Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-08-04

THE IOWA VOTER.
The Canal Convention.

the Fox ard Wisconsin Rivers, or,
in other words, the making Of a
northern mouth to the Mississippi,
was largely attended. Theattendance
OF prominent commercial men Of the
East was large, aud from the West
respectable. Iowa was represented
by Gov. Merrill, who was one Of the
Vice Presidents fthe body. Lengthy
speeches were made by various par
ties. among them Gov. Merrill. The
following short synopsis Of our Gov
ernos's addres, Is from the Roch-
e-.er Democrat:
Cox. Merrill. o! Iowa, was then
introduced. He remarked that Gov.
fairchili had anticipated what he
intended 10 say. But the assertions
made In regard to Wisconsin applied
with equal force to his own state,
iowa. The channel proposed by the
Wisconsin and Fox rivers was Of the
sssne importance to bis State as to
Wisconsin.
Iowa owes es much to the Erie
r~nal a. airy State Of the West.
without that great thoroughfare the
North wess would not have been built
uc. We eoall not not dispose Of our
PRODUCTIONS without II.
fowra has c:se hundred and one
srs-ntses. each from ;weniy-four 20
sAs.sy square mile an extent. But
@ae acre in SIX Is az yet under Guilt
szss1a. Las year we raised one
aarsdrs~l million bushels 81 corn, and
out q this not over one million bush
SIS viii reach the market, owing TO
MAI: Of facilities for transportation
We join with you In attempting To
open means Of communication 10 the
West j can only say, / hope this
meeting will not be the last. / hope
sou viii 80 On.
The day before leaving. / saw q
freight bill, and its rates we're twen-
sy-fiye cents on hundred from New
York 10 Chicago, and from Chicago
10 the Mississippi seyenty-fve cents
Ca hundred. III, costs twenty-five
cents 10 carry goods one thousand
miles, how much should ii cost to
transport them two hundred miles?
The following are the resolutions
adopted by the Convention:
WHEREAS, The exposed and de-
fencaleas condition not OILY of our
lakes, but also Of our entire northern
frontier, extending from the Atlantic
~ tho Pacific oceans for more than
>--- .s.~-~-..a --.l-. -.S.s,u;nousIy
with those Of foreign ana rival
power, necessity for tho removal
~ the natural barriers to the free and
uninterrupted navigation between
the lakes and the great rivers of the
continent; the rapidly increasing In
land commerce and navigation Of
these lakes and rivers amounting Mt
the present time to nearlytwo. thirds
of the entire tonnage of the natlon)
aud the unparalleled development Of
the agricultural, mineral, CONNER.
ciai, and other resources Of the States
amt Territories lying along the Mis-
sissippi and Its great tributaries,
raost iinperativcly demand that the
general government should take
immediate steps to open up at the
earliest possible period n water COM
munication from the Atlantic sen.
board, by way Of the great lakes to
the Mississippi river, upon the near
sa, cheapest, most expeditions, and
most direct and practical route; and,
WHEREAS, For all that portion OF
the Mississippi Valley lying north OF
the south boundary Of Iowa, tho
route by way Of the Wisconsin and
Fox rivers to Lake Michigan, at the
head Of Green Bay, Is The only one
Of any practicable value or import
nAre whatever to that whole region
Of country; therefore,
Res0ircd, That while we would not
object to the construction Of any and,
indeed, oil the great water routes to
the Atlantic seaboard, the merits Of
which are now being canvassed be
lure the American people, our duty
I" the great bread-producing States
~ the Northwest most imperativcly
demand that we persistently urge
Upon Congress the necessity Of an
appropriation for the enlargement
and permanent Improvement Of the
present navigab!e route by way Of
those rivers to Lake Michigan, as
heing pre-enlinently practicable, nec-
essaryfo nilitaryand naval defense,
and also to afford facilities for the
'R,fc, cheap and rnpid transportation
Nv the shortest and most direct ronfa