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<br />24
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<br />DEClSlONS PEUTINENT TO PROPOSED WATEIR RIGHTS ACT
<br />
<br />DECISIONS PERTINENT TO PROPOSED WATER RIGHTS ACT
<br />
<br />25
<br />
<br /><lWlll~IlC\'l'r hv pri0rity or posS('S~iOll, Ti~ht~ to tlJO llse of W:l,t.r.T for mining,
<br />agril~llltllr:ll, ~1:ll'lllf:u~l,lll'illg or aLl leT Illlr\lOSl~S, h.:~\'e V(,Sll~~~1 :.\r~:.: :~~I~[~I;~'d:~~:~i~I~~
<br />tl:~lIIl~ :J.n~ reeO~lIi/.l:d .'lIH~, :,ld, rowh~~'~(:dr t~~C~II1f~'~~~~~~1 c;:~~~,s ~lt~~H !J~ maint.ained n lid
<br />of 1.:001rt,:-;, ~h(: j)\):'~('~~o,~" .'1lH) ~\\.Il'.,.r~ ~-Or-W;~Y for t.he con~trnctioll of dit.c1l1$ :lIlcl
<br />protected III the :;:LlllL, .lllt Ie 11~.1 . . . I d' 'ontirrned" but wllCn.
<br />call;d~ for thtl pur.po~;~~ t~~l;~~~~~~~:i~~e~r 1~1~~~I\I~C~\I~/~~~1.n;~~\l~jurCS or c.iama~('s thtJ
<br />e~~~:~~i~~I;~?i~~\.I~clt.l('r all the pllblic ~1C).[.n:Lin, the p~Lrt::, ~ommitti~v: :~~~,injury
<br />~r d:nn:II:!Y A\l:di"lw li:Lhl(~ to tilf: p:~rt.y II\Jllr~d for s~lCh ~I~J~I~~ Ut~!t~d'I~~~trs o.rc
<br />'II ' 'Ired (lr tlti..; ,"I:~tute l,"n..'l to rCI:oglllZc, so ar,. . ,. ' .
<br />COlle~~/l~'d; th{~ vn.lidit,(. ?f the ~?el~\ ;ll~LU:l1S, bws, !l.lld dCell:iIOnS of courts In
<br />r(',.;I)l~d. 1.u l.h~ :\ppropn:lllo1 n olh,).~t)~ r 'a' n'L~-('d for the sale of desert bnds, which
<br />:\lar\'h:I,1Slj,:\1l:l.et,,~~\~lpl.~r "~\":<'l:tSt t '~-7)"
<br />c()J)I:lillVd ill it..'" Iir,..;t SI:(;1.l011 t.11l,; prtoVl.";O (I', :~. i I 'aL('r Lv the pfmmns so con-
<br />. "J'rnl'idrrl, howC!'cr, 1 h:lt th~ r,l~ It to ~.\: lI~e I) ~~i~ hlliulrcd and forty fl.crC:i
<br />dll("lil1~ the samp. i)ll or to :lny tr.l.ct of dl.:-.~,rt.l.l.nd 0 , I ri ht ~h:l.ll not ex~eed
<br />shall d"!H'\H( lIpon bOIl:l fil!f{tl:r,ior a\lpr,~J\)~:ll~~~t; n~~l~s~~~~l~' I~ed 'fo'r the pu'rpose
<br />the amollnL of \\"atc~ ~l(:t\l:L ~, ,q)Pl~l~rl'~l'~ph'IS wnt~r over :md ahove sHeh adual
<br />of irri:-=;:Ltiun nnd rer. :l.ln:~tlOn, :UH ..a ", .r', r 011 l.....ke~ riYers l~nd other
<br />' f' d \1'(' to"l,thcr \\It.h t Ie ",~"cr 0 ,. ~, , .
<br />U[1pl'opn:\ ,1011 nil ~" r' I l\', l' I.. and nul; n:L\'ig:\ble :-;lw.ll remam
<br />;~ul{\)eCs ]~:IJ'"i~~~r f~I~~I~\~~{a;~~~~~P~i~~l,i~~~ .~:~rl. ;:;I(~ ~i ~hle ~~llblit' for irrig'lLtion, mining,
<br />and lll~lIllLlcturin~ purpo5l'S 8U~Jet.:~ to ~i~~:';t'~~~sfl~~l~~~d repealing a prior act in
<br />On i\1~rch 3, 18~11, an nct, {' \n.p cr ~ l, ,.., rovided (2ti Stat. 1101):
<br />reSI~~ct to tim~.H~r Cu/tl.lre: S\e l8~htl~~e~~O~lj~fl~~lldl~I~lfd r('.scrv~\tions of the United .
