The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-03-06

River Improvement Commissioners.
The supplemental bill providing for the i'm
provement Of The navigation Of the Illinois
river, BY the erection Of dam nsar Peoria,
having passed the Illinois Legislature and been
approved by the Governor, speculation is
naturally rife as to whom, the Governor will
appoint IS the three commissioners, provided
for in the law to carry it int effect. II seems
to be the general desire that one Of the three
commissioners shall be democ7t. In the
management of public works Of this Kind, the
temptations to partisan faveritism and cerrup-
ton are gencrslly.so great, that it seems indis-
pensable, to insure honest management, that
both parties should be represented to be a
check upon each other. Shrewd democrats,
We know, advise the democrats to kesp out OF
it. for the radicals, they say, being in the ma
jority, will steal anyhow, and if there is a
democrat ON the board, the party will suffer
alike with the republicans, though helpless,
and they instance the state house commission
ers as case in point.
But however that may be, we notice that
the members of the senate and house almost
unanimously, and without party distinction,
have united in presenting to Gov. Palmer the
names of Gen. J. ID. Webster, Col. r. B.
Mason. and r. f. Goedell Esq, asking their
appointment as the commissioners the former
two being republicans and the last democrat
Now we venture to say that no three names
| could have been presented that would be more
universally acceptable to the people of Illinois
| of all parties. Gen. Webster was Grants chief
of artillery for long time during the war,
and enjoys the distinction Of saving Grants
army by his judicOus management Of the artil.
lery at Pittsburgh landing Col. Mason
gained a world wide reputation as chief engi-
neer of the III. Central Railroad. But our
chief concern is with the last name proposed,
that of r. E. Goodell, ESQ, the democrat Of
course we need tell nobody in La Sale county,
where Mr.. g. was raised. and when yet but
STRIPPING was honorcd with high Office, who II.
F. Geodell is, nor need any body between
Chicago and Alton be told who he is, or re-
minded of his competency after witnessing
his management Of the Chicago and Alton r.
E. during the darkest days of that corporation.
BY his integrity, his selfsacrifcing spirit, in
domitablc energy and pluck he saved the road
from total wreck for nearly year while it was
hopclessly bankrupt. 1t is said, while super
intendent of the road, there was not iscomo.
tive or car on it but he could at any time tell
exactly where it was, nor an employee down to
the humblest mechanic in the shops whom he
could not call by name
Decided and outspoken as he always has
been politically, there is no man in Illinois
who has so many warm personal friends in
both parties. We have never heard of .
tongue 50 vile as 10 be capable of impeaching
his business honesty or integrity. Generous
almost to fault, always manly, courteous
and singalarly urbane and pleasing in his in
tercourse with his fellows. there is no appoint
ment, we can say with all heartiness, without
the remotest fear of contradiction, that would
be so entirely acceptable to all parties at least
IN this portion of the state, as that Of r. +.
GoOdel! as one OF the Illinois River Improve
ment Commissioners In the hands Of such
men as the three commissioners above sug
gested if there is any stealing in the expendi-
ture OF the state appropriation for the Illinois
river Improvement, then we shall not only be-
lieve for ever after in the doctrine of fetal de.
pravity, but that there is no redemption
from it.