Smyrna times., 1866-06-20
Southern Leyees.

The extraordinary floods of this season have
proved fearfuly destructive in the South West.
Louisiana west of the Mississippi and south OF
the Red River has been mainly under water
perhaps still is; WHILE eastward Of the Missis-
sippi, the rich valley Of the Yazoo, with its
tributaries, embracing 100000 acres of the
most productive cotton land in the world, is in
good part so flooded as to be scarcely habita-
BILE. This is partly owing to the foods partly
to the natural wasting and oaving in of the
banks during the last three or four years oi
war, which rendered proper attention to them
impossible; and partly to their being cut from
time to time in the prosecution of hostillties.
1t is probable that no less than ten millions OF
acres of the richest portions of the South w est
capable of producing bale (400tb. of cotton
to the acre, have thus been SO flooded that they,
for this year, can at best rarely subsist theil
scattered, wasted inhabitants, instead of add
ing, as they might, some $50, 100000 to the ex-
portable produce of the country.
The inhabitants of the Yazoo Valley have,
therefore, appealed to Congress for aid. They
are not represented in either House they are
utterly without capital or the means of obtain.
ing it; but they want TO go to work and enrich
their country and they will, it they can be
protected against the devastating floods which
| they are wholly unable to shut out
Congress having decided to put duty oil
hye cents per pound on raw Cotton, must, il
only for the Treasury sake, endeavor to stimu
late and expand the Cotton Culture. Had
$5,OOO,OO0 been seasonably expended on the
leVees OF the Mississippi, YazoO, and Red Riv.
ers, not less than double the amount would
have been added to the revenue from this
years product of Cotton alone; and the good
thus effected would have endured and borne
fruit for years-much oft forever. Assuming
that the cotton tax will have to be borne foi
five years. $5,000,0 600 expended on levees this
year, and 5 ,000, 900 in all-would return tc
the Treasury not less than $50, 600, 900, beside
adding immensely to the development and ex
pansion of our National wealth. e
We beg Congress not to adjourn without con
sidering and acting on this subject. GRAM
that it is too late to effect anything this year
if not acted on now, it will be too late to pro
vide protection for the industry of next year
But, if Congress should now act, we may be
certain of very large extension of planted
surface next year. and at least double crops or
all the richest cotton and sugar lands Of the
prolific Southwest.
We differ with some whose opinions are en-
titled to more weight than ours with regard tt
engineering on the Mississippi and its lOwel
tributaries We would cut off every sharI
bend or promontory, and reduce the Mississip
pl below st. Louis, so nearly as may be, to {
straight line This, we are told, would increase
the overflow of its banks. We say not wOulC
! greatly reduce it. The current would thus b,
rendered far stronger and switter, so that twic'
as much water as now would pass given poin
in an hour. The water would make its wa!
from St Louis to the Gulf in a third of the
time it now takes; the channel would be worl
deeper; and the necessity for overhowing it
banks would soon be wholly obviated. For
few years, there would be considerable Gavin
D in of banks at certain points; but soon thes
would have been adjusted to the new condition
. of the stream, and thenceforth " "crevasses'
y would be rare and foods almost unknown
~. Y Tribune.