The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-02-14
Grand River Convention.

For several weeks past the journals of this
city have kept before the people the river
improvement convention, which assemblies in
St. Louis to-day. The object of the conven-
ton has been made plain and its desirable
ness demonstrated by recitals of facts, and
by earnest argument. The press of st. Louis
has been aided by the press of fifty towns
and cites in the valley, and by leading jour-
nails In seaboard cities, in stimulating inter-
est and exciting expectation, and in eniisting
the cooperation of intelligent citizens of
practical views in the objects contemplated
IN calling the convention. 1t is not necessa-
-ry to repeat what has been so often said
The delegates who have come to the conven-
ton understand its purpose. We are sure
body of men such as viii meet to-day can
achieve any object worthy to succeed, which
they may determine shall not fail. They as
semble here animated by genuine public spir-
it and united in common aim. We doubt
whether any object could be named, invoN-
ing material interests, which would be sup
ported by such harmony of views and CON-
munity of feeling as win be manifested here
among the representatives of the people of
more than ten states, who realize anew the
indispensable importance of the Mississippi
river to the trade and prosperity of the west.
That grand river in fact unites greater
number of people, and is the exponent of
the interests of a larger district OF country,
than any other medium of communication,
or any other channel of trade. A conven-
ton to improve ocean harbcrs would enlist
no such interest and command no such at
tention. Boston harbor is chiefly interesting
to Boston. New York harbor is mainly a
concern of New York. Philadelphia looks
| to the profits of her own port. All ocean
ports are rivals, and any one of them would
| see its own advantage in the closing of any
other But the cities and towns of the Mis-
| sissippi Valley are no rivals so far as the i'm
| provement of the Mississippi river and its
| tributaries are concerned. That river, from
| St. Paul to New Orleans, is the common her
| itage of all, distributing its blessings with
! impartial lavishness, in proportion to the ca
| pacity of towns and cities to receive the fav-
| ors bestowed. There can be no rivalry, no
| jealousy, among those cities in respect to the
river. Each and all of them have the same
interest in relieving it from impediments and
| perils. No one of them owns the river; it
| is owned by all. 1t stops with discriminat-
| ing favor at no one of them, but visits ALL
| 1t seems a paradox, but each city owns and
| possesses the entire river, and yet it is pos
| sessed by all in common. 1t is unit, indi-
| visible, which cannot be parceled out, and
| upon its unity depends all its value. The
| blasting out of a channel through the upper
and lower rapids, would benefit not only
| Rock Island, or Davenport, but St. Paul and
| New Orleans, cities two thousand miles apart
| To dredge out Cleveland harbor would be no
advantage to Chicago, and a lighthouse on
Minot Ledge, in Boston harbor, would be nc
profit to New York. But an improvement
Of the Mississippi river in any one part, ben
efts towns and cities ranging through thirty
degrees of latitude
This bend-this river, ranging through a
domain vast as an empire, and In its undo
veloped resources richer than hundred
kingdoms, unites as one people the inhabi
tants of the west. The convention which
meets to-day is composed of representatives
of a larger number of American citizen.
having common material interests and linked
together in common wants, than ever before
were represented in convention. 1t is only
in the Mississippi Valley that such a con
vention should assemble. We are happy
that st. Louis is the city where so importan
BODY meets Let there be social feelings
and friendly interchanges. Let it appear
that the people of the region united by the
s great river are really one people, one in mu
t tual esteem, one in friendship, one in inter
est, one in patriotic purpose to have an undi
vided Union. As one of our New Orlean
contemporaries said substantially, few day
since, this convention will do more to bring
together in harmony the north and south
! than political schemings conducted for I
J score Of wears. We welcome the delegates
to orr city, assuring them of a hearty wei
come, trusting that they may find it as agree
able to be here as we are to have them come
And for the convention we hope that ii may
II = Z i
cmbarras5cd supremacy those grand auxIlla
ries of commerce and creators of wealth, ths
rivers of the west.-St. Louis Republican
| l2h.