The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1873-05-08
S3140.OOn

Louisiana had, in addition, built 400 M lies
in the Red River, Atchatalaya and other re-
LiOnS. at cost of $4,000, 900; but the
Senate inquiry is simply as to the levees OF
the Mississippi river we contine our re-
marks to them. In 1861, then, the MiSsis-
sppi ievees were in good working order,
and the magnificent yield of the plantations
protected by them was 6SS. 254 bales of cot
ton and 100000 hOgsheadS of sugar, worth
at the low rates of that day, 10 and cents
per roundabout S740O0,000 in gold. No
wonder that ten years after Congressional
committee charged with the duty of view
ing the ravages made by war reported in
1871:
Restore Louisiana levees alone to their
imperfect condition before the war. and we
can make al least the 2250O0 tons she made
in 1850. We consume over 100000 tons of
raw sugars of all kinds, but the destrue-
ton OF the levees has sent us to Cuba and
Brazil for this necessary of life.
Cotton is the great crop of export, and by
cotton is controlled the exchange of the
world. Complete our levees
and we rescue 10,00O,000 acres of the best
cotton land in the world-raise, besides
other valua bic staples, 100000 bales yearly
Of this controlling staple"
Batting little extravaganza, this is true.
The levees were cut right and left during the
war, and the best efforts of the States con-
tanning them have been insufficient to re-
store them to any reasonable degree of eff
ficiency. Pharaoh himself could not raise
forty odd millions of dollars from the
people of Louisiana. Mississippi and Ar
kansas by direct tax, and yet taxation or
bonds are the only resources these States
have. Mississippi bonds are utterly worth
less; in fact there are no such securities
and as for Louisiana or Arkansas bonds
who buys? The leVees must be restored,
and yet the riparian States are powerless
to do the work. Under these circumstances
we are not surprised to hear that the Sen
ate committee announces its determin alton
to recommend to Congress the 8 national
ling of the work. What the " national
izing means exactly is not clear. But the
idea is, in all probability, that the levees
shall be operated by the General Govern
ment. "a it is proposed to run the telegraph.
We are not at all sure that this is either
wise. practicable or economical plan. The
Union Pacific Railroad was "nationalized"
when it fell into the hands of Credit Mo
bilier stockholders. and those stockholders
constituted the motive power in Congress,
and the results of the Matchmaking are not
altogether admirable. Let the Senate COM
mittce ascertain with its own eyes the
amount and probable cost OF the levee
work to done on the river line of Louisi-
ana. Mississippi, Arkansas and Missouri,
and then recommend Congress to loot the
bin for each State, on condition that the
state guarantee every dollar shall go to re-
pair the damae done during the war. The
States are the best managers. as the work
able system i'm vogue in 1861 manifests, and
the fact chat the General Government owes
or damaged, is no reason why that Govern
ment should take the leVees itself and
launch out into novel and hazardous eXper-
imentS Herewith.