The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-08-05
EDITORIAL COMM ENTS.
ST. LOUIS REPUBLICAN.

! ST. LOUIS REPUBLICAN.
The water question in California has
become so serious and threatening that
the governor has been called upon by
majority of the members elect of the new
legislature to call that body together In
extra session to settle it. The dispute Is
between riparian rights, as defined by the
common law, and the practice of irriga-
ton. The supreme court of the state has
recently decided that a landowner living
on the banks of river or smaller stream
has such property in the waters that ne
may enjoin other persons living miles
above him from drawing them off for pur-
poses of irrigation. This doctrine doesn't
suit California at all, for one of the chief
uses of streams in that state is watering
lands lying, 1t may be, miles from the
river-ahd vast sums of money have been
expended in the construction of works for
diverting and distributing water from
streams and lakes over cultivated farms.
An attempt to stop this under the decision
of the court would cause great trouble.
The petition to the governor says: BE
fore the next regular session of the legis-
lature in January, thousands of citizens
and their families may be ruined and mil
lions of property may be destroyed. In
our judgment the exigency is so great that
the constitutional amendments should be
submitted to the people at special cleo
ton to be held in the shortest time posi-
bic under the constitution. An attempt
to enforce the destructive policy of the
supreme court decision might and most
probably would result in bloodshed in
many sections of the state" The special
session convened on the Goth inst, and its
work will probably be promptly accom-
plished.
NEW YORK HERALD.
In the course of the senate debate on
the Notifications bill yesterday General
Hawley read brief note from Mr.. Til
den, who says:-
Among the people the desire for liberal
appropriations toward the means of pub
lie defense is well nigh unanimous. L am
we'll informed as to the popular feeling
from the circumstance that more than
seven hundred newspapers from all parts
of the country and representing all politi-
cal parties containing expressions upon
the subject have been sent to me.
Mr.. Hidden is right. The whole cOun-
UnHI our Std pOIUS Sudll 10
made strong. We hope the house will
agree with Mr.. Tilden and not with Mr..
Randall on this question.
The belliger"nt shouting which Is heard
lust now on the Mexican side of the RIO
Grande probably comes from irresponsible
adventures who / ever lose an opportunity
of fomenting trouble between the two re-
publics. The case of Editor Cutting does
not seem to be of such serious consequence
as to warrant extreme measures on either
side. Ii simply affords an excuse tor
m dsummer diversion to people of SEN
sational minds, and will probably be
settled amiably without much trouble by
the sensible men in both the American and
Mexican governments.
TIMES DEMOCRAT.
Those of our readers who have passed
over the great railroad suspension bridge
at Niagara Falls will remember the four
immense and lofty stone towers on either
side upon which the huge cables rest. 1t
has been recently discovered that the
stone of which these piers are
constructed is disintegrating and that sup
ports of iron viii hive to be substituted.
Workman are new m liking room OH the
} work, and stone Is being Clipped away
with care by experienced men who know
Just what ones to remove. On the tops of
the towers men are drilling holes in the
caps, so that when the time comes the
hydraulic jacks may be applied and the
great cables safely Graded from the stone
supports which have held them so long
and placed on strong iron towers, which
will replace the stone ones. This branch
of the work is regarded as very difficult
and will occupy about two weeks time.
SO carefully, however, have all the plans
been made that in the Office of the bridge
company are great piles of diagrams show
ing the exact location and dimensions of
all the stones, rivets and beams in the
great structure. The iron work is being
made in Detroit, and the shipments Of
material will soon begin. The cost of the
new towers will be $4,000. The suspen-
sion bridge was finished on March 70,
1855, and was for some years thereafter
considered a wonderful structure. In 1880
it underwent an important change, when
all the wooden portions of the bridge were
removed ard iron substituted for the ex-
tracted woodwork. The cables are the
strongest portions of the structure, and
nave never been disturbed because there
is no question about their durability.
WOMEN AS sMUGGLERs.
Detroit Free press.
Women seem always fustered at the
thought of passing custom house.
guess most of them have reason to be. L
is claimed that no woman ever passes
custom house without smuggling. This il