Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-01-07
Ship Canals.

yress to plunge the Government into
Wild and reckless system of internal i'm
That the Illinois Canal and
he Erie Canal enlargement should be
forced upon the attention of Congress
with such pertinacity, at this particular
time, is satisfactory evidence to us that
their originators realize that they can
by no possibility succeed in their plots
except at times when the attention of the
people is absorbed by greater questions,
and will not scrutlnize schemes for pub
lie plumber with sufficient care to detect
the rascality lying at their foundation.
Why this indecent haste to saddle two
such gigantic works as those contempla-
ted upon government already burdened
with the weight of an enormous and con-
stantly increasing public debt? Why
not postpone the enterprise until it is
definitely ascertained that we will oecu-
Ply and possess Mississippi River to con-
meet with the great lakes? What pecu-
liar claims have Illinois and New York
upon the Government, that the whole
people should be taxed for their. special
benefit
If it be necessary to link the Missis-
sippi to Lake Michigan by ship canal
through Illinois; if it is absolutely es-
sential, in a military point of view, to
join New York to Lake Erie in similar
manner, why is it not equally important
that the Ohio river should be connected
with the lakes by ship canal through
Indiana? We have 3 Wabash & Erie
Canal that might be enlarged with profit
to our city and the whole State, and we
insist, if the Government is to start
of in mad chase after Improbable and
insane public Improvements, that our
Senators and Representatives in Con-
gress see to it, that Indiana secures her
share of the money spent and work done.
So far as military operations are con-
cerned, or any benefit the Government
will derive, there is no more propriety
in pledging its credit for the construc-
ton of the contemplated Improvements,
than in enlarging the Wabash & Erie
Canal from Evansville to Toledo. Scarce
ly an argument can be urged in their IA
vor that will not apply equally well in IA
yor of re-digging our little ditch.
When we saw Mr. Washburne Of Hi
nois announced as Chairman of the
House Committee on Commerce, we
were fearful that the great canal job
would be pushed with an energy that
would be difficult to defeat. Mr.. Wash
burne lives in Northern Illinois. He is a
man of immense wealth, which would be
greatly increased by the construction of
the contemplated work. He is, too, a
man of untiring energy, and of great
personal and family influence. His ad-
voeacy of the proposed appropriations
by Congress, does not absolutely insure
their passage, but greatly adds to the
probability that they will pass.
Log rolling" is an expressive term
in the West. Our pioneer farmers I'M
derstand the phrase well, and when we
tell them that it is designed to secure the
passage of the great Illinois and New
York schemes by Legislative log roll
ling" they will fully comprehend the
magnitude of the work required to de-
feat them
The Democrats in the House of Rep
resentatives constitute but faction.
Yet they are capable of doing immense
harm to the Union party and the Govern
ment by their votes. They will sustain
every measure, no matter what may be
its character, if by so doing they can see
an opportunity of bringing the Admins
tration into disfavor with the people.
They will vote for every swindle, and
then saddle them upon the Unionists, on
the we'll established principle that the
party in power is responsible for the leg
islation. Hence, we look for all of these
members to vote for the canal projects.
They know the measures will be unpopu-
lar with the people, and for that reason
they will sustain them, because the
Union party will be held responsible for
them. With the vote of the Democrats
in their favor, added to the votes of the
Representatives from New York and Hi
nois, the canal projectors have an excel
lent foundation on which to build SUI
perstructure - composed of members
whose votes can be had for a considera-
ton, and others who will do almost any
thing to oblige friend We say there
is danger ahead There is death in
the pot"
1t is proper that the Press of the coun-
try should be prompt to unmask and
condemn this gigantic JOB Let mem
bers of Congress understand, that if
they vote for the projects, they had better
move at once into the States deriving the
benefit Of their votes. Our Government
has no business sticking any more irons
in the fire than are already there. Cato
closed every one of his orations in fiery
denunciation of Carthage - Carthage
Delende est So every bill brought be-