The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1848-10-05

NEGLECT OF WESTERN lSTEREsTs.-We copy
from the Cincinnati Commercial, neutral pa
per, the following sensible article on Western
Interests. Let il be remembered that the pres
ent Administration is utterly opposed to The
improvement of the Western Waters and that
Gen. Ca,s is also opposed to these improve
ments, and that if We ever succeed in render
Ing our condition at all better, we must put
some one in power who is not pledged TO veto
bills for internal Improvements. Gen. TGv
lor is determined that the will Of the people
shall in this, in all other matters, be ca rried
out, The Commercial says:--"Mr. Westcot,s
report to Congress shows, that on an average,
one million of dollars worth of property is lost
annually on the Florida reefs and keys, by
vessels being wrecked on that dangerous coast.
InlSf6 ffty-three vessels were wrecked on the
reefs and keys of Florida. Notwithstanding
Florida has been a part of the United States
for twenty-seven years, no original American
chart has yet been made of It's dangerous coast,
although nearly the whole trade of the great
central basin passes through the narrow channel
which separates Florida from Cuba. Navigators
are forced to depend on old Spanish charts land
those made BY Great Britain from 1853 to 1884
and compiled from them by Blunt and others.
To those who have observed the aggregate ap-
preparations for the survey of coasts, improv-
ing harbors, roadsteads &c, without noticing
the parts OF our coast where the money was,ac-
cording 10 law, to be expended, the fact that a
survey and chart Of the reefs and keys of Flori-
da has not been made, will, at first, appear in
credible, but ii is consistent with the wlole
course of the General Government towards the
West. Whilst millions are annually appro
priated for the purpose of facilitating and pro
tecting the commerce of the East, scarcely
dollar is appropriated for smilas- purposes 70
the benefit of the central basin. We do no
remember the exact estimate of loss of proper
ty on the western rivers, in consequence of OBJ
structions, which might readily be removed
but believe it exceeds one million of dollar
annually. When to this is added one million
lost on the coast af Florida, the amount los
annually TO the people depending for thel
trade on the great rivers of the southwest
amounts to two million ofdollars. Whilst tn
West, in consequence ofthe partial legislaiio
of the General Government, suffers this heav
loss annually, it pays its proportion, aye, an
more than its proportion to the general treasu
nv, which, in just ice, should be expended TO
equal benefit of all portions of the Union.
We say the West pays more than its portion
of the revenue, because nearly all of the duti
bic goods, intended for the great central basin
are first landed in an eastern port, the dutie
there paid and added to the cost OF the good
when sold TO the western merchants. Wheth
er these goods are lost on the Florida keys, !
the Mississippi, or reach their destination IN
General Government is no loser, being equal
paid the duties on them; hence the West pay
not only duties on the dutiable goods consu
med, but duties on the goods intended Tor IN
West,which are lost before reaching their de'
tination. We say all these losses are on a.