The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-01-29

Improvement Of the 1I8t1SlaSippi.
Governor Marshall, of Minnesota, in his
late message to the legislature, reminds that
body of the large interest that the state has
in the improvement of the Mississippi river.
He recommends to the legislature to memo
ralize congress in behalf of appropriations
for the improvement of the river, especially
the Rock Island and Des MONIES rapids, the
most formidable obstruction of its navigation.
The governor calls attention to the fact that
the Mississippi is one of the great highways
of the commerce of Minnesota, and express
es the opinion that the present time Is pro-
pitious for securing action on the part OF
congress. And not only does a voice from
that extreme northern state second the effort
now making in st. Louis, to rally here con-
vention composed of the representatives of
the millions interested in the improvement
of the Mississippi, but from New Orleans on
the extreme south, and from intermediate
towns and cities for distance of two thous
and miles comes response, showing that
the entire valley, from the ST. Peters to the
Gulf, has walked up to this question with a
determination to act. 1t is no mere local
affair. The people who occupy district OF
country stretching over thirty degrees OF lat
itude. are not a mere town meeting, nor do
they represent county nor a state. They
represent the grandest portion of the do
main of the United States. In numbers and
in extent of territory they are sufficient to
form powerful independent nation. They
occupy ten states, counting simply those
which border upon the Mississippi. The
Mississippi is for all of them, as Governor
Marshall expresses it concerning Minnesota,
zone of the great highways of their com
merce." That commerce is of immense ex-
tent. Whether measured by the number of
bushels of grain, or barrels of pork and flour,
Or packages of goods, Or by the aggregate
value in dollars, the trade upon the Mississ-
ippi is enormous. An obstruction to the
navigation of that river in any one portion
affects the whole, increasing the perils of
navigation and the expense of transportation.
A break in railroad does not more truly at,
feet the interest Of the whole road than do
such rapids as exist in the Mississippi river,
and to remove such Instructions from ma
tional thoroughfare is q national duty
While we have been talking about the APP
preaching convention, Chicago and Cleve-
land are both III congress with memorials,
soliciting appropriations for the harbors Of
those two cities, with the prospect of success.
The statistics that may be presented by the
cation to congress for aid to improve the
Mississippi Is supported by a hundredfold
greater reasons than applications from Chi
cage or Cleveland for the improvements of
their harbors We have not the slightest OBJ
lection to such aid being granted to those
cities. We believe in the policy which JUS
titles such appropriations. But the. people
who are interested in the improvement of the
Mississippi ought not to act timidly or sup
plicatingly, as though they had doubtful
ground to stand upon, or had matter OF
doubtful legitimacy to urge upon congress
Their cause is so just that they may respect
fully demand to be put upon footing of
equality with lake cities and ocean ports,
and may ask the cooperation OF the citizens
OF Boston and New York cities, III securing
aid for an object which is of equal national
proportions with the improvement of an
ocean harbor Western men vote for all APP
preparations for these objects. They have n
right to believe that in turn eastern repre-
sentatives viii literally aid in supporting the
application to be made to congress to grant
the requisite sum to improve the Mississippi.
Congress gives three millions of acres of
land in Illinois to aid in building railroad,
those three millions proving in value to the
railroad from ten millions to twenty millions
of dollars. Can there be doubt, when the
representatives of ten states in convention
assembled, ask congress for three or FIVE
millions to remove distractions from d ma
tional highway which is worth TO millions of
people forty railroads, that the request will
be granted? Let the convention, then, be
uppermost in our minds until the day. We
urge upon sister towns and cities in the val
ley of the Mississippi to send full delega-
tions, composed of their best men. And up
on the people of St. Louis We urge once
more the importance of the convention to St.
Louis. Give us an unobstructed river from
St. Paul to the Gulf, and no highway on the
earth can compete with it in the carryin 2
trade. It will build up on each bank thriv.
ing cities, the depots for, securing and EN-.
barking produce, goods, wares and merch.
andize. And st. Louis will be one of the
| chief benefciaries, herself receiving from ev'
cry thriving town her own share of trade
and becoming the grand central depot be-
| tween the British possessions and New Or
leans, with fresh demands for steamers, and
| fresh employment fGer increasing population
and fresh inducements for additions to the
| numbers of our merchants.-St Louis Re
| publican. 60
There is many an Eve tempted by Satin
in our dry goods windows
Bookkeeping taught in one lesson-neves
lend them. = - ~ 81 .@.=e q. $50.
81 Credit wise provision by which sheriff.
III Al. -