Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-07-22
EXTRA SESSION.
IRRIGATION = SUPREME COURT
LFGISLATI0N-U. 5, SENATOR.
Expression of the Press of the State
on all Sides of the Leading
Topic OF the Hour.


two years ago on purely political grounds.
.Soldno Times.
The Supreme Court has decided that
there is to be no further appropriation of
water for irrigation purposes, and the Gov
ernor has called an extra session TO avert
the evil effects of this monstrous decision.
Narysvile Democrat.
The Legislature may be induced by the
use of money to pass the proposed amend
ments, but the people will vote them down
by an overwhelming majority. The citi-
Zens of California are not ready to vote
away all their rights just now.-Napa Re
porter.
We think we may safely rely upon those
who have not been " seen by the men in
whose interest this session has presumably
been called-the men who are Gully sorry
that they cannot bottle up the air and sell
it at so much per cubic foot for breathing
purposes.-Red B}'!f' Cause.
The opportunity, however, is now af-
forded the Republican majority to send to
Washington Republican colleague to
Senator Stanford, ana the failure to do so
| will be tantamOlnt 10 an admission that
the hopes and desires of their constituents
are as nothing in their estimation COM
pared with the honor of playing second
nuuie 10 lhs DeiHOcIdCJ .--'otot"SV't He''O-
pendent.
The very assembling of the Legislature
Gusts Senator Hearst from Office, whether
successor be elected or not. He is not
Senator after to-day, and will not be recog-
nized as such by the President of the Sen
ate-the high dignitary whom he recently
addressed from the floor as Senator. Ii
is indeed quite time to recall such repre-
sentative of a sovereign State in the upper
level Of Congress. Mda.
There are two parties to the irrigation
question, both rich and both having large
interests at stake. These two parties have
expo nded immense sums in law expenses.
and the idea now is TO transfer the financial
activity from the Courts to the Legislature.
There is a large sack on each side. A good
proportion of the members of the LegisIa-
ture will vote on the irrigation proposition
with an eve single to the good of the State,
but there is reason TO believe that the other
members will keep an eye on the sacks
5. f. Call
But there is still another obvious reason
who no time should be lost If the Legis-
iature is enabled to do its work without de-
lay the constitutional amendments may be
submitted to the people for approval al a
special election. This will enable the
nominating conventions of the two great
parties to select candidates for Judges of the
Supreme Court and place them in the field,
so that their merits can be fully canvassed
by the people. 1t will not do to make
mistake in the selection of the men FOR that
positions f. Examiner.
Never has the Legislature Of California
assembled under circumstances so impera-
tive, IN q crisis so important as the present.
The property Of the State is en- ]angered, its
future menaced, and the Governor has con-
vened the representatives of the people TO
meet the exigency. The decision of the
Supreme Court, seeking to establish ripar-
ian rights in the State, must be undone;
the right TO irrigate the lands, TO render
fruitful the soil by the use of water and to
maintain the property OF the people, must
| be secured Woodland Mall.
The attitude of the people toward our
| highest Court must of necessity weaken
| respect for all lava calamity to any COM
| munity. The plainest dictates of self
! preservation demand the reversal of this
| crazy decision, and the only lawful method
| by which this reversal can be obtained is
| to dismiss from judicial service the petty
minds which have rendered it. and put in
| their places lawyers sufficiently learned to
know what the law is and with brains
enough to be able to look through its letter
| and see its Spirits. Z. Post.
What necessity then existed for this ex-
| traordinary action OF the Governor? Abso-
| lutely none, and his action, considered in
| the light of its method, seems to partake in
! every respect of the nature of an intrigue
| for political and jobbing purposes. 1t was
| clandestine and carefully concealed from
every one but the participators. No oppor-
t1nity was given for an expression of the
| public sentiment upon the subject as is
usual, proper and even necessary, where
measures involving the public veal are
contemplated.-Red Bluff Sentinel.
Certainly it looks as though, in spite of
the assertion that the people of the entire
State are in favor of a proper system of
water appropriation, this action indicates
that the managers of the present move
ment are afraid to allow the voice of the
| people to be heard, and have made arrange
ments with the Governor TO take this ques-
ton out of the hands of the people, and
have the measures passed by a legislative
body, whose term of Office is about to ex-
pire. That suspicion should attach to such
a proceeding is using very mild term
Oakland Times.
The proposition that water for irrigation
| is absolutely essential to the prosperity of
| California is so plain and irrefutable that
argument to prove it would be ridiculously
stupid. Assuming then that all are agreed
| on this remembering that the recent de-
| cision of the Supreme Court gave death
| blow TO general appropriations of water, and
| knowing that an amendment to the Consti-
tuition is the only remedy for the law under
| which this decision was made, it strikes us
that an extra session of the Legislature at
this ilncture of affairs is the proper action.
Ororiae Mercury.
| Whereas, The Governor of the State of
| California has called an extra session of the
Legislature for the express, purpose of as
| ssting a syndicate of moncpolsts in the
absolute ownership of the waters of our
! State; and whereas, in furtl'erance of the
| law to the extent of depriving citizens of
| the State of vested legal rights therefore be
it resolved, that we, as representatives of
| the taxpayers of the county of Napa, do
| hereby denounced said proclamation an
outrage upon property rights subversive of
pure government, and an unwarranted
| burden upon the honest taxpayer.-Ndpa
Reporter (Report Of action Of NapG Super
ris0rS).
We are free to say that we do not like
this haste, as there is danger that the work
will not be carefully done, and that evils
may result of tar greater magnitude than
! those professed to be apprehended by those
| tiiEuSSQ tllt llllSdtiOu itSlS-
! lation. We favor the idea of irrigation.
| But while demands of irrigation may be
met, other interests equally as deserving
! should not be sacrificed. Riparian rights
must have consideration, and also the
rights acquired by the miners in construct
ing the vast system of canals and reservoirs.
| that extends along the western flank of the
Sierras for hundreds of miles.-Grdss
IIailey Union.
1t is not the anti-riparian movement that
is revolutionary, but the decision of the
26th of April by the Supreme Court, that
relies upon an Act of the Legislature of
1850, which adopted the common law of
England as the rule of decision in all
Courts of the State, attempt the reversal of
customs coeval with the State, the decision
of the Courts for thirty-fye years and the
local precedents which have been the foun-
dations as statutes and decisions in other
States, and policy pursued by Congress it
self in legisiating in the interest of prior
appropriations of water in unnayigable
streams for mining and irrigating purposes,
subject only to the laws of the Stale.-iPd-
io,rs Journal.
There is in the history of no State in the
Union such spectacle as California pre-
SentS at the present time In consequence