Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-10-31

taken or damaged for public use without
compensation made? Senator Reddy,
| who is universally recognized to have
been one of the strongest anti-riparian
lists in the legislature, said, during the
extra session, that it was perfectly use.
less to deny the existence of the riparian
right; he further remarked that the
courts had settled that question, and
| right or wrong, it is the law.
To assert anything else would be to do
| violence to facts known to everyone vino
has even casually investigated the sub
ject. | certainly am not to blame for the
laws that exist, nor do pretend to as.
sert that there ought to be legislative
action. Irrigation matters in Los Angel
es county are getting along very well,
and think that most of the conmuni-
ties which depend upon irrigation have
acquired such rights to the use Of water
that they cannot be disturbed. If it is
necessary to take any further steps to
secure those rights | am certainly in
favor of doing SO. Ii you can suggest any
measure which will protect irrigators l
shall only be too happy to endorse 1t.
There is no doubt that laws should be
passed to enforce economy and effective
ness in the use and distribution of water.
You object to my statement that 1t is
only necessary as far as this county is
concerned that there should be some leg
islation in aid of existing laws. You so
construe that phrase as to make it ap-
pear that desire to legislate so as to
deprive people of their rights. Now you
certainly know that lave no such wish.
If you are familiar with my record or
surroundings, or interests, you must
know that am anxious to protect irri.
gators and the right to irrigate, because
upon that depends the prosperity of our
county; but do not propose to make
fool of myself by asserting that the law
is not as it is, nor do | propose to in
dulge in meaningless ssertIons aud make
promis es which cannet be carried out.
wish to aid existing laws because
they are defective.
believe that am pretty conversans
with the present law upon the subject
of irrigation. have been interested in
the main portion of the important water
litigation which has taken place in this
county during the last ten years. | hold
that all of our water supplies should be-
husbanded and utilized for beneficial
purposes, and believe that any system
which permits water to be wasted ought
to be at once corrected. 70 more accu'
rately state my views, l refer you to the
Democratic State platform, in which
the following plank may be found:
"Resolved, That the Democratic
party recognizes the importance of the
water question, and the absolute neces-
sity for it's speedy settlement, and the
party can and will settle it on basis of
equal and exact Justice to all interests
involved. No class of indi-
viduals shall take, injure or destroy the
property or rights of another class, ex.
cept under the operation of the law of
eminent don ain. These rights being
guarded and protected, the waters OF
the State are the property of the people
of the State, to be used for irrigation,
mining, manufacturing and other useful
purposes. Appropriation of water,
whether heretofore or hereafter made,
should give no right to more water than
is absolutely used in an economical
manner for beneficial purpose. To
guard against monopoly OF water irri.
cation, irrigation districts should have
the right 10 acquire by purchase or con-
domination the means necessary in con-
ducting the water to tho lands COM
prising such irrigation districts. The
English law of riparian rights is inap-
plicable to the circumstances and condi-
tions of California
This plank was incorporated into the
Democratic county platform, uDon
which l was nominated, and which l
have endorsed. / might add, paren-
hetically, that the Republican State