New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-06-30

cause them to relax their efforts to reform
whatever there is in the usage of the party
that may be Objectionable. Intelligence
and honesty are virtues which should no,
be lost sight of, nor can they safely be
disregarded without danger Of disaster.
TIE MISSISSIPPI SURVEY IN THE SEN.
-.r-.. ATE.
The Senate does not seem to have been
satisfied by the reasoning which induced
the House of Representatives to pass the
canal bill by majority Of more than
sixty. It was determined to report the
canal bill back with recommendation
that there be a further survey Of the river
outlet to determine the best mode Of re-
moving the obstacles. 1t was a little
curious that when bill had passed the
body in which appropriations originate,
providing fos an appropriation Of six
million dollars for the construction of q
canal upon surveys which were satisfac-
tory to the House, that Senators from the
valley of the Mississippi should have sent
this gift horse back to the stable without
even looking in his mouth at all.
Yet, it is assumed by some Of these
Senators, especially by Senators Bogy and
Schurz, that any national survey will be
imperfect unless made with the co-ope1a-
ton of civil engineers. It is also init
mated by them that the military ergi-
neers have committed themselves to a
particular mode CT improvemen:-th
canal.
We are far from objecting to the con-
currence Of civil engineers in the recon-
noissance Or location Of public works.
AS experts and witnesses they are invalid
able, but when the government is required
to pay all the money for work, it GER
tainly should be allowed to determine the
mode and location Of expenditure. A
good deal was said in debate about the
deliberate character Of the public sur
veys. 1t was likewise said that these
works cost more than the estimate of
army engineers. AS no Impeachment
has been made on the impartial in
tegrity of these public agents, there
may be some allowance made for their
caution. That even civil engineers
are not infalGble has been repeatedly
shown by the excess of cost above esti-
mates. five mistake not the grea. via
duct Of Western trade across the tIissis-
sipni is an example Of this inevitable
inaccuracy.
But there have been elaborate surveys
Of location demonstrating the practicable
lty of the canal, and as cautionary meas
ure the continuous construction Of the |
work might have been made to depend on
the capacity of the ground and the
concurrence of fact, with the reports of
the engineers. So it remains singular
TACT that the opposition to the concurrence
n work, accepted and provided for by
The House Of Representatives, should have
come from the Mississippi valley Senators.
We are indeed apprehensive that Sena-
ors Schurz and Bogy have been too much
with federal and financial SUBJ
ects to bestow much attention on the
questions which they properly pronounce
paramount to most others. Senator
schurz misunderstands the canal closing
he great harbor Of the Mississippi val
ey with clock where uesseIs must be
fitted up or let do.on uhen they pass on. and
n" From his undoubted knowledge Of
he Nieuwe dep or Grand Ship Canal of
North Holland and of those canaled
streets in Amsterdam-the Heeren
,raacht, Keller graacht and Prinzen
yraacht-we should have inferred Sena-
or Schurz would have known that ships
ire no more Gifted up or let down" at the
Mississippi outlet than in other low
countries. He should not have mis-
represented work if he knew the facts,
md he should not have been SO ignorant
If facts as to mistake them. Strangely
enough, he was not corrected by those
Who must have known that the only locks
IN the Mississippi ship canal are guard
md not lift locks. Senator Bosy
ately proclaimed that be had
oeen always Democrat, but was CON-
'elled to differ from the creed of the
athers in regard to works Of internal i'm
,rovent by the federal government. Natu-
ally being what Mr.. Benton orce called
! neophyte or new convert to an orthodox
aith, he believed what he said when utter
ng the phrase which follows:
The canal subject has not received the
ssent OF those people residing high up on
he Mississippi river. 1t has been con.
emned by the entire population of the |
Mississippi river excepting a few persons,
= perhaps majority OF the city of New
orleans. -f6.ar III |
We can not tell by VIVA. rule this Senator |
1dges public sentiment; but when we re. |
lind him that the vote for immediate
obstruction Of the canal received the vote |
'hich we will quote, it will be seen that |
1ese representatives in the popular branch
aamefully misrepresent their constitu-