Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-03-19
THE RIVER IMPROVEMENT MATTER.

The Executive Committee of the River
Convention has proved itself to be good
working body, having accomplished much
more than it was believed they would be
able to do the present season. The COM
mittee has proved what diligence, energy
and persistent endeavor in good cause
can accomplish. 1t has succeeded in send
ing on 10 Washington thus early a COM
mittee OF six citizens to present the case
of the nayigable rivers of the State to
Congress. These gentlemen go on in
strEcted to advocate no schemes of improve
ment, 10 advance no ideas of river rectif-
cation, or IN any way to discuss with the
authorities or Congressman the several
means proposed to restrain and dispose of
flood waters and to restore the nayisabil-
lty OF the Sacramento and other streams.
But they 90 to Washington at the request
OF the Congressional delegation from this
State, simply TO urge upon the Govern
ment the duty of appointing Commission
as was done in the case of the Mississippi.
and to give it sufficient means to examine
the situation and to begin such work as is
imperatiyely necessary.
1t is fact that Congress did not erect
the Mississippi River Commission until the
st. Louis Board of Trade took up the
matter, and moved upon the people to
send ON citizens committee to Washing
ton to present the question to the de-
partments and to Congress. The result is
well known.
We learn, on inquiry made of DR..
Dixon, Chairman of the Executive Com
mittee which dispatched the committee of
six this week, that there has been raised
thus far $4,000 to defray the expenses of
the delegation now on the road. Fully a
thousand dollars more must be had. and
the committee has pledged its personal
credit to the delegation that the money
shall be raised and forwarded. Even then
the members of the delegation will be put
to very considerable personal expense, be-
sides sieing their time to this important
work. Two of the counties most deeplv
interested have as yet given nothing
to the purpose of the work, Yolo and
Solano, but the belief is entertained that
they will do SO. Butte, San joaquin.
Tehama, Yuba, Sutter and Sacramento
have contributed literally, and it is to be
hoped that the remaining counties will
follow their example at once.
The idea of the appointment of River
Commission was long ago advocated in the
RECORD UNION, and we are convinced that
1t Is the one thing to be done. That &C.
cofnplished, the question Of methods will
be before body having authority, and
presumably competent to advise the Gov.
eminent properly. We have implicit faith
in the outcome il a Commission is ap-
pointed. We believe that the result Will
be the enlargement of the delta mouths of
the Sacramento and San joaquin; pro-
vision for setting back ievees so as to en-
large the waterway the adoption of a
systematic method of treating the river :.
the abandonment of patchwork and the
waste of money in merely dredging here
and there and pulling out few snags each
season, for more thorough work the pro-
vision Of a surplus waterway for the car
rage of surplus waters across the tule
lands which are now annually flooded.
These or some of these plans will prob
ably be advised, or all of them. The
Government cannot and should not be
asked to engage in any reclamation
schemes. No one looks to that, vet the
effect OF river reclamation will in part be
land reclamation. The systematic treat
ment OF the river, according to a compre-
hensive plan, such as the Commission may
adopt, VIII enable the small reclamation-
district system along bottom lands to be
abandoned and general and compre-
hensive one adopted, under which hun
dreds Of thousands of acres of rich land
will be brought into productive use, and
the assessment roll of the State be corre-
spondingIy enlarged by many millions of
dollars, while the effect upon the Sacra-
,mento and adjacent valleys, and indeed
upon the whole State, will be TO inaugurate
a new era of prosperity and to augment
very greatly the settlement Of the valleys.
We have uniformly contended that the
duty of caring for the nsvigable rivers OF
the State is incumbent upon the Federal
Government. Latterly that authority has
confessed as much, and has so iegisiated as
to acknowledge the duty. 1t therefore
now only remains to secure action, and
tina; Is the purpose Of The Citizens Com
mit.ee which has just departed for Wash
ington.