Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1846-04-11
THE NEW CONSTITUTION.
Internal improvements.

THE NEW CONSTITUTION.
Internal Improvements.
In a former article, we endeavored TO
show that by the provisions of the new
Constitution, internal improvements would
be practically prohibited in this State.
Only one improvement can be proposed in
any one bill, and only one proposition can
be made in each period Of two years. The
Legislature will meet in ls46-'47, and
great contest will exist among the friends
of various conflicting improvements. The
most prominent object Of internal improve
ment will be the improvement of the navi.
CATION Of the Usage river from its mouth
to the Indian boundary. We take it for
granted proposition will be made by the
friends Of the improvement Of that river
to authorize loan TO effect that very i'm
portant work, and we suppose that half
million of dollars would be sufficient to
render the navigation Of that river very
good up to the western line of the State.
A large majority of the members of the
Legislature may consider the improvement
of the Usage a necessary and important
work, and apart from other works, they
may be anxious to see it accomplished, but
still nearly all of them will have some local
improvements of their own, which they
desire to be the first work undertaken by
the State. From this cause nearly all the
members will be induced to vote against a
proposition to obtain the means 10 improve
the Usage. .....
The people on White river will insist on
that being the first object of improvement.
Those on the Neosho, Current. st. Francis,
Merrimac, Salt, Charlton, Platte, and Gas.
conade will do the same thing. The peo.
pie in the Southeast will think that the
draining of the swamps ought to be the
first object Of improvement. The people
of the mineral country will think that a
country to the river is far the most i'm
rortant work, and should be begun first.
Other portions of the State will think that
certain roads demand the first attention of
the State authorities. The result will be
that the friends of all these works will be
arrayed against the Usage improvement,
and will vote it down and then they will
be arrayed successfully against every other
improvement, and one after another they
will all be voted down. This arrangement
will practically prevent the General As
sembly from agreeing upon any bill to
authorize any improvement whatever.
But suppose that by some means ma
jority of all the members elected 10 each
House shall be induced to propose some
one improvements; it will be presented to
the people in ls49, and not before. Ow.
ing to the indifference of large portion Of
the people of the State, and the objections,
preiudices and local and sectional feelings
entertained by others, it is more than prob
able that the proposition would be rejected.
But suppose that the work be authorized,
and let it be the Usage; the following win.
ter the Legislature will again have to pro-
vide by law for carrying the proposition
into effect, arranging the details, negotiat-
ing the loan and managing the work. Some
years will elapse before the loan can be
, negotiated and the work be fairly com.
menced. Then again in 1852 the Legis.
lature will be in session, and the persons
interested in the various other improve.
f moi.ts will be struggling to obtain the
means TO accomplish the same. But the
improvement of the Usage will be unfin.
ished and another appropriation will be
needed to complete il, or either il must
stop and all other improvements must be
, still further deferred. Internal improve
ments will be thus delayed and practically
prevented in this State. Indeed, the OBJ
ject of the authors of the sections on this
subject appear to have had deliberate de.
sign to prevent the undertaking of any
, works of internal improvement by the
State, and they have effectually succeeded
st. Louis Ne,o Era.
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