<br />"J hat the ng:ht-o -\\a~ uour; ] d't h compan\' formed for the purpose
<br />Sbt(" is hl'rcu\' gr:llltl'd to ~l1ll C:l1l.'l or J .c. . T 'tor which
<br />of'ir;ic:ntion mid duly org;l.nized under ~he Inw~ of nny St.~l.~~eO~nt~~f~r ~/COpy of
<br />~hnll lla\'c fill!(~, or llIay ~ere:\ft("dr ~lc, ....p.~~~~h~rf~;e;;~In?~atioll un'dcr thc sn.mc,
<br />its articles of lllcorporatlOl1, un IIC f h' ' rvoir and of the
<br />t~ the eXd.t~~t,.o.f t,h)e ~rod\ll~~ ~~~lI~t~e~a~~' s~~~ ~~~; I~U;{!,i~:leli~lits tl~ereof;,also
<br />ennui nn It:'> n~er.l.~, all . th' r of th' canal or ditch,
<br />the ri~ht to take, from the public 1n.1I1~ fl.g~~c~~l~s~~uct'fol~n~f suchc c~n3.l or ditch:
<br />lflt\lr'ri'll E"Lrth and stonl~ nCC(!~5ury or e . d t' t f re with the
<br />Pro~id~d', 'fhat' no s\H:h right-of-way shall be so 10hc:l.t,e'l r\S ti~nJn ~~;d Cull maps or
<br />proper occupation b~: the Go\'er~lflent. of any sue ~er~~~~t of'the Government
<br />loention, sl~all. b~ subJcct to t~\e ~PI?rO\ a1 of t~e ~~le'(' herein granted shall not.
<br />having; JUrisdictIOn of ~uch re:,>cn ntlOn, ~Ild th PI . g.. t' and other purposes
<br />be cOllstnwu to interfere wiLh the C?nt.r0! of wn.t~: 0: lr~~gn. IOn. .
<br />under !1ut.llOrit.y of tl~e rcspccth'~, St.at-cSt.~: ;~~~~~~~~l~J' Con~ress recognized and
<br />Oh\"lou~ly by thes..! ~ct~, so ,\r as. ,\ . "t.~ f the comnlon-hw rule
<br />assented to the nppropnT:l.llO,n rof ~ti erf ill ~~71~'~~C~~~'r:s~ intended to release its
<br />as t.o continuo\1::'; Iiow, 0111 cr lere rOI " 1:>\ t' mnt in-aid of mining;
<br />COJllrol O....L'r 1h~ tuwil-::\blc ~lrel~ms (~f the COllut,r)'. an' to \g) ;ro ~rin.te tlw waters
<br />industries and the rccl;l.llIn.tl<Jn of 11.f1d bllh'ls the ~l!!;hlt .0 t~1 i't.:=;1'ro.Y their nl\vi!2;a-
<br />on the somce.s of na\'i;:;:~lJh: stream:'> to su(' n.n C1: E'~l, n.~., 't9. Tl1is
<br />bilitv, is to carr.... t:hose ~t:\tllt~~ bCY~Tld wh:\t}h.clr falr .lTnr~~; ~il~h;o';;p;h this
<br />legish,t.ion mU:-it he IIltcfJ~r(;t('d 111 the hght,of eXl:.o.IJn~/~~)\~ wl~{jsc w:J.t.crs- could
<br />~}l~i ~~):~~}\(::~~~~~~.~;~ f ~~.\~\ n~~'l~~ n~'~~~~li~~.;l;~~(:::~r~~~u~~~~~ ~::~~~~~\~~e:.~O"Ai~~ci~
<br />ferc,;ce wit h \ll~III,:~ "1~:~!I,lh~t' ;\~r;~ll~ r(~~~ril:~~~~:~ t~~e oh\'iong IHlrpose of Congress
<br />rcfer;IlCl~_ t.o ~o: ~~~~7If'L~~:-lhr rLS tJie puhliG lands wert' concerned, to n.n.hv 6).:=;tem~
<br />Wf\S If) ~I\:(~ I . l .~. . '. . "h' -hw rlll~' which lH'rmitted t f! nppro-
<br />nllhollp::h III contnnclItlOll to 1. ~ ~.omm~n I' "t " ., T hnltl that COIL~rc.-;s, by
