The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1872-12-28
PRESIDENT GRANTS GIGANTIC SCHEME
OF INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

has failed 10 approve, and in some lnstah-
ces has openly condemned, the magnlncent
project which forms the only striking 1 Iea-
ture Of his recent annual message Ane
most prominent and devoted on ms organs
has been put upon the defense' ~ maui
long editorial apology Tor him, Anew Gays
since The Substance OF the apology was
that are President did not express approx |
nj of the comprehensive system which ne
sketchsd, but only recommended q com
mission 10 acquire information and make
surveys and estimates There would Dc
as much sense and pertinance in saying
that he did not indorse and advocate the
annexation Of Santo Domingo when he
recommended the commission 10 explore
the island and inquire into its resources,
WHY should the government be at the OK
pense of surveys If the object is not
thought desirable2 When was i ever
supposed that the statesmen who favored
surveys Of the lsthmus did not thereby
commit themselves 10 the desirability OF
an interoceanic ship canal 10 connect the
Atlantic with the Paci6c2 The disclaim-
ing apologies put forth BY General Grants
supporters show how sensible they are
that public opinion does not indorse his
wild. colossal project. 81
The friendly disclaimers are contradict-
ed by the language Of the message
was for the sake Of legislation. ard with
strongly expressed hope of early legisla-
ton 70 carry out the scheme with which
his immagination is smif,en' that General
Grant pressed this subject upon the atten-
ton Of Congress No great project was
ever officially preached with greater
warmth OF more unequivocal emphasis.
The subject, he says lis one that will
- = Al -
sooner or later He recommends surveys
80 INSURE just and equitable legislation,
in furtherence Of his several routes. That
new routes 10 tidewater, he says, will be
demanded in thenear future is equally
demonstratable He asks for the sur
veys for the better guidance of Congress
10 legisldtiRg-oH rms important subject
/ have not alluded 70 this subject" he
says in conclusion, with the view of hay
y ING any further expenditure of publ,
money at his time than may be necessary
'N 10 procure and place all the necessary in
formation before Congress in an authenti
form, 70 enable it hereafter, if deeme,
practicable, 70 tegiddteo on The subject WITH
OFT DELAY,
The President could not have presse,
this scheme with greater zeal and urgency
or have committed himself more fully Z
its expcdiency The apolOgetic, disclaim
ing tone assumed by his friends is thei
tender method Of recognizing his mistak
IN recommending a system which viii shar
the fate ofhis unfortunate Santo Doming
project The good sense and sober judg
ment Of the country will cnndemn it a
4 impohtic and visionary
The several parts of General Grant
scheme, so far as he has yet disclose
them, are these
!. A route TO connect the Mississippi
III Valley with the Atlantic at Charleston, :
C.. and Savannah Ga by way OF th
Ohio and Tennessee rivers, and canals
and slack water navigation 10 the Savanna
and Oemulgee rivers
- An extension Of hanawha and Jane
River Canal 10 the Ohio
3. The extension Of Chesapeake an
Ohio Canal
! \ project b facilitate commerce b
the building OF a ship canal around Ma
cara Fails on the United States side
o. An almost continuous land locke
navigation from Maine " the Cult {
Mexico
These combined projects have certai
Kind Of seductive maguihcence whic
strongly appeals u the unenhghtened in
aginatinns Of visionary people But tn,
collapse, ike glttering bubbles, at IL
first touch Of hard common sense Tn,
open q huge abyss for engulfng aI
squaudering the public revenues.
There are fatal constitutional objection
20 the prosecution Of such scheme b
we do not choose 10 argue the question
constitutional grounds, because IL Won
be So monstrously wasteful and impoii
even if the authority Of Congress 10 ord
II were unquestiOnable IL such syste
of internal improvements at the nation
expense were desirable, the people cou
easily amend the Constitution and conf
upon Congress the requisite powers. I'll
objections b. Il are overwhelming and 90
elusive on mere grounds Of policy, qui
apart from the constitutional barriers
Even Henry Clay, that eloquent 7
n0wned and most vigorous practical state
man, who was at one time the fOremo
advocate Of internal improvements by d
Federal Government renowned his char
pionship Of such schemes In 1874. In IN
year, he was the Wing candidate (
President and in Published letter viii
he then wrote he stated that while he hi
not changed his former opinion as 70 d
power OF Congress ~ authorize such II
provements al the expense Of che nation
treasury, he had come 20 the conelusi
that they were inexpedient This aetiy
minded statesman fully appreciated I
Importance OF railroads, in their infar
when he wrote that letter He saw, W
intuitve sagacity, that the introduction
railroads superseded all the former &C
trOversies respecting internal improv
ments. Every railroad was construct
under the authority Of a State chart,
The capital for building it was uniform
furnished by the subscriptions Of p
vato individuals Mr. Clay was qui
20 understand his epoch and with
iutultve sagacity and ready penetrate
he perceived that the question of
tcrnal improvements was closed by {
establishment Of this new channel Of int,
communication, which relied solely up
private capital The question of inter-
improvements was dropped out of n
canvass, IN 1874, and also from the canvl
Of lSis, when Gen. Taylor was the WI
candidate. IL was felt by all enighten
men that the question Of construct
roads aud canals by the Federal Govel
ment belonged 70 a past era It sho
how little comprehension General Gri
has OF the larger tendencies of public Ii
that he tries 10 revive, at this late day
policy which Henry Clay, its Origin
author, abandoned as obsolete nearly thi
years ago Even during the period VIII
preceded railroads, the Federal Cove
ment never appropriated any money
the construction of canal NmerC
canals have been made; but every one
state authority, and in the expectation
relmburslng the State by tolls 1t
been demonstrated that the individr
States were competent to provide all n
essary canals; and since the establishm,
ot the railroad system, no new canals hi
been constructed. 1t has been resery
for General Grant, nearly thirty ye
after this mighty change in the cham
OF commerce, 10 carry back the hands
the dial, and recommend policy VIII
~ Henry Clay, its author, abandoned as
solete in lsI4 No wonder thai the ne,
papers which are friendly 10 him think