Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-06-30
GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE WITH
RIVER DISTRACTION

Three and four years ago the RECORD
UNION suggested - and we believe
il stood alone at first in that sug-
ges.ion - and urgently advocated me-
morializing the Federal Government
10 interpose by mandate of the proper
authorities, and through the Courts,
TO prevent the destruction of the naviga-
billy Of California rivers due to the deposit
ton Of mining debris in the channels or
in the tributaries that would convey the
matter to the navigable channels. Several
OF our contemporaries disagreed with Us,
contending that the better policy was to
continue to draw upon the county treas
urie> and the people Of the river sections
for means to fight out the battle with ny
draulic mining. They held that it would
be useless to ask the Government to inter
fere, because it had said it would do moth
ing 20 repair the free waterways until
hydraulic mining had ceased. Without
asking that any local activity TO bring
about the desired ends cease, this Journal
still persisted that the Government should
interfere, and many supposititious cases
were cited-as if one should erect dam
across navigqble stream, or attempt to
throw a low bridge over it, or should dump
stone into it, etc.-to show that the Gov
eminent, as guardian of the rivers, was
bound to and would interfere if the facts
were properly laid before it. The debate
wen on for about year. perhaps more,
until the Suffer Fd7aer-a Journal that
had taken leading positions on the ques-
ton Of hydraulic mining and river pro-
tection-fnally admitted that it had been
convinced that the position taken by
this and other journals that concurred
with 1t was right Afterwards the editor of
the Farmer, Mr.. Ohleyer, visited Washing
ton and laid the facts before the authori-
ties. Our Representatives and Senators
TOOK hold of the matter, the people at this
end Of the line, ana notably the Tuba and
Suffer Anti-Debris Association, which Mr..
Ohleyer represented, also labored to secure
Government interference, and bill finally
passed authorizing actions TO be brought in
the name Of the United States to restrain
acts tending to injure the nayigability Of
the streams, and by legislation the duty of
the Government to do so was finally adj
mitted.
The news is now at hand that the labors
Ofthose of our Representatives and Senators
who favored the action and the persist
ent, praiseworthy and renewed efforts of
Mr.. Ohleyer, supported by the Anti-Debris
Association, have resulted in the active in
terposition Of the Government SO long
prayed for The Governments special
attorney, Judge A. L. Rhodes, is charged
with the duty of invoking the law when
ever necessary TO prevent the destruction
o. injury of our navigable streams. The
dispatches of yesterday reported that he
has fled complaint already in the name
of the Federal Government against cor
poration charged with mining operations
that do material injury to the Feather and
Sacramento rivers, and that the United
States Circuit Court at San Francisco Las
issued an injunction restraining the COM
pany from continuing operations. The
order is sweeping, and commands all the
ave. ues of indirection for evading ii, such
a. sing the mine and selling water to
ta- ices, etc.
be hoped, and there is reason to
OK lat this action by the Government
the debris question to a speedy
e. @ at time will soon begin to run
Ia e yer the animosities of the past
w To i of forgetfulness. The prin-
c,i e,;a1i shed by Governmental dec
laration, by Federal legislation, and by
decisions of the State and Federal Courts
that the free water highways of the coun-
try are the heritage of all the people and
mus: not be destroyed by any artificial
deposition in them or that will come into
them through their tributaries. The by
draulic contest is now 50 nearly obliterated
that this last movement by the Govern
ment ought to completely end it, There
are bu. few mining sections in which the
law is still violated. 1t will be better for
the prosperity and advancement of the
peorle Of those sections that they cease re
si>,iag longer. They Will certainly meet
finai defeat in any attempt to continue 20
fov slickens into the rivers. Their ener-
gies should be exerted in the direction of
OTTER industries and the development of
Other resources of their sections, and we |
believe that they will not longer contend |
against the inevitable The people of the
valley and the friends of river navigation |
are to be congratulated that the Govern
men. has done what it ought to have I'M
deEtaken long ago. Indeed, we hold now,
as did the RECoRD-U MON years ago, that |
the Governments right has always justi-
fed and its duty has commanded interfer-
enoe; that, indeed, no special legislation
was necessary, except, perhaps, to provide |
funds-to the assertion Of that right. The
Federal Government IS the guardian and
care taller for all the navigable rivers of
the country, and it has always possessed
the right, and has very often asserted it, to
prevent the obstruction cf their naviga-
tion,
TIE REVOLT IN SAN FRANCISCO.
The movement in SanFrancisco to check
the arrogance of the bosses in matters of
crr.rnl in mnnic. nal cnvernrlent nnnnnrs