The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1873-05-28
THE FORT ST. PHILIP CANAL.

H.
We own our surprise wnen Tue uvard oi
trade Of 81 LOUIS adopted aud recon.
mended TO Congress rs tue sole mode vi
improving our river outlet the conceutru-
tIon OF current and the letting vi tus,
work 70 prlvat. contract While 81.
LOUIS knows her own needs, IL really doe,
act seem reasonable that sne Should Or.
scrlUe u POSITIVE mode oi executing = worn
twelve hundred miles from her. New Or
leans has never assaulted " present. Do bow
tue Des Moihes rapids snouid be Improved
or the detective navigation uetween 81
LOUIS aud Cairo CORRECTED. Tues, Ar
works VI infinite I'm portance to us, but W,
nave ieit 1he inode az improvement "
those better informed than Ourselves
New Orleans Is almost the gale-k.eper
OF the valley, aud II anything be anls,
with the lock or hinges, would iurnish th,
Uest authority tor their repair. Tue Chan.
b OF Commerce, Insurance comp a. |, .
a,d shipping Interest at New Orleans hay
. udied The improvement of the river er.
perirn-ntaly. The! htuy d-oisrsA lie
opinion that the ate npI ~ con, en,rale /, Q
urrent uss tailed, tuas dredging Is u pc.
petuai iaUur. Two surveys Ot location b,
Tue Federal gUvernm-nt .vepfonounc,u
the Fort 81. Puuip csusl f.asI ble, snd \ "
Ur.enus has decided 10 concentrate her q,
plIcation tor Federal a.d upon ,bis W. X.
" nile We have proper Respect for M. taI-
h.snlne Third se builder, VINO report u ia
favor ui tuo cuueeutia1Un VI curreIt,
Would have preferred that St. Lou
.hUu,d have asked The up,uIVn OF Cap,
Geolge II kea, The President of bars,
com auy winch frelghIs more tnan hsh
the Western proauo. between 81. Lo.l,
aud New Orleans. He recent acrompa.
mel an EXCURSION made by The CnIle,
states 10 visit all the existing and pro.
posed modes Of outlet. lie saw INA
lnirty feet Of water can be carried 10 The
Gulf shore, anu eau be unned with siNt,
ieet 10 tie river by canal cut vi seveL
miles. Ask his opinion, and We ~oul.
Z, aspect ii, without knowing what 1t woulu
be.
But we appeal from the board Of trade
The press OF the West Is in favor Of i'm.
partial selection OF the most et'ectusi
mode Of Improving the outlet. The 81
Louis Times well says:
There Is always danger in approach
ing congress with variety OF schemes OF
internal improvement having any consid-
cradle degree Of similarity, or OF similar
lONhl oiis'ii bbc ihsNlcsts aIc
teal in their nature become diverse in the
struggle for favorable action, and that be.
cause oil cannot be pressed to success, all
are buried at last 10 common failure
1t declares an unqusli led preference
for the canal;
But there Is no question, we sppre-
bend, upon which will be found so great q
unanimlty rs the proposed Fort st, Philip
canal
1t also says
1.-THE Chicago Tribune favors neither
tho James river and Kanawha, nor the
Atlantic and Great Western canal, bu
the Fort st. Philip commands cordial ap
probation % WORK Of nation Al importanc c.
and national interest, worthy Of the
prompt and liberal action Of the govern
! menl'
There is one decisive point of view il
which every citizen Of st Louis 10 con
cerned. The dredge and the concentra
ton will require annual appropriation
from congress TO repair them. The cana
will employ the st. Lawrence as the Quite
of the upper west. Now, II the power Q
the republic shall pass to the Zone Of tn
St Lawrence and Lake Michigan, the CON
binstion OF that route can defeat m IN
nual appropriation, and then the mout
Of the river closes. The canal once Gu
cannot besuspended. These are reasons fo
statesmen, though they may moi be
much force TO expectant contractors or a.
vocates OF temporary expectancy. In :
gard TO the concentration Of the curre
by private contract, we can only say 10
Captain Eads and the board Of trst
Will respect the testimony Of our citiza
at to tho results Of two such contracts Z
ready made for that purpose, they W
learn the government has the privilege
expanding Its money in ITS own way.