The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-05

struoton thus begun. The planters, impov-
erished by the work of the war and
the waters, are literally helpless; and the
States, with empty exchequers, and credit
gone are unable to render the needed assist
ance. In these circumstances national help
becomes necessity, unless the country is
prepared to witness the relapse into wilder
ness of a region whose resources are perma-
nently greater, and infinitely more available,
than the rocks of Colorado or the placers OF
California.
An effort was made last summer to obtain
Congressional assistance. The Senate, acting
upon the recommendation of one of its Com
mittees, passed a measure providing for the
repair of the more important levees, and re-
cognizng the expediency Of further and more
comprehensive work. In the House, how
ever, partsanship asserted its sway, and the
bill was defeated. Because Mr.. Banks and
Mr.. Stevens were dissatisfied with the political
attitude of Louisiana, scheme OF vital inn
portance to the entire Southwest, and in
directly to the whole country, was frustrated.
1t were too much to say, perhaps, that the
prompt application of the means which the
Senate was then prepared to grant would have
prevented the calamity which now shocks the
sympathies and disturbs the business of the
country. But some districts might surely
have been saved, and we should at least have
| felt that the cry for succOr, to which the Sen
| unheeded.
What is now occurring may serve, then, to
| invest with fresher interest and more obvious
! Importance the measures reported by Mr.. Hen
! derson from the Senate Committee on Finance
| a few days before the recent adjournment.
! 1t applies exclusively to Louisiana, having
| been prepared at the solicitation of the Legis-
lature of that State, but the principle on
which it rests is national in its significance,
and its extension to one or two other States
similarly situated will probably follow as of
course. The help to be rendered is to be in
the shape of a guarantee for six million dol
| lars of bonds, to be issued by Louisiana for
the purpose OF repairing and reconstructing its
levees the money to be expended by Com
missioners appointed by the State under the
direction of engineers appointed by the Sec
retary of War, who will thus exercise an
efficient supervisory control, and will deliver
the bonds from time to time on the receipt
of satisfactory evidence as to the progress of
the work. The rightful and judicious appli-
cation of the funds will therefore be secured.
TO secure the national Government as guaran-
tor of the State creditor that is what the
proposed assistance really amounts tO-a spe-
cial State tax is to be levied to furnish a sink
ing fund for the redemption of the bonds at
maturity. The State, moreover, Is to convey
to the Government, as indemnity against pos
sible loss, five million acres of rich alluvial
lands, held by the State as swamp lands, and
the value of which, after the construction OF
the levees, will be literally incalculable. This
is not all. To prevent complications of a poll
tical character, it is stipulated that the mea-
sure shall not take effect until the present
provisional government of the State shall have
given place to an organization perfected IL
conformity with the requirements of the Mill
tary Reconstruction act.
AS mere business transaction nothing could
be more sure. A Congress composed of Shy
locks might we'll be content with security sc
ample and diversified.
Looking beyond the mere granting of credit
and the protection exacted therefor, it is safe
to say that the country could not undertake a
more remunerative enterprise if it charged
itself with the outlay for which the State Of
Louisiana will be primarily responsible. Apart
from the suffering occasioned to the inhabi-
tants of the devastated districts, the loss in
fiicted upon the country cannot easily be over.
rated. Mr.. Henderson has concisely stated
the money aspect of the question in its rela-
ton to the National Treasury
"In 1860 these Louisiana lands or which
speak produced 500.0o0,000 pounds of sugar
worth at the present prices OF that article
S50,000UOO. They produced also 81, ,000O 900 gallons
of molasses which at the present minimum
value would be worth s2l.0OO.OOO They pro
duced in the same year $4,000 bales OF cotton
| which at the present minimum price woulC
realize not less than $6O,OOO0O0. The revenue
yield TO the Government an annual revenue
OF S5OoO,OOO The tax Of three cents per gallon
on molrsses weuld yield Sl050,000. The tax o
two and a half cents per pound on cottoI
would bring annually TO the Treasury S5,5OO,OOC
making in the aggregate an annual revenue o
ll,550,0 ,000."
A portion of this revenue will doubtless bt
collected should the levees be left as they are
But the amount will be trifing compared will
the amount that might be realized were th'
capacity of Louisiana in the production o
sugar, rice, and cotton fully restored. TIL,
industry and commerce of the country arr
proportionably concerned. Mr.. Henderson,
estimate yields an aggregate of Sl3l 900, 900
the larger part of which will be utterly los
until the reclamation of the flooded lands shall
be insured by the proposed work.
And the argument, as now stated, applies
exclusively to Louisiana. Extend the calcula
ton to Mississippi and Arkansas, and the
enormous Importance of the subjectwill shame
into silence the partisanship that would sacri
flee everything to its malignity and folly.