examined
and in no place greater amount of diff
cult field work. Intelligent people very
well knew that the task before the engi-
neering force was one of years. not of
months That SO much has been accom-
plished by way of investigation to this
date Is really surprising, when the number
of the force employed and the amount ex-
pended by the State are taken into consider
alton. In all scientific labors of this kind
progress must be thorough and conse-
quently will be slow. To abolish the office
of State Engineer before the completion
of the work given II to do is accomplished,
is to abandon about all that has been done
in the past and throw away all that has
been expended If the State is to have It's
moneys worth-to come down to the com
mercial level of the question-it
must complete the work and publish the
results. We apprehend that it will not
be charged that the Engineering Depart
ment has been a laggard. We have had
fair opportunity to observe its workings
for six years past, and are free to credit it
with faithiulnesS, intelligence concerning
the problems submitted to it, and great
diligence. The force employed we recog-
nize as competent, and that it has been
conscientious in It's work we certainly be-
lieye. This department, which has been
IN object Of much interest to us,
and of wide information also, comes be-
fore the Legislature with a report that,
As a department of investigation, its
field labors are practically concluded, and
much Of the working out of results com
pleted, and that the appropriations asked
for two years more will bring the whole
before the people in the form of publica-
ton, and thus the result contemplated in
the outset be reached The Senate Com
mittee, on which is the mover of the prop
osition to cut short the Office now, yester-
day unanimously agreed that work should
90 on to completion, and that at
the end OF two years the department.
should cease to exist as one of inyestiga-
ton, and bill to that effect will be pre-
scented for passage This is right action
it is in line with the recommendation of
the department itself, as we understand it,
When the publication shall be completed
and the results placed before the people
then will arise the totally different ques-
ton whether California will re-establish
the Office of State Engineer as an execu-
tive office. That question must depend
upon the judgment yet TO be formed
whether California will undertake to carry
on any OF the schemes of engineering work
which the reports will show to be feasible
When it comes TO that it will be time
enough to discuss it, but we are convinced
that the committee has arrived at a right
and economic conclusion in agreeing that
the work to which six years of labor have
been given shall not be abandoned to the
deep mystery of notes and plats, but shall
be published in form, for the information
of the people.