The San Francisco call., 1899-10-29
ABOUT FLOOD WATERS.

THE CALL is in receipt OF communication
from Mr. George H. Maxwell, executive chair
man OF the National Irrigation Congress, in
which he strongly antagonizes his own statement CT
the purpose of the convention be held in this city
on the I4th OF November. He says: The State
movement seems to have been started with the idea
OF discouragng the movement OF the National Irrl-
CATION Congress
That IS not our understanding OF it at all. The
State movement called, is not intended to an
tagonze anything but drought, to promote any
thing but the provision OF water to increase the ter
tilty and product OF the State. So far indeed, the
antagonism comes from the opposite direction
Gentlemen interested in the national movement have
done the antagonizing and have not avoided the in
cendary resources OF the language in doing It In
deed the pyromanac nature OF some OF their utter-
ances has increased the need OF water for would
be useful to pour on the conhagraton OF accusations
which they have enkindled.
There is no need OF any OF this California has
intention OF making it hard for anybody to get the
Federal Government to appropriate the money
needed for national system OF irrigation The old
flag and an appropriation just dear to all
to Mr.. Maxwell and the Missoua Congress. But this
State has many millions of dollars worth OF property
in water poured upon its mountains every year, not
bv the Federal Government but by the laws OF evapo
serve upon temperature. The annual waste OF these
millions in that property, brought about by the law
OF gravity which makes water run downhill, obso
letes the use OF nearly twenty millions Of OF
land which is infere without irrigation II that land
would produce only five dollars per if irrigated,
annually its non-use is loss OF one hundred millions
OF dollars per year to the States production That
means the support OF many homes and families
than we have now
II we were talking about anything but water we
would say that by permitting the waste of its prop
erty in water California is burning its candle at both
ends Let il go that not merely wasting at
the bung the spigot but have knocked both heads
out OF our barrel 1t is unfortunate that to any mind
in this State the proposition get together and dis
cuss the conservation OF this property for its proper
use should appear the small scheme of selfish
plotters or as Mr.. Maxwell puts it. as "a wild and
chimerical project, with possibilities of corruption
jobbery and public plunder which simply appall-
ing"
There is nothing in it to justify any such view
The State OF California, on the whole has been
as well governed and uprghtly that larger SOW
ereignty, the United States and free from corrup-
ton, jobbery and public plunder Mr. Maxwell
simply submits the argument that we too dis
honorable, dishonest and untrustworthy to do this
thing for ourselves, therefore we must wait like the
blanket Indians for the Great Father" at Washing
ton to do il for us
If his estimate OF California is true he should not
ask the Federal Government to irrgate the State but
TO turn It into penal colony Botany Bay to which
the criminals OF the Union should be exied to grow
up in congenial company.
The National Irrigatonists are earnest people We
respect them. But they have foible They pub
Hsh all who differ in the means TO the same ends as
dishonest and unworthy