The record-union., 1893-02-10
Weather Forecast
THE DRAINAGE AND RECLAMA-
TION BILLS.

1lON BILLS.
The drainage and reclamation of tn,
lowlands lying above and below this city
along the Sacramento River is question
of SURPRISING interest. 1t is almost i'm
possible to over-estimate the value to tn,
people OF the reclamation of these over
flowed lands. 1t is fact that somewhere
between 100000 and 100000 acres of this
character, two-thirds of which i!
now practically non-productive, i
brought into agricultural use would
potentially aid the upbuilding O
this whole section of the State, and ado
enormous values to the assessment rolls
and proportionately reduce taxation.
1t requires no great stretch of fancy tc
picture these lands under reclamation
peopled by tens of thousands of industrial
citizens, and their acres yielding more
bountifully than any others, since it is
conceded that nowhere else is there soil
that would respond more magically to
the touch of the cultivator.
The drainage of this valley bottom sec
ton so as to secure free and rapid dis
charge of surplus waters by conveyance
through prescribed channels, thus caring
for the waters descending on the one side
from the Coast Range, and on the other
from the Sierras and flooding the land, is
reclamation and reclamation in its high
est and best form, and all other work is
Incidental to it.
Such scheme seen in full success can
be forecast as the agency to build up GER
tain vast rural sections, enlarge the i'm
portance of market centers and prevent
the annual destruction of private prop
erty. In very remote sense such a
scheme would tend to aid any Govern
mental effort for its treatment of the nayi-
gable rivers, as it would involve artificial
discharges from the tule basin, which.
when filed, tends to choke the discharge
of the Sacramento River into which the
basin now feeds all of its waters, and thus
drainage work and river rectification
work could cooperate and yet remain
distinct.
But the care of the rivers being exclu-
sively Federal duty and only within
State view by voluntary offer of the
State, if it is ever aided by the latter it
must be done directly and solely for that
purpose and not indirectly through any
land drainage scheme. The policy of
this State, and which is in harmony with
that OF other States, and is in consonance
with justice to all the people, always has
been always viii be to make all local
drainage and reclamation cost rest solely
upon the lands affected benefcially and
directly.
That comprehensive drainage of the
valley sections referred to ought to be
accomplished none will deny; that it
ought to be entered upon at once and
pushed with all practicable speed goes
without saying. Indeed, we know of no
great work of internal improvement that
at all compares with this in importance.
1t is of vital interest to the cities of
Sacramento and Marysville and all the
large towns of the valley dependent in
whole or in part upon the settling up of
the section and the development of its
full possibilities.
1t is conceded, too. that the scheme
which has in two bills now before the
Legislature for the first time been fairly
outlined must take within it's view and
scope the whole affected section. Each
part must have relation to the whole.
from the head to the foot of the section
under treatment We have had hereto
fore only patchwork; small reclamation
districts building against each other and
without any consideration whatever of
drainage and safe and practicable dis
charge of the waters from the lands.
This great and all-important work will
never be accomplished then except under
q comprehensive scheme embracing the
whole section and bringing whatever is
done in any subdivision of the territory
llIO Win lA0 HAO10
affecting the entire territorial area en-
braced in it.
There must be, therefore, general or
central control, that this harmonious lay
ing out and conduct of the plans of work
shall be nationally accomplished. But it is
not only to be doubted whether the State. as
a whole, should bear any of the burden of
laying out the plans and managing the
control. but it is the settled policy that it
will not do this thing; that it cannot and
will not expend money having relation
to the reclamation of private property.
1t is true that but $4,000 is asked for, but
IT calls for State Commission that would
he well-nigh perpetual, and upon which
could be placed labors for all manner OF
pnblic work and thus involve expendi-
ture that would be almost imitless.
Supremely important and demanding
as is this scheme of drainage reclamation,
of vast value as it is, and having in view
nrosperity almost without limit, it is
still a scheme to reclaim from flood pri-
vate property, and the entire cost, there
fore, must, In pursuance Of the policy OF