The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-05-21
Gae @ailg Arsns.
A NATURAL HIGHWAY TO THE OCEAN,

During the late war il was favOrite |
theme with us Of the Northwest, who sus-
tanned that war, that the natural highway
to the ocean, through the Mississippi river
and its tributaries, should be kept open at
any cost, Orators grew eloquent aboutit;
soldiers patriotic and editors appealed to
the people to keep it open, that the
Northwest would never agree to be barred
out from free passage over our great
rivers to the ocean. 1t was fought for,
and won, and now the question is, how to
make it valuable. Recently a hundred
Congressman and Governors met in ST.
Louis to consider this question, and they
are now on an excursion through the South.
When Congress meets they will, there
fore, be better qualified to act upon ques
tons connected with the improvement Of
these natural water courses TO the ocean.
We regret that our own immediate Rep
resentative, Mr. John B, Hawley, was not
one Of the party, and the fact that he
was not shows that he favors eastern and
railroad interests instead. The Chicago
and New York papers too, seek to east
ridicule upon the ST. Louis conference, and
in doing so they exhibit a sectional jeal-
ousy unworthy the representatives of ma
toual interests. The natural combination
of interests in this country, if the eastern
and railroad interests seek to form com
biuatious, is combined action of the
West and the South region which is
and must ever he the great agricultural
region of the United States. United it
can control politically and commercially,
the legislation Of this country The peo-
pie are free traders and in favor of finding
the highest market for what they have to
sell, and the lowest market for what they
want 10 buy They want the world for a
market, and an exchange Of products with
all countries and this they will yet secure.
But we have not space to discuss all these
great questions, and for the present, con
tent ourselves with copying two extracts
from western papers in regard TO the st
Louis conference. The first is from the
Memphis appeal.
ut is most creditablc to the good sense
and lihcrality Of the merchants OF st
Louis that in laying before the COMPRESSION
aI conference the easiest, simplest and
most expeditions and cheapest mode OF
compelling low rates Of freight, they have
done ~ in a broad, comprehensive and
liberal spirit, embracing the views and in
tcrrs's Of the people of the whole Mississ
iupi Valley. Nothing could be more cath
Ole or generous than the resolutions read
rs Capt Eads, devoted as they are and
dealing as they do with not only the par
ticular wants Of a city that might be sup
posed 10 be selfish Us well as ambitious,
but with all the cities OF the great valley
that have q direct or collateral interest IN
the Mississippi river The first one sets
out with an assertion that all right think
ing men will ind0rsc. that the improve.
mrut of the mouth of the Mississippi river
is the first and most essential OF all the
improvements desired, and suggests a
mode that ut first blush seems to Us % he
most feasible The others rccitc the re-
moyal Of rocks, bars, suags, sawyers, Old
wrecks and all the rest Of the impcdimeut-
that prevent the free navigation OF tho
great river. and indeed, Of all the river,
that are tributary, which should and must
bc done, even though IL cost a. much q,
fifty million dollars 20 do it. Any one at all
c1uvcrsaut with the difference in river and
railroad treghts will admit that Us much
rs that will in two or three year hc saved
90 the people by the improvement Of the
great river aud It's important tributaries
admitting a. they will Of the utmost tacili
ty for a reduction Of freight charges that
will greatly reduce 10 the eastern an,
southern consumer the prices of bread
stuiis, meats, and other prime articles o
food. At present prices the difference o
a barrel OF Hour to Boston or New Orlean
from s. Louis is that between "a IS an
Sl4 40 per ton, the former being the rive
and the latter the railroad rates IL is thi
difference, amounting TO an almost prohibi
tory freight tariff which compels the farm
ers Of the west to burn their corn
and places them at the mercy %
the sharpers who control thing
at the great grain centres. Fol
them, primarily we desire the improve
ments so concisely stated 70 the confer
ouce, satisfied that any measures affordini
them relief must Inure to the advantage %
the poor mechanics and labOring men O
the Atlantic cities, towns aud villages, %
well as ~ the planters and laborers of Tn
South. We hone the conference will Civ
the resolutions thorough sitting, an
that, looking at the resplutions-Ior whlr
we thank the ST. Louis merchants in tn
name OF the people OF Nlemphis--in ligh
free from sectional or political bias the
will be prepared ~ vote early at the mex
session Of Congress for an appropriation y
liberal as Ia express a determination {
deal with the sixteen million people of th
Mississippi valley in manner equal {
their Just demands and crying necesstie.
We are for the Improvement OF the Nj,
-issippi before anything else, aud we hop
the people will urge upon their represent
atiycs IN Congress the early accomplish
ment Of the work
And the Cincinnati Enquirer says
There is one effective foe To m0nnpO
lies Ii Is composition. IL has the ad
vantage Of being perfectly legitimate am
natural in It's methods Of warfare Tn
law ui rravitatiOn. as noXorablc in CON
mercc as 10 the falling Of an apple. work
out IT, inevitable results The quickes
and the best method Of breaking down IN
eNtOrti1n OF a corporation is to sell th
same thing alongside Tor less money TIL
crying need of the West is for more line
of commercial traffic Those which M
turc has provided are the cheapes
From nearly all the mountains Of the rrci
West, and through all The valleys, run III
surest means OF combating the railroad
The ST. Louis meeting, if it shall hay
contributed toward the improvement ,
the rivers Of the West as commercial nv,
uues viii have rendered national sci
vice. and especially a service 90 the Nortl