Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-12-16
Written for the Knoxville '
Internal improvements.

have always favored a liberal system of public
improvements, and still believe that through them
the greatest prosperity can be developed in coun-
try. 1 believe also that the administration of Gen
Grant will recognize the fact that the surest path to
resumption of specie payments will be as indi-
Gated by Secretary MCCULLOUGH, by the adoption of
a wise policy of internal Improvements, which, by
developing the hitherto neglected resources of the
great West and South, shall enable the people of
that country, Impoverished by war, to sustain with
ease the burden of taxation necessary to pay the
public debt and to resume specie payment
Of all measures of internal Improvement next to
the Pacific Railroad in Importance, is the develop
ment Of those great arteries of internal and almost
international commerce, the Mississippi river and
Its navigable tributaries draining section of coun-
try embracing $4,000 square miles, which is more
than four times the area drained by the Danube the
largest river in Europe. The United States Gov
eminent has spent millions upon the harbors of the
East and the great West, which has outgrown the
swadling clothes of infancy, and now stands erect
IN the knowledge of its gigantic strength demands
Its share IN the benefits well of the response
blities, Of our government. The South, too, which
has tasted the dead sea fruit of rebellion and finds
Its ancient agricultural prosperity but dust and
ashes in its mouth, now that loyal men are contro-
ing its destinies, must have its vast mineral resour-
ces and its manufacturing capacities developed
through the Improvement of the means of water
transportation, which is the indispensable prere-
qulsIte to success in mining and manufacturing
where the market for their products is at distance
from the source of production. What made corn
in East Tennessee sell in old timesfor mere nomi-
nal sum- Want of transportation. Why have far
mers in the West burned their corn for fuel when it
was worth in New York one dollar per bushel p
Because the expenses of transportation would eat it
up long before it reached market.
Now, among all the navigable rivers of the
United States, the Tennessee is sixth in importance
1t drains portions of Kentucky, Tennessee Missis-
sppi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Viz
ginia. It has PSI miles of navigation from Padu-
cab to Muscle Shoals, and 378 miles above the
Shoals to Knoxville Besides this, there are more
than 900 miles of navigation on its tributaries
The most extensive deposits of coal and iron in the
United States-except, perhaps, in Pennsylvania
are found upon the upper waters of the Tennessee,
but yet they cannot be proftably developed while
the Muscle Shoals continue to exist impossible
obstacle to their outlet by river This obstacle must
be removed and we glad to see that the import
ance o. the measure is attracting the attention of
the country at large Let Congress provide for the
construction Of a canal Ground the Muscle Shoals
as it has already provided for the removal OF most
of the minor distractions to navigation, and when
1t IS completed era of prosperity will dawn upon
the country drained by the Tennessee river, which
1t has never Jet seen, in its best days. Com
merce, agriculture, mining and manufacturing will
revive and flourish and this section of the country
will then be known Of all nature intended it TO
be, of the richest and most prosperous parts of
our glorious Union.