<br />rh1 ion of 1.ho"'p \\'n.t.~r~ for lCl];It.unatc In( ll.. ,fie:;. 0 . 1I ,11, w~ler'" of
<br />fl-lI;"c :.~ct.~, mell.l~t to C~II~(h'~ ~l,pon :~lI~i, ~(~t~ l/I~~\"I;~~~~b;o :\rll~rr~~~:~~~ ~'ln~ ~o ;l~~t~oy
<br />th.. tnlllll'~f\' :-;tre:UllS \\ IC I um ell. ,r> I' t 'l f ,:\,(I the people
<br />th~ l1:\,"it;~bi'Ji1,~' of t.h:lt \\':J.f.crcours(: ill dtr.or41iOn ~~ ~~c tl~e~~'-te~~ 0 It ignorer:; the
<br />of the United ~~:\te~" is a cdn~tr~C\I~t ,w tll~ 1 t~r~ tho ~'~rg~ of thc letter and fri.r
<br />spirit. of the kgls1nt.lOn tl.~ cnrrtles 1.C ~ ~hu case must be hcld to have becn the
<br />beyond what under the clrcums :l.llce~ 0 e .
<br />in{l:llt of Con~rcs5, b ',l t the 1.rue intent and scope. of these v~l.rious
<br />But whn.tcnr may e Sn.ILI tl.S? . 0 SE' tf:mher 19 18~O, an
<br />statutc~, we have before llS the lCP;I:'l.I:\tlOthn, of 18fl.(): n (~G OPto: 454 ~e~ 10)' .
<br />-, d nt'\inlt1g 1.S provlslo .. '-J ...~.. " . ,
<br />aC~';TI~~i~~~ ~~~~~~ ~?~<;~y ~Zst~uctjo.n, n~t amrfat~':c:i' t:::~t}&O~t::g ~ia~~vh:
<br />the Ihwig;:~ble c~l.})3,cit)' of :lny wa.ters, In respect 0 w IC
<br />
<br />jmisdietion, is hcreby prohibiterl. The continuan('e of 811)" such oh.,trllctiou,
<br />except brklI;t';'>, Jlicr.~, docks, and wh:J.rvcs, ~1.IId silllil:u strlletures ercl't{~d for
<br />bll~ill(OSS pllrpO~C5, whcttwr h('rctoforP.. or hereafter crented, sllUlI const-itllte u.n
<br />ofTence, :l.lld e:lch w('ek's conlillullllce of ~U1y snch ohstrllctiun shalt be deellled n.
<br />8ep~lrate offence. Every pcrson :U1d e\'C'ry corpOntliOll whidl sk1.11 he guilty of
<br />creating or (~ontill\lillg :lny .such unlnwflll ohstruc:tion in this A~~t mentior.lcd, or
<br />who !ill,d] viob.t.e the }Jrovisions of the last four preceding sectIOns of tillS Act,
<br />shall ue deell\en guilty of a misdC'Il1('fLl1or, amI on conviction thereof ~hall be pun-
<br />i.o;hed by n. fille not exceeding S,:;,OOO, or by imprisonment (in the C3.se of n natural
<br />per~on) flot exceeding olle year, or by both suell punishment.s, in the discretion
<br />of thc court,; the ('rratillg or continuing of any lid lawful ob~trllction in this Act
<br />mentiollctlmny be pre\'~lltl~d, and such obstruction may he caused to be removed
<br />by the injllnetion of any circuit court exercising jurj:']diclioll in [~n'y district. in
<br />which su('h ob~t,fllrtion m:1Y be thrc.'ltclled or l1l:1Y exist; [lnd prorcr proceedings
<br />in equity to thi~ end may ue instituted under the direction of the Attoruey General
<br />of the United 1'::it:.J.tes."
