The herald., 1893-10-10
AN IRRIGATION STATE
South California Only Survives
on Its Water Supply.
Needful Legislation Steadfastly De-
MED by North California.
Separate Law-Making Powers by the
Southern Counties the Only
Remedy for the Irriga-
tion Question.

II we include territory enough for sew
eral states, IL is competent for the peo-
pie OF the State Of California to divide
hereafter. have no doubt that
the time will come when we will have
20 states this side of the Rocky noun
tains.-[Speech of Hon. W. M. Gwin in
constitutional convention at Monterey
in 1849.
These Americans use political gov
ernments as they do machinery when
they become old and worn they are re-
placed by new and improved ones.
-TCondensed from, Professor James
Bryce.
Upon the Pacific slope today there are
only five states. Washington, oregon
and California cover the entire western
Beaboard of the United States for nearly
1900 miles. Idaho and Nevada are the
only states within the great basin be-
tween the Sierra Nevada and Rocky
mountains, but there is little doubt that
the territories OF Utah and Arizona Will
soon become states. When they DO.
there will ba only seven states west OF
the Rocky mountains.
The great waves of migration are NOV
ing westward. Yearly the center OF
population follows the sun while closely
hugging the 39th parallel of latitude.
e;The r. o'sy mountains are no barrier.
Il In time, and no long time either, the
entire Pacific slope will be thickly peo-
pied. The choicest sections like Souh-
ern California will be filled first. Then
Northern California, Oregon and Wash
ington will receive their measures.
Every oasis and river valley in the great
Colorado basin between the Sierra Ne
-vada and the Rocky mountains will be-
come beehives OF population and wealth,
uutrivaiing Basibec, Palmyra, Thebes,
and those other cities of the old world
whose past glory and greatness is mostly
known by the grandeur and magniH-
cence Of their ruins.
Being free people, they will insist
on a just represan cation IN congress-.
They will not rest content with only
seven state governments represented by
fourteen United States senators. AL
ready are there signs of this discomfort.
Eastern Washington and Northern
Idaho, physically one section. with iden-
tical interests, are agitating the ques-
tion Of new state. And Southern Cal
ifornia. physically separate section
from Northern California, with no identi-
hood. Western Colorado wants sepa-
rate state on the west side of the Rocky
mountains. These movements will in
crease as population grows. Mr.. GwiR's
prophecy may yet be realized, but it can
never come without divisions OF the ex-
isting states.
Southern California desires to be a
state all to itself. 1t is a large and
growing section, embracing about one
third OF the area and one-fiith OF the
population and wealth OF the entire
Htate Of California.
Itwas incorporated into the present
state under protest. Several efforts
have been made to secure state division.
One OF these in the year 1869 came near
being successful. The sentiment of
separate statehood is very popular
throughout Southern California today.
None OF the relations with Northern
California are harmonious, and many
are very irritating.
There has never been time since the
territory OF California was peopled by
Europeans that harmony existed be-
tween Northern and Southern California.
And the more the population has in
creased the greater have the differences
between the sections increased. The
reasons for this grow out of natural
causes.
The state is naturally divided into two
great and separate physical sections by
the Sierra Nevada mountains, which
entirely cross it eouthwesterly from
about the 35th parallel OF north latitude,
to Point Conception. Their altitude is
from 1000 to $4,000 feet. Their effect
upon the climate and products OF the
soil in Northern and Southern California
10 haoa tmo cactiouo diffarant in
these particulars as the Alps make
France and Italy.
Out OF these differences grow interests
90 diverse that they never can be har-
monized under one legislative govern
ment, and all efforts to do 30 will only
continue and increase the friction and
discord between the two sections.
Year by year, as population increases,
the sectional feeling intensifiss. The
finer climate OF the south very
naturally attracts the major part OF
= Immigration to that section. Hence,
i In the south greater enterprise and pros
,perity exists than in the north in COM
parison to the amount OF population.
This proposition is proved by the proc
perity Of the irrigated counties. Out OF
2O3 medals given California by the
worlds fair for fruit, 1877 came to South
OHliioi hios lIach Jooh WibhSoSCo
greater political concessions on the part
Of the north towards the south, and
finally the last concession will come in
the form of separate government for
the south.
A single instance will suffice to show
the necessity OF state division. North
ern California has almost twice ae much
rainfall as South California. The latter
section ia compelled to almost wholly
resort to irrigation. Such communities
as Los Angeles, Pasadena, Azusa, Po.
mona, San Bernardino, Redlands, River
side, Anaheim and score of other i'm
portant places would cease to exist were
they to lose this art. The rainfall is go
ecant in the valleys that they are COM
PEELED tc appropriate, in many instan-
ces, all the waters of the streams in
order to nourish their growing crops.
Northern California with a greater
rainfall, needs but little if any irriga-
tion. Hence the conflict between the
two sections. The Legislature has per-
sistently refused, until lately, to even
f.onsider the question. As late as 1880
an effort was made to pass bill divid-
ing the state into two irrigating districts,
the northern district to be governed by
the common-law doctrine of riparian
rights; the southern district to be