The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-08-15
stnte Aid to Irrigation.


 The problem that now presents itself
 is what is best to be done should the supreme court decide that the decision
 of Judge Ross in regard to the irriga-
 tion companies is good law. It would
 be idle to enact another law on similar
 lines for the conflict with the constitu-
 ton would again present itself. A con- stitutional amendment would, of course,
 render such a law valid, but 1t would be
 doubtful policy to adopt such an amendment. In it's last analysis the de-
 cision holds that the functions of gov
 ernment cannot be delegated to pri- vate corporation, and this is a funda-
 mental principle of government that 1t | would be extremely unwise to abandon.
 The work of irrigation in this state is so vast that 1t is not practicable to car
 ry 1t on by private enterprise. The as- sistance of the government in some form is absolutely necessary, and, While l the governmental powers cannot be del- | egated, there is no reason why they | should not be exercised by the state, | The state may exercise the right of en- | inent domain, may condemn and pur- | chase the necessary land, and construct | the proper ditches for complete sys-
 tenn of irrigation. It may issue bonds | for the inauguration and prosecution of | the system, and may provide for its | construction and control by public off
 cials. Such a system should be adopted only after a complete study of the situ- ation and the needs of irrigable land by l competent engineers; but a large part of this work has been done and the re- suits published in the reports of the l state engineering department.
 | It would, of course, be manifestly un- l just to tax the people of the whole state | for this work. The development of IT.
 rigatlon will bring vast amount of wealth to the state, but the owners of I irrigable land will be primarily benefit | ted, while the others will receive only
 an indirect benefit To tax the citizens of San Francisco in order to enrich the | farmers of the San Joaquin valley, or of | the southern part of the state, would be contrary to all true principles of tax | ation. But no injustice is done by using | the credit of the state to float the bonds, provided payment is made only by | those directly interested. Should such a system be built a charge for the wa | ter furnished could be made that would be sufficient to cover the interest on the bonds, the cost of maintenance and op- eration, and also to provide a sinking fund that would be sufficient to redeem the bonds after a period of twenty five or thirty years.
 The state could build such a system far more cheaply than 1t could be con- structed by private enterprise. The bonded indebtedness of California Is small and it's credit is good. Bonds
 bearing low rate of interest could be issued and would find ready sale. The construction ot comprehensive system by the state would be cheaper than if 1t were constructed by num- Der of private corporations, and the rates charged for water would be lower than they are at present. MT. Wright furnishes comparison between he | prices charged by a typical ditch con- | pany and the cost in n irrigation dis l trict. According to these figures, the
 private company charges an initial fes | of ten dollars per acre for the water right and "a yearly rental of one dollar and fifty cents. Tn the irrigation dis | trict the initial cost of construction was | five dollars am acre, and the cost o1 | maintenance corresponding to the year | ly rental twenty cents. This does noi | include any charge for interest.-Sar | Francisco Argonaut.