The record-union., 1893-01-30
ON THE RIGHT TRACK.
The Drainage and Reclamation Con-
vention at Work.
Bills Prepared for Presentation to the
Legislature-Congres to be Called
On Next Fall.

The California Drainage and Reclama-
ton Convention met on Saturday
pursuant to adjournment at the
Art Gallery, D. H. Arnold of
Colusa presiding. Those who were
apprehensive lest the majority OF
the members would not put in an ap-
pearance at the second meeting were
agreeably disappointed, the attendance of
delegates being nearly or quite as large
as at the former session of the conven-
ton, and the enthusiasm of the mem
bers was not abated in the slightest de-
gree.
j. r. Price, County Surveyor of Colusa,
was accepted as a proxy for DR.. Gray Of
that county, and A. B. Butler was made
6 delegate therefrom in place of Jesse
Poundstone, who was unable to be pres
ent.
Hon. D. NJ. Hershey of Yolo County
and Theodore Deming of Solano County
were also added to the list of delegates.
w. ). Green of the Memorial Commit
tee, reported that he had been unable to
get the committee together and his own
tlme mad been fully taken up in the work
Vi luS 1eEISldI1N6 committee.
+. X. Dray of Sacramento thought it
would be fatal mistake for this conven-
Lion to adjourn without report from the
Memorial Committee to go to Congress
IN aid OF this movement, and on motion
Messrs. Dray and Dixon of Sacra-
mento, Curtis of Yolo and Ohleyer of
Sutter were added TO the committee, and
they were instructed to present a report
at the next session of the convention.
j. Nj. EulWaIlar of Plaper thouUht fha
convention would bea little premature in
such action. 1t would be better to hear
the report of the Legislative Committee,
and first settle on what it wished to do,
and the plan for doing it, so that the
Memorial Committee would have some
foundation to work on, and could intelli-
gently prepare memorial, stating to
Congress what it asked for.
Dr. Dixon moved that the Memorial
Commlttee draw up a joint resolution,
To be presented to the Assembly for
action and transmission to Congress.
ID. Lubin of Sacramento said that Col
onel Mendell told him that the reason
the Mississippi had so many millions
spent on it was that it had twenty-seven
Senators to push measures, and that we
must exert all the pressure possible if we
hoped TO carry these measures through.
lie moved that it be declared the sense of
this convention the Legislature should
appoint committee to go to Washington
and urge Congress to act in the matter.
and make an appropriation to aid in the
work. he thought the landowners
should volunteer to go as members OF
such committee at their own expense.
TOO LATE IN THE SESSION.
A. II. Rose of Colusa thought that to
send delegation to Washington so near
the end of the session, when the routine
work OF that body would consume all it's
remaining time, would be useless. What
was needed to be done was for the people
interested in the reclamation and in the
Improvement of the rivers to meet next
fall, appoint committee and send it on,
with some chance of success in its mis-
sion.
DR.. Dixon thought there would be
abundant time for the River Convention
10 look after the river interests next fall:
but now is the time for this convention to
act in the matter of the legislative ap-
polntment OF a committee.
Mr.. Adams disagreed with DIR. Dixon,
and thought we had better be able to pre-
sent facts and figures showing that the
parties interested had done something to
protect themselves.
L. McGettigan of Solano thought the
convention should be backed by the Leg
lslature in its efforts.
Ohleyer agreed with Mr.. Rose that it
was too late to go to Congress this ses-
sion, but the convention should prepare
memorial for presentation to Congress
next fall. We had secured Sl5O, 900
through one memorial.
Green thought the time for this action
had not arrived. If the Legislature an
pointed committee it should accord
with the wishes of the convention, and
not consist of mem bers whose districts
were not identical Herewith. If we 90
to Congress for help, said he, we must
have our
PLANS SETTLED DEFINITELY,
SO that we can say to them we have
some specific thing that we want done by
them. We are getting ahead of our work
and wasting time. After we have formu-
lated bill and had it passed we will be
able TO go before Congress with definite
proposition, and next fall will be the
proper time.
Bingham of Yuba said that any memo
rial referring to reclamation, even re-
motely, would kill any effort for the i'm
provement of the rivers. The Govern
ment VIII never make an appropriation
without a definite plan.
Dray said that any work done in public
meetings only succeeds when it is done
by persistent agitation along given line
OF action. All relief in this matter must
come through the union of the State and
Government acting together on the points
at Issue. He believed in memorializing.
in asking persistently, and keeping the
matter before the people aud fresh in the
memory of Congress.
VIM. Johnston of Sacramento said the
Legislature could appoint no committee
the Governor only could do that,
Lubin's motion was declared out of
order, and recess taken till I:30 P. NJ.