Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-04-29

must come W " nioihO"'N
The recent second ruling OF the Su-
preme Court has established(he doc-
tfine Of the riparian proprietofship oil
the streams of this State. AS the
case stands to-day this dictum is the
supreme law OF California. 1t can
only be modified by the Legislature
AT the election this Fall the people
of California will be called upon to
elect a Governor, two Justices OF the
Supreme Court, the whole oil the
Assembly and one half Of the Senate.
II il through the agency OF these
officials that the laws relating to irrl-
cation as we'll as TO all other matters
will be framed.
II therefore behooves the people Of
Southern California TO PROFOUND to
each Of the candidates for these posi-
ons. Democratic and Republican,
Q query Under Which King, Be-
zonian? Speak or die" This was
the fateful interrogatory propounded
nv Mine Ancient Pistol in the play.
II is necessary that il should be put
with emphasis to every aspirant Tor
public Office, OF whatsoever party. II
we shall hope to place the law upon
that right footing which will protect
the irrigator.
The prosperity Of the most match
less and remuneratively productive
region on the face OF the globe is de-
pendent upon the establishment OF
the doctrine of the old Spanish law
q the right Of the appropriation OF
running waters for purposes OF irri-
CATION. II is this usage which has
accomplished such wonderful results
In old Spain, in the south OF
France, in India, China and old
Mexico, where the right to appro'
priate water for irrigation is recog-
nized. The report OF special board
OF government engineers, sent by the
United States TO Spain and other ir-
rigating countries, and headed by
Gen. Alexander, shows that unirri-
gated land has risen in value from
fifteen dollars an acre to $500 and
$1,000 an acre when irrigated. Anal
ogous but hardly commensurate re-
suits have followed in Southern Cali
fornia. We have few lands that yet
sell for $1,000 an acre, and when they
do 30 they do Il as result OF other
conditions. But lands have been
enormously enhanced in value in
this State, and they are destined to
b, SO to a much greater degree
through an acceptance OF the doc
trine OF appropriation OF the wa
tiers OF running streams. The tide oil
most lucrative production, which
embraces Fresno, Tulare, Kern and
other counties of Southern Califor-
mia, as fully az Los Angeles, has al
most reached food OF most auspl-
clous significance for the future de-
velopment OF this section.
It is at this stage that the Supreme
Court Of California, probably consci-
entiously, as the law now stands,
steps in and re-ailirms the old Eng
lish common law doctrine of riparian
rights, which declares that streams
must roll on forever in their allotted
banks. They forget that a rule
which properly applies to England is
utterly inapplicable to a semi-tropical
country like Southern California.
Victor Hugo described England Gas
a sand bank in a fog. The fog feeds
the grass, the grass feeds the sheep
and the sheep feed the people" The
laws applicable to such a country,
inundated with water, could have no
possible application to a region OF
scant rains, like Los Angeles and the
other southern counties OF California,
We have all seen the beautiful,
poetical and remunerative results
which have followed the tacit adop-
tion OF the old Spanish law OF the APP
preparation of water TO the purposes
of irrigation in Southern California.
The question is, can we afford to have
these superb results arrested, or even
threatened? The vote in the irrigat-
ing districts OF this State foots up fully
forty-four thousand. This is factor
perfectly able to control the fate OF
any aspirant for any office, guberna-
torial or legislative,
Every voter in Southern California
is called upon to decide whether he
will give his suffrage to any one who
is against the cause OF the family fire.
side, the advancement OF his section
an the perfection of unique and
what will be an unexampled civilian
ton. He is called upon, also, to de-
te mine whether he prefers the old
time desolate plains OF this region,
the vaqueros' huts and the Texas
long-horn cattle to the diversified and
splendid development which has fol-
loved upon the old local immemorial
usage Of irrigation.
An Irrigators' Club is now being
formed in the city OF Los Angeles.
Similar clubs are being formed
throughout the county. Every one
who feels kindly to his section ought
to join in this wholesome and pro-
gressive movement, which will pre-
serve 10 Southern California the
agencies by which it has already be-
come great and wealthy, and by
which it is destined to become the
garden spot of the world.
0uR late popular County Clerk,
Mr.. A. W. Potts, has concluded to