New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-07-15
ANOTHER CELEBRATION IN PRosPEC,

Almost every one who had seen the re-
markable unanimity with which the whole
Mississippi valley vote in Congress re-
pudiated the wingdams, and expressed
its preference for the canal, would have
supposed that the jettyites would have
taken no for an answer. Such observers
do not know the bridge ring, which is to
receive sixty-fve cents a ton from the
Eastern railroads on all the trade which
shall cross the river, besides local traffic
and travel to produce in the aggregate
something less than a million of dollars
annually.
The value Of the bridge stock and the
dividends on its dead-head and other
shares will demand the diversion Of trade
from the river, since every ton which
seeks an Eastern or foreign market by
boat or barge is gone from the bridge
ring and its heirs for ever. What policy
then, SO obvious on the part Of tie stock
holders of the bridge, and the Eastern
railroad, as to obstruct the bIississi ppi
outlet? What work so little capable of
obstructing the outlet as the canal, which,
even if a failure, would leave the naviga.
ton no worse than before its construc-
ton? We learn from conversations with
members ofCongress who participated pro-
minently in the discussion which defeated
the jetty obstruction, that the common
sense danger Of a structure forty or sixty
feet deep under the water. constructed of
fascines, or birch timber, concrete OF cais-
sons, tumbling into the channel, leaving
islands Of drift and breaking away through
other unnavigable channels. determined
many members that this was danger
GUS experiment on the navigation
Of the great river. When it shall have
been demonstrated that the same parties
who insist upon the jetties are interested
in taking all trade from the mouth of the
river, it will not tend to diminish the ap-
prehensions of those members. Suppose,
for instance, that after sinking these OBJ
structions called jetties in the lower Mis-
sissippi the contractor should choose to
abandon them, who would be bound to
take them out? We do not hesitate
to say that if they cost a million
these sunken obstructions-they would
only add another to the millions which
the bridge has cost, while they would
effectually turn over the bridge all the
foreign and coastwise trade of and west of
St Louis, which now seeks the river out
let.
We are thus prompt in giving warning
of the undated determination of the bridge
ring, with enhanced means of influence
ing the necessary support before Congress,
because the st. Louis Republican and
Times resume, by communication and
editorials, their assaults upon the mer-
chants OF New Orleans and the Western
majority of sixty odd in Congress.
Strangely enough both these journals I'M
dertake the duty of commencing the Sen
ator from Louisiana for supporting the
jetty instead of berating their own Rep
resentatives in the House who voted
against it.
The st. Louis Times says of the Sen
ator from louisiana
The honorable course of Senator J. r.
West, of Louisiana, in defiance of party
dictation, on this great question has won
for him distinguished and enviable repu-
tation as statesman, and, as fearless ad
vocate OF the interests of the people of
this great Mississippi valley, he has earned
their highest admiration and respect
Signed r.
AS to the independent policy and course
pursued by Senator West in advocating
the ietty plan of Captain Eads for keeping
open the mouth Of the Mississippi river, he
has only acted for the interests of the peo-
pie of the whole Mississippi valley, upon
whose commerce New Orleans is dependent. /
But because this distinguished and talented
Senator scared above the arrow-miuded
local prejudices of a party clique and ring
not representing the people OF Louisiana.
he is accused of desertion and treachery =
st. Louis Republican.
Under our theory of government the
representative prefers the indorsmeut of