<br />As this is 3. Inter dccbmtion of Congress. so far as it modifies any privileges or
<br />rights conferred by prior statutes it must be held controlling, nt, Je.'lst as to .'lJl)'
<br />rights attp.mptccl to be crcnted since its passagej and all the proceedings of the
<br />appellees in thi!:l case were subseqnent to this act * * * (pp.703-707).
<br />
<br />The Elephant Butte Dam later was authorized and constructed.
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<br />D. ADMInALTY AND MARITIME JURISDICTION
<br />
<br />1. Knickerbocker ice Co. ", Stewart (253 U. S. 149 (1920)): Article
<br />III) ~er.tion 2, of the ConsLitut,ion ext,ellds tho judicial po\\'cr to
<br />admirnlty and mnrit.inle jurisdiction. Article I, scet.ion S, grant.s
<br />Congress the power to make necessary ond proper laws t.o cnrry out
<br />aU of the constitutional powers vested in tl,e Go\'ernment of'the
<br />United States. The question in this cnse was whether Congress could
<br />adopt State laws as cont.rolling in mlUitime suits when the Const.itu-
<br />!.ion contemplnted uniformity (1d" p. 160). Here, said the Court-
<br />* * '" Congrc~ undertook to permit npplicntion of workmen's compensation'
<br />laws of the scn:ral Stat~!] to injuries within the admiralty nod maritime jlJrbdic~
<br />tion; alld t.1 :::3.\"C sllch sbtlltes from the objcctions pointed out in Stmlhern Plleifie
<br />Co. \'. Jcnull (:!4-J. U. S. 205). It sought to SlltllOriz;c SIJJ sanc~jon actiun by the
<br />Stutes ill prescrihing- I\lId cnforcing, so: to all partics r.oncernl~d, ,'i!:!;hts, obligs.tions,
<br />Iiabilitic.~, find remedics designed to provide compensation for injuries slltTerl>d by
<br />employcC'.5 ill!;llg,cd ill lll:'l.ritime work.
<br />~ And.so cUIl:-;tnH'U, we think the cnactn1cnt jg heyond the power of C01:~ress.
<br />Its power to legi~]:1te concerning rights Bnd liabilities wit.hin the Dlaritrne jl!ris-
<br />diction and renwdie,,, for their enforccmrnt, ariscs from the Constitution, n.::; o.bo\'e "
<br />indicated. The definite object of the grant was to commit direct r.ontrol to the
<br />Fedef.'l.l Go\'ernment; to relie\'e maritime commerce from Ilnllec('~sary bmdens
<br />and distLd\'sllt.'l.gc:': incident to discordant legi:"l~tif)n; and to establish, $0 far as
<br />practicablc, harmonious and uniform rulc5 applicahle throughout enrv part of
<br />the Union. .
<br />Considering the fundamental pllrpose in view and the definite end for which ~uch
<br />rules WC'Te lll~rrpt.cd, we nlll...,t conclude th:lt in thcir chn.ractcristic fcatures and
<br />essent.ial internutlonal [J.n(I intc:rstntc rebtions, the lattt'r mn)" not he rcpt~:ded.
<br />amended, or changed except by lcgislation which clnbodi(,5 I'oth the will :\nd
<br />deliherate juda:rrH~l1t of Cong;rc3:;. The suhject was cntrusted to it to he de:\lt with
<br />according to its discretiol1-not foT' delc~tJ.tion to othert<. To So'J.)' that Congress
<br />could h:lVC cn:l.clcd a compensation :l.ct applicable to maritime injuries, it t;ould
<br />aut,horize the Statcs to do so as they might desire, is false reasoning. ~loreo\'er
<br />suc:h nIl 9.llthoriz:lt.ion would ine\'itably dt:stroy the hn.rmony and uniformity which
<br />the Constitution not only (;ontempbtcd but actually est:lblished-it would defeat
<br />the very purpOse of the grant. " .. ,., .
<br />Congress cannot transfer its le~islative power to the States-by n:lturc tbis is
<br />nondelcgaule * * * (pp. 163-1(4).
<br />2, Stale oj Washington v. Dawson &: Co, (264 U. S, 2J9 (1924)),
<br />presented tbe questIOn of whetber a company engaged in stevedoring,
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