, 1874-04-03
Com


TO tbs Editor Of gha chieuao Jribune:
4SIn: The writer WIS not preBont Mt the Canal
Convention in Rock Island; but, from what /
learn from all partios it reflects but worry little
credit upon it's projectors. It was to be sup
posed that free gpeoch would ut least DO tolerat-
cd, and TINT any opposition TO tho canal would
be accorded fair and honorable hearing. In
this, however, we wero at fault. Everything
was II cut and dried +" beforehand and IN ovi-
dent understanding had that any attempt to d.
wort attention from tho pet scheme Of canal
from Hennepin to Rock Island, with feeaor
from Dixon, should be gagged down at all haz-
nrds. At MI events, this mus just what
was done and, had it not boon for tue persist
euco Of thoEo opposol to that scheme, and the
fact TINT oven tho frienda Of tho canal became
alarmed aud ashamed Of THO indecent treatmcnt
they had boon guilty of, tho opposition would
never hava been permitted to be- beard.
Ialand, evidently foets uneasy under thcirrecord,
nnd attempts to contrast tho soltslncga Of stor-
ling with the magnanimity OF our sister city Of
Dixon. il this that the lattor city Is willing to
DO SACRIFICED for the public 4gool while storlng
lived in Dixon tho longest will DO
slrprisod to cloarn how self-Bacritlcng
thoy really aro; but most people will believe
that they are just as aeltsh, In nil that pertains
to their real imagined interests, Oh Sterling or
any other place where human nature rules.
It is o wel1-known fact, TINT in order to have
feeder for q canal, taken from Rock River at
Dixon, thore must first be built good. substan-
tiat dam and whoeyer builds tho canal must, OF
necessity, build md mantain better water
power thnn will over be croated by private entor-
priao. This faot our Dixon friends well know
henco they can afford to be magnanimous
Now, II you want to Hee TINT others aro as
ae1f-Hacriacing na Dixon, Just soy to Sterling and
Rock Falls, 'sWe will start our canal just above
your dam, and will build and maintain I. fne
wator-poWer rs ut Moline :" and you will sec
that wo, too, haye got to that state Of humnn
perfection 40 finely ascrbod to our Dixon
friends, aud aro quito willing to be sacrificed for
tho public good.
Tile friends of this oanal-scheme, whereby
Rock River ia to bo robbed of tB water, may just
as vol understand first 1aat, tat aelf-preaorv
alton is tho first instinct Of all animated life +;
tamoly submit to ho robbed OF right that ia
older than tho Govornmont itself mud tint ia,
to have Rock 1aiyer, with al Of it's benefits, flow
through ller borders.
tho wheels Of time were to bo rolled back hun
drcd years, in order to explode ngasn tho Oft
repeated folly, that canals cannot bo mado avail
able, rs general r1lo for commercial purposeg; !;
but, so long aH politicians arc anxious to ride
public sentiment for their own ends, and towns
are seeking thor own fancied elevation at tho
expense Of their Woodworking and eoonomlztng
neiglbora, 1t stands els In hand to Borvo timely
notice TINT, when n wrong 60 fearful IL perre-
tratcd, whatoyer there ia loft Of us will bo thoro
to witnoss 1t.
The mon engaged in this warfare upon our in
toresta must know that it takos far less effort to
defoat Huoh measure than 1t docs to carry IT,
and that It will be = long timo before the Con-
gross Of tho United States will rob the people OF
this county, not only OF their hard earnings, but
Of boon tint God placol within our borders =.
We ask to bo permitted to enjoy tho fruits OF
our own labor unmoloRted, and wo pledge the
~ 1lnt will 1r