New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-12-28

shall be placed under the management {
the company BY the bill, or by virtue {
arrangements with the several States, G
with individuals, and his plans and dire,
tons are to be followed by the company.
The company is required to nave a dom
ellie in each OF the States where there ar
levees under it's control; and it may b
sued upon it's contracts. and for its torts i
the State where the injured party resides
SO that the people may not be required t
go beyond their States to assert thei
rights.
The bill specially provides for the build
ing of one levee and telegraph line, an
does not contemplate government aid 10
any other This levee is situated Within
three States, and is fully one-half of all tn
work to be done, and it will constitute tn
| main pYoeectiOn against overflow for three
fOurthsts6 all the allivial bottom lands
and the accomplishment of this will be al
| that the government ought to do. Tn
| States interested can bear the burden O
doing the balance without severe taxa
ton.
No direct advantage will be derived b,
Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi in les
senlng their expenses, but Louisiana ant
Arkansas will still have as much to do il
building levees on the tributary rivers, an,
in the repair and preservation of the mali
construction, repair and preservation Of al
their levees. There will be a general adj
vantage to all these States arising from the
conception and adoption Of the best and a
uniform system, which. If properly exc
cuted, will cause the plan of levees, as a
means of protection. to he practical Ger
talnty; and as it is hoped the company will
be responsible and efficient, and one which
can perform all the work Of construction,
md
than it can be done otherwise, the States or
individuals whose duty it is to keep up the
levees will place all their work III their
hands. Hence it is provided that contracts
may be made with the States or individuals
upon such terms and for such conditions as
may he agreed upon.
The States are not interfered with, but
the power is expressly reserved to them to
Tx the liability Of the company in cases of
overflow, and to prescribe the remedies for
the injured persons. The right of way for
the levees and the railway is to be acquired
IN conformity to State laws, and the COM
pany is prohibited from acquiring any levee
or the ground on which it may be situated
any further than may be necessary for
levee purposes and when the charter Of the
company Shall be declared forfeited in the
manner pointed out the levtts are to be
turned over to the States to be used or dis
posed OF as they shall direct.
The bill grants subsidy in bonds to the
amount of $4,000 per mile. The precise
gregate amount to be thus granted NO
one can at this time state, but it will not
vary much from eighteen million dollars,
being sum as nearly as can be estimated
adequate for the construction Of the levee
and line OF telegraph. The bonds are to
be issued in installments as the work pro-
and after a board of inspectors,
composed of disintcrested citizens of the
United States, resident in the State inter
ested in the levees, to be appointed by the
Secretary of the Treasury. shall certify
hat the levee is constructed according to
he plans and direction Of the engineer,
and the engineer is required to see that it
shall be of sufficient height and strength to
prevent humiliation. Furthermore. it is
provided that the bonds issued before the
work is completed shall be void IN the
lands of everybody until the whole shall |
re accomplished. Hence the company can |
lot do the cheaper part, obtain their bonds |
md then abandon the project. The com |
ANY can not complain of this, because the |
'onds are issued as the work progresses
Subscriptions to the stock OF the com
any can not be received except upon pay
lent of ten per cent. and certificates of |
took can not be issued until the full amount
rashy stocks can not he put upon the mar
TT to swindle and defraud the public. 1t
'as designed, in drawing the bill. to make
ne enterprise genuine one. and Of value
} the people. without detrauding the gov
and at the same time afford the
III carrying out the hole scheme,
Il opportunity to obtain reasonable re-
The subject is too great to be
osely managed, and the interests involved
re SO momcntOus that the capitalists of
he country to be especially benefited must
vest in the project and DE satisfied with
lr compensation.
1t may he asked why not donate this
oney directly to the States. answer
lat the States have suuandered too much
ready upon illadvised plans and upon
eculatlve contractors. Under govern
ent supervision works are too apt to be
,pensively aud effectively constructed.
lis is a common experience. and nowere
IS 1t been more grievous than in the States
here levees have been built under gov
nlnent auspices. l am not tenacious
,out any particular plan, but shall cheer
lily and earnestly support any that shall
EN- to he the best, and especially such a
e as shall be most acceptable to Con
ess. But any plan that does not embody j
eral assistance from the government, at
is time especially, will he of little prac- .
al value.
Mr.. Speaker, no man can appreciate more
lily than do the arduous labors to be per
med by those of us who represent the t
ates situated in the lower Mississippi val L
: IN obtaining government aid for our g
'ees. Many objections must be encOun. t
ed and overcome. In this opening pre- !
ltation OF the subject it must not be ex- s
cted that l shall be able to anticipate and S
swer all that may be interposed But il
ne, think, l may anticipate and dis Il
already hear it said, as has been said d
ny times before, that levees will not
ord the protection necessary; that there v
other less expensive and more efficient a
thods OF avoiding inundatiOn. This, n
viewer, Is no new idea; for l have heard j
sages who, having taken short steam s.
It ride upon the Mississippi river, have Il
med such convictions. based upon argu- G.
nts as vapid as their observations were IL
sorry. S,
hear also the strict constructionists in
pose the objection OF want 81 constitu- IL
lal power, when the very spirit which il
vades the constitution conveys the idea p
t it was formed and is to be admins il
III to promote the general welfare. q
know, too. that in the presence of this o
position the national purse strings will VI
strengthened and tightened-tllat the d
will make haste to examine I'll
latest foreign and domestic bond quota IL
Is, and the Treasury Department will cl
,ulate how much longer it will take to 10
Oft an addition OF fifteen or twenty is
ions at the rate OF 100000, 600 per a,
UNI. In
see. also, the selfish and misery shrug II
r shoulders and assume looks OF aston III
nent. and local interests and prejuGices ci
on the face OF indifference, while many
Islands OF our fellow-citizens are making al
to fly before an inlndation CT
are pOwerless to successfully resist. co
n soil more fertile than that in the