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

TO bring the question before TINS BODY My re-
sponsibility in the matter will have ended then
having done all in my power, although not al
lowed the privilege OF giving my vote upon 8
single one Of the propositions.
SPEECH OF SENATOR DAYS.
Mr.. Days. shall vote against suspending the
rules to bring up this bill at this time In doing
so | will state that there is not u Senator upon
this foor who is more anxious than / am fol
some kind of intelligent legislation passed in The
interest of irrigation. l have always stated-nc
Senator has heard me state anything elSe-thal
am strongly in favor of some proposition thai
will relieve the people OF the southern portion
of this State of any other portion OF this state
needing relief, in this regard. l have from
time to time spoken to the gentlemen who are
managing this matter, urging upon them &c
take some steps to bring the friends of irrigation
together 50 we could consult and find out what
was the best method to pursue. No one has
been consulted with regard to this present mo-
ton that know of For one know that have
not been consulted in any way whatever us &c
the course to be taken. While say that shall
vote against the taking up OF this measure to
day, l will agree with friends of irrigation upon
this floor that as soon as we reach this bill upoI
the file, which will not be long il we progress as
we have been doing for the last two or three
days, To stay here without cent OF pay for the
next six or twelve months, or until we can
fairly settle this question 10 the best of our abil
ity But think it would be we'll for the gentle
men who are managing this matter 10 consult
together and see what they are doing before
precipitating this question upon the Senate out
of its order and out of lis place. hope that this
motion will not prevail; that the Senate will
continue considering the file and pass such bill,
as are necessary TO be passed; that the friends
OF irrigation will come together, and that they
viii decide 10 remain here and pass some rene
dial legislation on this subject.
SPEECH OF SENATOR SINE.
Mr.. Saxe-I do not expect to say anything &c
enlighten the Senate, but simply wish TO yindi
cate myself, not only 10 my constituency but &c
my friends scattered by hundreds over this in
tereSting division o. country desiring to appro
pirate water that is now not appropriated. Inc
mental conflict have passed through is per
hapS not singular-OtherS have passed through
the same-between my wish to crafty the rea
SOnable desires of my friends and my sense Of
Justice, equity and righteousness. If 1t were q
question only of taking the surplus water tina.
is now flowing .tu waste and appropriating it,
should have no word to say If 1t were simply
a question OF leaving those who now use water
TO use it as they have heretofore done, for do
nestle purposes, watering stock and irrigatiug
their land where il is needed, ! should nave nc
word to say. But have not seen any efforts III
that direction on the part OF any member OF this
Senate representing the views of the gentlemen
urging this legislation. They have not satisfied
my mind in those two very simple regards, and
/ am bound 10 stand by my perceptions of right
eOusneSs and justice as long as stand here al
ALL il makes no difference who is before me
shall therefore vote against taking up the bill
not only now but at any time until this matter
is ad listed so that it can be before US in the
regular way. Our time is nearly run out; we
have but short period more in which to dc
any business. If we give way to this measure
there will be nothing done but the whole
session, so far legislation is concerned, will
have come to an end.
SPEECH OF SENATOR SPENCER OF NAPA.
Mr.. Spencer-On this motion shall vote in
the negative. And inasmuch as, from what has
preceded from what has been said by Senators
aj, ba IF tEiS
might be put in a position false in itself and
one doing me an injustice as Il legislator, deem
it not only proper but eXpedient that should
explain my reasons III the first place, il has
been conceded upon the floor of this senate
substantially that the legislation that is sought
TO be enacted here is legislation peculiarly
adapted to one local community rs cOntradiS
tinguishcd from the rest of the State; not that
it is a measure looking towards the interests OF
the whole State, but, rather, measure that IS
not called for and demanded by the whole
State. 1t has been conceded that the southern
portion OF the State-and think upon close
inspection it will be found that it will narrow
itself down to two or three counties-is asking
this. That irrigation is demanded in some OF
those counties absolutely, think is true: that
il is needed in some Others but not to the same
degree, is also true; that it may be utilizsd in
some others, but is not Il matter of extreme
necessity, ! think is true, too.
