Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-07-21
IS THERE sLICKENsp IN TT

The friends of the irrigation movement
have issued addresses and proposed bills to
the Legislature, and amendments to the
Constitution for action by the people. In
Convention they adopted declarations and
set up a platform. But in one respect
there is apparent inharmony between
them, and it is one of vital importance to
the people of the Sacramento valley, as
we shall presently show: The people of
this section are not so Immediately in the
atmosphere of the irrigation question as are
our friends of the south They do not,
therefore manifest so much Of enthusiasm
or concern regarding it, though they feel
profound interest in the questions in
volved in present debate, and are not at
all insensible to the force of the argu-
ments advanced on both Sides But when
the vital question of the navigability of
the chief waterway of the State is touched
when the questions of its integrity, its
preservation or its decadence are involved,
they are found radically and justly sensi-
tive
Some years ago, when the question of
the preservation of the river lands, and
of the river itself, from destruction threat
ened by unchecked flow of mining debris
was uppermost, our friends of the south
utterly failed to enthuse We found it
very difficult to make them understand it
as State question. They mildly expressed
sympathy for us, and hoped our appeal
to the Courts would result favorably
to the valley. But they were frank
to say that they were not in the
atmosphere of the issue and could not
I" feeP concerning it as did. and still do,
this people. Now, however, when there is
not immediate and tumultuous shouting
in this part of the State over their especial
subject of enthusiasm, they lose their tenn
pers, and fail to understand why de-
liberation, calm and study, out of which
alone wise judgments flow, prevail here
instead of hot enthusiasm, such as is nag
turally enough felt at the south concerning
this important subject of adapting our
legislation to the physical needs of the
State
In this situation, therefore, perhaps the
promoters of the present methods will ex-
plain it is by inadvertence only that
in the proposed bills and amendments as
published, the words unnavigable
streams" are omitted and natural
streams" appear, whereas in the late Con-
vention, in the addresses of the Executive
Committee of the Convention, and in
other and very latest official utterances,
the qualifying word unnayigable' APP
pears before streams ?" Our people are
jealous of any possible complications that
may lose to them any part of the ground
they have gained in the State and Federal
| Courts, and that assures to them the SUI
preme right to have the Sacramento river
flow free of artificially injected slickens,
and to remain an open highway for the
commercial use of all the people of the
Union. The people of this valley, who
have so long and against such mighty
odds fought out the battle of defense of
| the nayigable stream that bears our inland
commerce for hundreds of miles upon its
bosom, are naturally suspicious of an
omission in the proposed laws of qualify
ing words that appear in all the resolutions,
speeches and committee addresses and Con-
vention resolutions of the irrigation party
We do not believe that any action by
the State in the line indicated can effect
harm to the navigability of the river, ex-
cept by the silent acquiescence of the Fed
eral Government, and that is not likely to
be given. This great artery of the valley
business system it was some time ago pro-
posed to partly divert for private irriga-
ton uses, but such protest went up that
the temper of the people could not be mis-
taken. If any legislation is now attempted
that might by any hook or crook involve
again the ghost of "slickens," or in any
degree weaken the decisions Of the Courts
declaring that the integrity of the river
shall be maintained, it will certainly meet
opposition from central and northern Cali
fornia that cannot be despised.
Can it be possible that since the Irriga-
ton Convention some new alliances have
been made that possibly involve the in
tegrity of the navigable streams, or that
may cut FROM under the feet of the friends
of the valley in any degree whatever the
support of the State Courts2