New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-07-21
THE WEST IN CONGRESS.

federal bullets, ran under the flag OF a
foreign country for safety. -
| THE WEST IN CONGRESS.
Senator Bogy has received welcome
at the hands Of his constituents, and he
has Of course made some account of his
past watch on behalf Of Western interest.
He finds that the West has but small rep
resentation in some of the principal COM
mittees of the Senate 1t is especially
significant to our mind though it has not
so occurred to Senator Bogy that the
West is deeply concerned, not merely for
the establishment of buoys and light
/ houses on the Western rivers, and
the removal of snags and sandbars, but
because the West is the heaviest producer
and consuming section of the Union. Not
only is the West interested in the rate of
duties imposed on foreign merchandise
| imported, but it is interested in the duties
imposed on Western produce in foreign
countries. It would be most important
for the West to administer the State De-
partment and direct the diplomacy of the
country in regard to the commercial rela-
tons between other countries aud our
own. With Western Secretary of State,
the West need not apprehend the admission
into the Eastern market of Canadian grain
and other provisions free of duty, thus
placing these foreign products on foot
ing Of equality with those of our own
country. 37'
Senator Bogy also learns that the East
has legislative control Of the currency
and financial policy of the currency but
differs with the strait-jacket fnanciers,
and thinks the West can handle good
deal more currency.
He utters the following audacious doc
trine from the seat of Benton:
Now, if there be anything in this system
which can be Of any benefit to the State
represent, however Objectionable it be in
other respects, want it. In other words,
if this paper money, such IS it is, is conven-
lent to have, and it will assist trade, com.
MERGE. manufactures, build railroads, lac
tories, shops, plOw, SOW, reap, and aid in
transporting products to markets, want it.
Shade of old Bullion! Are such heresies
tolerated-aye even applauded-within
sight and hearing of thy tomb and efigy?
Yet our readers will remember that Sena-
tor Bogy lately stated that he was and
had always been Democrat. And Bogy
sis an honorable man." But the Senator
confirms another assurance Of his Democ-
raey. He advocates all the works Of in
ternal improvement which the federal
government will give the money to make
And this he told US is modern Democracy.
Senator Bogy proceeds, however, to
claim that the Mississippi outlet improve
ment is not only Western work. but
that it belongs to st. Louis to direct its
constr uction. He avows himself an adj
vocate of the jetty improvement, and ex-
plains how it was that Mr. Eads obtained
the new survey as substitute for the
canal bill that had passed the House, and
how that bill was defeated by that plan.
Upon this subject, so important to our
citizens, we prefer that Senator Bogy
shall speak for himself. Here are His
words:
You are, no doubt, gentlemen, all familiar
with the question OF the opening of the
mouth Of the Mississippi river. We all
agree as to the importance of this works,
yet there is diversity of opinion as to the
Do II ahn,,lA ho dana nno Cd
ing canal from point on the river at, or
near Fort st. Philip, and another party in
favor of opening one of the natural channels
OF the river. Mr.. Eads, our fellow citizen,
presented last winter, to the committees Of
both houses, his views advocating the
latter, or jetty system. l will not detain
you on this occasion by going into the
details of the merits of these two systems,
beyond the tact that my colleague and |
myself were clearly and decidedly in favor |
of the jetty plan as the only one worthy |
consideration. The canal project, how |
ever, passed the House. aud was reported to |
the Senate. I think am authorized in |
saying that the Senate is opposed to it. The |
project was, Of course referred to this same |
Committee on Commerce. on which, as l |
have already said, the West has not got |
one member. So, as not to detain you, |
Mr.. Eads, seeing that the session was nearly |
at an end, decided to ask for a commission
of engineers to examine into both projects,
and report at the next session of Congress- |
Nothing could be fairer, provided this COM
mission was composed Of able men, not
to either view of the subject.
Here he proposed that three civil engineers,
from civil or private life, should be on the
This was, however, opposed;
and the committee reported in favor of
to be composed of three from
the army, three from the coast sur
vey and one from civil life, viz.
tually deciding the report in favor of
the canal, rs it Is known that the bureau
Of engineers is in favor of this project. A
existing between the two
houses, q committee of conference became
curing fair commission the President of
the Senate was requested not to forget to
appoint some ono from the West on the
committee. This he promised to do, yet
you will be surprised when tell you, when
ne did appoint this committee, not West.
9rn man was put on 1t, or rather not one
man who resided on the waters that flow
down the Mississippi to the Gulf. This
committee was composed of one from Do |
.reit, Mr.. Chandler, the chairman of the
committee on Commerce, one from Connec-
lieut. and one from Maryland. As You
would naturally expect, the report of this
was against us. Nothing was left
% as but Jfgh. in the Senate. This
was made, and my. colleague, like
at Wagram, carried victory
" the point of his sharp and brilliant lance.
In few words, we'll said. he showed what
lad been done by the civil engineers
throughout the world. 1t is sufficient to
,ay that We defeated the report. The COM
nittee was brought again together, and .
'eport was agreed on in accordance with
'ur views, and in this way, in my opinion,
ve have placed beyond . doubt the ques.
ion az hx.ru eL;a <x.onf Xorlr Tho or0ninn Of