We are asked now, on the last day of this SeS-
sion to take up for consideration measure o!
underlying as the Senator from Mono has well
said. the very policy of this State one far
reaching in its demands; one that would re-
qJIiTe u wear at least for an ordinary Legislature
TO contemplate and to formulate one touching
the vital interests of the landed property hold
ers of the commonwealth. IL is bill not local
in its character, but general therefore every
man who lives in the State who OWLS q foot oil
land, is interested.
Now, sir, owing to its Importance and far
reaching provisions, owing 70 the fact that il
deals with question, as Will show by the bill
itself underlying the very foundation of State
character, this measure was referred 10 the Com
mittee of the Whole of the Senate. II was there
considered, for the reason that the rules of pro-
cedure governing this body when acting as q
Senate would not permit that calm and deiber-
ate discussion that could be given to it in Com
mittee of the Whole.
In that reference concurred. We had this
bill-in fact, all of these bills-in the Commit
tee of the Whole. There was no particular eff
fort to proloDg the discussion in the committee
no particular effort the part OF the authors OF
these bills to suggest the slightest MODIFICATION
of them. IN fact it is matter OF notoriety, an
open secret about the chambers of this Legisla-
ture and upon the floor of this Senate-one
whispered in the ear, and every man knows
that there is no compromise 1t has been as
serted by the irrigationists that either the ripa-
rans or they must go to the wall. IL has resolved
itself down TO the question now: Are you to
give up that which you have bought and paid
IOT, ana lue GOFeTuluGnI VI kIIlS Slate has
sanctifed to you by the holy DEGREES
of law, the decision of the highest Court
in the land? And we are asked now, when this
very body in Committee OF the Whole was de
sirous OF meeting these gentlemen half way;
standing upon the broad plane of equality, and
in q spirit of compromise, to take up these bills
out of their order, which were deliberately
placed back in the Senate, although | then
stated that had an amendment to offer And !
am glad to say that was the sole author of that
amendment l stated TO the riparian owners
whom l conversed with that some amendment
of that kind should be put in the bill; and
arose on the floor of the Senate and said that
had an an endment of that kind TO offer TO this
very provision; and Senators thought best not TO
consider it, and deliberately put the bill back
into the Senate where it could not receive that
calm and dspassionate examination that 1t
could in the Committee OF the Whole.
Now we have measure here OF vital import
ance The great interest that is taken in this
bill is conclusive evidence OF that fact, ana
everything that surrounds 1t shows 1t. But, not
withstanding that, we are called upon in the
very last days Of this session, under the mtU-
enGe Of passion and, I may say, prejudiee-be-
cause there are some here who feel deeply inter
ested in this question: some whose judgments, ]
fear are warped; some who are not, fear dis
passionate-to take up this very bill which is
the underlying principle of the bills that are 10
follow, and without which no legislation Is
asked. We are asked to throw that bill into the
Senate, on the last day of the Sen
ceive to be the most important
legislation this State has ever had to deal with.
object to that mode of procedure now, because
we have no time to give to it. If the Governor
OF this State thinks that it is proper to call an
extra session. when the judgments of men are
cool and their passions have subsidized, and these
conflicting interests can come together on some
common ground and perfect some law that Will
not only DE a credit to the State, but an honor
to the gentlemen who had hand IN making it.
il seems to me that would be proper time and
q proper place TO consider such proposition
But not now. We have no time to do it. |, fol
one, haze never heretofore done anything de
liberately to retard the consideration of these
bills. 1t has been asserted upon the floor OF
the Senate that the people of the southern
portion of this State appeal to us TO give then
some legislation. / ask the Senate to stop anC
think for moment, if the very appeals that
have been going on in this chamber and have
been brought here, are the character of argI
ment that should be made in considering a cold
statute that lays down the rights or measures
the power of king noble and peasant. l ask i
legislation should be enacted here while people
entertain these extreme views, 1t seems to me
when we come to deal with this question
where there is apparently serious conflict be
tween the people of State as to their mos
sacred rights, that it should be done at q time
when cooler and more dispassonate judgment
would sway. ] am one of those who would
like TO be in harmony with all the
people | should like to be one of those who