Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-06-26

VOICE IN the selection OF Judges and Leg
islators 1t is within your power to crush
the threatening evils OF Riparianism.
Fire the hearts Of the people with the
justice Of your cause. Show political
parties that you have the strength and
the will to enforce what you demand.
J. DEBARrn SHORE, j. F. WHARTON,
S. GREEN, r. HUDNUT,
II. S. Dixon, L. b. RuGaLEs,
r. II. TUCKER, d. K. ZUMwALT,
L. M. HoLT.
Executive Committee Of the
State Irrigation Convention.
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION OF THE ANTI
RIPARIAN IRRIGATION oRGANlzA-
TIoN OF THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA.
WHEARAs, The necessities Of the peo-
pie OF this State, growing out OF our Pc
culiar climatic and physical conditions,
require that all the waters Of the State
should be applied TO beneficial uses, and
especially to irrigation; and
WHEREAS, IL has been the well-estab-
lished custom and usage of the inhabit-
ants OF the State ever since the territory
was acquired from Mexico, and long
prior thereto, to enjoy and permit the
free appropriation and diversion OF water
to all who would apply it to beneficial
use; and
WHEREAS, By virtue of such usage and
custom, capitol and labor have created
out of deserts and rivers enormous wealth
to the State, and the irrigation interests
have assumed gigantic proportions; and
WHEREAS, Several hundred thousand
people are now dependent upon and di-
rectly or indirectly supported by means
OF irrigation; and
WHEREAS, Attempts are now being
made TO resurrect the English common
law doctrine Of riparian rights from the
grave to which the will Of the people long
since consigned it, and to impress it upon
the Jurisprudence of the State; and
WHEREAS, Such attempt, if successful,
means the desolation Of thousands OF
homes means that the desert shall in
wade vineyard, orchard and field; that
the grape shall parch upon the vine, the
fruit wither on the tree, and the meadow
be cursed with drought; means that
silence shall fall upon our busy colonies,
and unwatered lands; means that the
cities built upon the commerce irrigation
has created, shall decay, and that in all
this region the pillars Of civilization shall
fall, and Improbable fochs and herds
shall Craze the scant herbage where once
there was land of corn and wine flow
ing with milk and honey; and
WHEREAS, II this attempt to forbid the
useful appropriation OF water is defeated
by righteous public opinion crystalized
into law, the homes now planted in the
midst of fruitful acres will remain the
shelter OF happy people, enriched by
the productive soil, and irrigation will
advance the frontier Of verdure and flow-
ers and fruits, until the desert is con-
quested and has exchanged its hot sands
for happy garlands, its vagrant herds for
valiant people and the bleak plains
grow purple with the vintage and
golden with the harvest, and the pleas
ures and profits, the peace and plenty
that come out of the useful rivers will
make this land the Promised Land to
millions Of free people; and
WHEREAS, We have, then, on the one
hand the certainties Of agriculture and
horticulture, of profitable immigration,
Of surplus production for export OF ar
ticles universally desirable and necessary,
and always in demand; the growth Of
of our cities and the greatness Of our
State. On the other hand are thirst and
famine, ruin and decay, farms dismantled,
colonies abandoned, cities subjected to
Try rot, and the State denied her career
by denying to her people their birthright; I;
and
WHEREAS, The Court OF highest resort
of the State, whose final determination is
conclusive OF law, is divided upon the
question, and the right OF appropriation
and irrigation now stands upon uncertain
ground; and
WHEREAS, The Legislature has failed
to take measures for the protection of
irrigation; and
WHEREAS, There are 10000 voters in
this State ready and anxious to fight and
vote as unit for irrigation; and
WHEREAS, The safe and sure road to
a successful issue, in the Courts and in
the Legislature, is to organize, and by
united and harmonious action control the
result of the coming election
Resolved, That we, the undersigned asso.
ciate ourselves together under the name Of
the Anti-Riparian Irrigation Organization Of
the State Of California, and pledge ourselves
to use all honorable means to carry out the
purposes Of our organization, as follows;
/. To maintain that the right Of ap-
preparation Of water for beneficial pur-
poses, is and always has been par mount
TO any alleged rights Of riparian owners,
in this State.
2. To secure the adoption Of an amend
ment to the State Constitution, and
amendments TO the laws, declaring that
the common law Of England is not and
should not be the rule Of property, or the
rule of decision in the Courts Of this
State, in controversies concerning the
right to appropriate, divert and use
water, nor in actions by or against actual
appropriations OF water for beneficial pur-
poses; and that priority Of appropriation
for beneficial purpose determines the
right without regard to the ownership Of
the banks Of water-course.
8. To maintain both as physical and
legal proposition that the conditions and
necessities of the People Of this State,
and the climatic and physical character
istcs of the State are, and ever have
been, such as to render the common law
doctrine Of riparian rights inapplicable
here.
4. To secure the passage of any and
all other amendments to the Constitution
or Laws which will contribute to establish
tho right Of irrigation against the riparian
doctrine.
3. To procure the election Of mem
bers of the Legislature who openly and
without qualification, favor and will act
upon the foregoing principles, regardless