The record-union., 1895-02-12
THE NEW DRAINAGE ACT.

Ihh NEW DhA1NAGE ACI.
The new Drainage Act, and which of
course comes from the Office of the Com
missioner of Public Works, is open to
not few objections in detail, without in
Guiding the issues that the whole scheme
of the bill involves.
And first we note that when the matter
of proceeding with the drainage system
is presented to the people on the question
of a bond issue, then action at the polls is
to be decisive Of the bond ques-
ton. This question is voted upon on the
basis of plans and a general policy either
devised by or approved by the Commits
sioner of Public Works-indeed there
can be nothing done in planning or
specifying except by his direction and
approval, and according to specifications
and schemes of drainage that issue from
his Office
We may not except to this, we may con-
cede it to be necessary in order that the
plan of reclamation may be harmonious in
one part with all others, comprehensive
and general, since the rivers in their over
flow and the lowlands in reclamation can
not be treated by patchwork processes. We
have had enough and more than enough
of one district levying against another, of
one section operating upon plans that are
inharmonious with the plans and
of ba a5 off J;a
tricts.
But if it is decided by the people that
bonds shall not issue, the Boards of Di-
rectors for the districts ''must" proceed
to raise the necessary revenue to carry
out the plans of the Commissioner of
Public Works, by assessment and collec-
ton of special taxes from the property
of the district according to plan of ap-
portionment Of the burdens adopted by
body in the selection of which they have
no voice. There is no submission to the
consulted, as we understand the bill, as
to whether they wish this great drainage
scheme to be entered upon and be prose-
cuted. Indeed, it would seem that the
Act is skillfully framed for the purpose
of inducing the people to adopt the
bonded debt system.
We have our own ideas about this, but
deem it sufficient to say now that we be-
lieve the people will be found opposed to
this scheme of the Act and to be warm in
their demand for its modification. The
whole tendency of the times is to put
government nearer to the people, and to
consult them at the ballot-box concern
ing all the greater problems that involve
taxation and the carrying out of projects
which involve liens upon their property.
OF course we understand why the Act
is framed as it is. 1t is deemed imprac-
ticable to submit to vote questions in
Volving the intricate engineering plans,
data and detail that are necessary in this
case. 1t is probably held that the Com
missioner having spent two years with
his engineers in examining the matter.
and they having submitted their reports
to the Legislature, the representative
body, if that body approves the drainage
scheme it is all that can be asked, because
to put it into a campaign of explanation,
to be closed by popular vote, is i'm
practicable; that it is State question,
and that it should be treated as such, and
not be made the subjec of local judgment
or whim. Nor are we prepared to say
that such reasons are not sufficient, but
we do say that the people are not at this
time prepared to accept them; they have
not been educated to the extent in this
matter that insures their approval.
Taxation to carry out the drainage
scheme being ordered, the distribution of
the burdens is to be determined by a
Board OF Commissioners to be appointed
by the Governor, who are to report to the
District or Division Directors, who are
also appointed by the Governor, and this
board IN turn appoints an Assessor and a
collector. The former proceeds to assess
the property of the people in the district,
and the directors, sitting as a special Board
of Equalization, having equalized the as
sessments, the special collector proceeds
to collect the tax, and in case of dslin.