The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-12-03
VIII our Canal be Ruilt =

solve. Over narrow strip of territory
sixty miles in length, from this city to
Hennepin, and from Sheffield to Dixon, a
good many people are quite anxious that
congress should use money collected for
carrying on the government for digging
our canal. Another narrow strip of terri
tory bordering on the east side of the Mis-
sissippi river above and below the western
terminus of this canal would be benefited
by it. So would very large portion of
country west of us. If congress would
only dig our ditch our people would be
suited, But the first difficulty is: Has
congress the power to use the peoples
money for digging canals, or building rail
roads or telegraphs, and undertaking to
manage the peoples private business af-
fairs? Is that the proper and legitimate
duty of government? A majority Of the
people of these United States would prob
ably say, ''No!" But if the constitutional
objection is not valid, would it be desirable
for central government at Washington to
undertake the business of carrying peo-
Pies produce and wares to market? II
congress goes into the business Of digging
bitches it must dig them everywhere. Ey-
cry section of the country would demand
it. Every river and every creek in the
United States, whether it has sufficient
capacity to float mud scow or not, would
be brought forward as a proper water
line" upon which congress would be asked
to expend from one to fifty million dollars,
The same influences would also be brought
to bear to induce congress 10 build rail
roads, and ultimately to buy up and run
every railroad and every telegraph in the
United States, and mortgage the credit of
the nation and Cypress the people with tax
alton for all time to come, Then congress
or the President must appoint board OF
managers to run the business. This would
throw it into the hands of some political
ring, no matter what party might be in pow
er, and all the employees would be required
to keep step to the party whip. The OPP
portunities for rascals to rob the govern.
ment would be unlimited. And every
mans business would be at the mercy OF
this political ring; his freight could be
made to go fast or slow, as he was obedient
or disobedient to the ring his business
could be utterly ruined if the ring willed it.
The United States never attempted to
carry on this business, and probably never
will,
Our canal ought to be built by the state,
as an extension of the canal now owned
and run by the state between Chicago and
La Sale. But the following provision in
our new constitution is in the way, viz
CANAL.
The Illinois and Michigan Canal shall never be
sold leased until the specific PROPOSE ion for the
safe lease thereof shall first have been submitted
to vote Of the people of the state at general cleo
he yotes po aie at such eIeeon The
.mbly shall loan the credit of the state, or
make appropriations from the treasury thereof, in
nd OF railroads canals: Pr0gided that any sur
plus earnings of any canal may be appropriated for
Is enlargement or extension.
The surplus earnings Of the present ca
lal probably never will be sufficient to build
he new canal The small surplus which
xistedthe last legislature appropriated to
he Improvement of the Illinois river-an
ct of very doubtful constitutionality,
How then is our canal to be built? We
&c no way except by private corpora
ion. If the business to be done on that
anal shall be one-h half what the most zeal
US advocates of congressional appropria
ons claim, it ought to be very easy
ling to raise millions of dollars for such
q enterprise. If 9 millions could be rails
/ for so wild project as the Rockford
Dad, it would seem that 4 millions might
e raised for an enterprise which some
laj,n viii do most Of che freight business
n many states
If congress will build our canal and stop
lere, we will not object. But if the door
to be opened for congress to dig canals
and own all the railroads and
1 the telegraphs- we object.