New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-03-07
A ISLANDER ON NEW ORLEANS.

A>esN 49, ASNNA' t'''~'
charges New Orleans with mercenary mo-
tives in advocating a canal outlet:
1t would, no doubt, be a good thing 70,
New Orleans to enjoy the disburse ment OF
ten, fifteen or twenty millions of dollars on
| the construction of the Fort st. Philil
canal, extending through number OF
by additional appropriations.
In addition to this unworthy imputa-
ton it says:
! 1t seems to be for mere motives of local
| advantage that the champions Of the canal
ring advocate the other.
l. This disbursement of few millions is
nothing to the millions lost by the want
of deep water. The interests chiefly
urging the canal are those of cotton and
corn exports. The interests chiefly con-
cerned in the expenditures of construc-
ton are those Of provisions and other
supplies to be consumed in the construc-
ton Of the canal
2. There can be no s'canal ring" here.
The merchants of the Cotton Exchange.
the Chamber Of Commerce, the insurance
and shipping interests, have originated
and now urge the canal. If the work be
undertaken, it will be under the control
of the federal government. The War
Department will make the contracts and
conduct the work. Can any human be-
ing mag inc how this work shall be done,
or to whom it will be given? The contract
ors will be more probably from st. Louis
or Chicago OF New York than from New
Orleans. To charge the best commercial
authorities Of our city with beinga ''canal
ring or with being under control of one,
carries its contradiction on the face Of the
charge. We do not choose to contrast
this improbability with the obvious inter.
est of corporation so rich that it can
expend millions on an exploded expert.
ment. When, however. We see press
become the advocate Of plan never tested.
and the unreasoning opponen: OF one
which is voucned for by science and prac.
tice. we may infer that there is small
newspaper ring in st. Louis. supported
by lot OF paid correspondents in Wash.
ington. whose motives are too suspicious
for public respect.
1t is sufficient to say tina. New Orleans
maintains her original position. The te!e.
gram Of Mr.. Eads. asking her 70 :ecor-
slider and renouuce her advocacy OF the
canal. was answered by !. unanimous and
reiterated advice of the Chamber Of Com.
merce to our Representatives to stand
fast for the canal. Some hopes are es.
pressed in the Ead-itorial quoted from.
that the press of New Orleans Is divided.
In this connection we are glad to note
that the Picdy,t'le, though still skeptical as
to the result, has greatly modified the sever.
ity of it's criticisms, and lends quasi assent
to the proposition in the following.
It quotes an article from the Picnyolne
We are happy to state that even this
excuse for Misrepresentation has been
stricken away. The Picayune of yester-
day responds to the letter over Mr.. Eads
initials in one Of the st. Louis journals
friendly to his scheme. It denies the
probability that jetty would succeed
better now than when twenty years ago it
failed in the hands of Craig & Rightor'
1t disputes the Eads assertion that the
delta will no: continue to protrude into
the Gulf at the same rate as formerly,
and concludes its criticism upon the Eads
experiment thus:
We might as well expect to get rid of the
bar by digging it up and dumping it into
the Gulf few hundred yards further out,
as to remove it permanently through the
agency of Cantain Eads' iatties