The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1874-01-30

MONROE, La, JANUARY 80. 1874.
THE OPENING OF THE MISSISSIPPI.
= ~ SiEkEs G[--fA
lit fs- encouraging to find that Con-
aress is taking up in earnest the ques-
tion of the Improvement of the mouths |
of the Mississippi. But it is unfOrtun- |
ate that some measure cannot be con- |
3triyed which will combine the support
81 all who desire to see this important
Work accomplished. The influences
arfayed against the project are strong
enough to require the most earnest
EFFORTS Of its friends; tits simply suici-
da1 to bring in bills which arouse oppo-
sition on the ground of unconstitution-
ality or impracticability It is on these
grounds that some of the strongest men
in the.Senate oppose the bill reported
by Senator West. That bill provides
that the, War Department. shall have
control of. the public works at the
mouth Of the Mississippi, and jurisdic-
. ton over the channel. There has al.
ways been some doubt even as to the
power of the Federal Government to
appropriate money for the improve
ment Of rivers and harbors; but the
protest against the improvement OF
harbors was long since given up; and
the power over rivers was conceded,
even by the strictest States rights men,
when Mr.. Calhoun made his famous
speech, likening the Mississippi to an
inland sea. The policy of the Gov
eminent in this matter may, therefore,
be considered fxed. But there remains
the difcalty OF deciding on the works
that are desirable, and of choosing in
preference those which are of most i'm
portance: It has always seemed to us,
IN this part of the country, that as to
the importance Of the Mississippi there
could be no question, and it has always
seemed strange that Congress should
: have neglected to take efficient measures
for removing the difficulties at the
mouth which are SO vexatious, and
even, at times, so Observation-Disclosures
ties which not only interfere with the
trade of this port as already developed,
but operate as hindrance to the nat
ural outflow Of Western products.
It is fortunate that the West has now
become so powerful as to compel re-
spect for her rights, and some degree OF
Difference for her wishes, and that she
regards the Improvement of the mouth
of the Mississippi. as the object above
all required to afford to her safe and
speedy access to the markets of the
world. Whether. this is to be accom-
plished by keeping the necessary depth
: OK. water on the bar, or by digging the
Fort st. Philip Canal, is a question,
DDS are practicable, and both may,
perhaps, be adopted. That is say, it
will certainly be necessary, during the
construction of the Fort st. Philip
Canal, to keep the mouth of the river
open. The point now involved is not
whether Congress has power to do this
WorlS-for that is conceded on all sides
but in what manner that power may
be effectively employed. Senator Vests
bill proposes to put the channel of the
river under the control and jurisdiction
of tho War Department. The object
of this extraordinary measure was to
give to the Secretary of War Il certain
Summary power over persons or YES
sets interfering with prosecution of the
work, and in support of it Mr.. Window
and Mr.. Carpenter made some very
serious charges against the Towboat
Association. We must say that we
are not at all disposed to credit these
charges. They are doubtless made in
good faith by the Senators referred to,
but those gentlemen, we arc sure, have
spoken on erroneous information. 1t
is Incredible that the Towboat ASsocia-
ton should wiHully block up the
mouth of tho river, and we are con-
WINGED that no such thing has been
done. It is undoubtedly true that in
terference with the Government officers
in the discharge of their duties should
not be tolerated; but it is almost equal
ly certain that the powers contemplate
cd by Senator Vests bill cannot be
delegated to the Secretary of War. To
pass bill which in the opinion of the
best lawyers in the Senate, is void on
its face, would be absurd; and to make
the fate of the Mississippi river inn
provement dependent on such a bill,
is IL serious mistake.-N O. Picaytt1ae.
THE N. Y. HERALD AND GEN. GRANT.