The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-03-19
WESTERN INTERESTS.

WESTERN INTERESTS.
| On the 25lh ultimo, Mr.. Young, Of Mem
phis, Tenn, introduced in the House o.
Representatives . bill to provide for the
building Of . custom.house in that city.
which should likewise serve as post-ofice'
courthouse, warehouse, etc., for the United
States Government. A site valued at $500, OOO
had been presented by Memphis to the Uni
ted States for that purpose. An act OF 1873
accepted the donation and provided for the
erection Of the proposed buildings, the cost
being limited to 100000. 1t was proposed
to cut this amount down to 100000, and on
this proposition spirited debate ensued, in
which the commercial importance Of Mem
phis was duly represented.
The comparative expenditures Of the gov
eminent for the cities of the East and those
of the West were discussed With some ami
nation Mr.. Conger. Of Michigan, was
especially urgent in advocating an expendi-
ture for Western cities in NOSE equitable pro-
portion to those for Northesn cities. Ia
allusion to the large appropriations made for
Eastern cities, he said:
In my experience here I have found that the
principal opposition to any appropriation for gov
eminent buildings in the West and South has
come, as general thing, from those who have
demanded for their Localities the very largest ap-
preparations, the most costly structures, the
most palstial edifices for the accommodation Of
the officers Il IL & Jvernment.
Sir, l do not wCnuer that the gentleman from
New York should object to the erection Of gov
eminent buildings in the valley OF the Mississippi
and on the Mississippi River. Through the liberal
ity Of the last Congress, through the plans and
devices OF engineering genius, we can see
already, as the result OF the action Of former
Congress in endeavoring to open the mouth of
that vast artery Of communication to the inte-
riOr OF our cOntinent-we can see the day speed
ily approaching when the largest vessels that
sail upon the ocean shall enter the mouth of the
Mississippi and sha deliver their freight through
the whole length Of the country watered by that
vast channel Of internal communication, instead
OF receiving it through tie crowded port Of New
York where We have erected thOee vast build
ings. 1t will be, trust, but few short years
i had almost said few shors months-before
the plan OF constructing jetties to open the
mouth Of the Mississippi to the commerce OF the
world shall turn that commerce for all the vast
interior States Of our country from New York
into this great natural artery Of American com
merce; when we in the interior shall be fed I ON
our own ships, when our own commerce shall
come directly to our own doors. Then New Or.
leans will need its enlarged public buildings;
then Vicksburg, and Memphis, and st. Louis,
and other great cities that sleep upon the bor
ders of that maiest htream will demand Of this
country, and its Representatives will demand of
the Government, that buildings shall be erected
there appropriate to the renewed business, the
accumulated and accommodating commerce which
the opening of that channel will bring into the
great imperial valley of the Mississippi.
It is view of such probabilities, Il do not say
pOssibllities,) OF such necessary results OF the
opening Of the channels Of the Mississippi, that
we propose to have buildings necessary now and
Of vastly greater Importance in the near future.
And no opposition Of these can turn away from
that interior empire OF the United States its nat
uIal business, its natural commerce, and it's ne
cessary public buildings to do that business.
Mr.. Conger represents the Seventh District
Of Michigan. He is the son Of clergyman,
who removed from the neighborhood made
famous by the talents of James Fennimore
Cooper, when yet child. His education was
acquired in Ohio, and he graduated at the
Western Reserve College in 1912, being then
twenty four years old. He afterwards be-
came citizen Of Michigan, represented Port
Huron and tho adjacent region in both
branches of the. Michigan Legislature, was q
member of tho Constitutional Convention, .
judge Of one Of tho State courts. presi
dent of the State Senate, etc. This
is his fourth term ID Congress. Hs is Re-
publican in politics, but taking the foregoing
utterances as exponential Of his sentiments.
We can freely express the regret that there
are not many more such Republicans in Con-
gress.
There is something hopeful in the fact that
the ears of Western statesmen have already
caught the echo Of the mighty tread Of the
coming Western empire. They see that the
land drained by the Mississippi and its
branches is realm bound together by COM
mon interests, and, because 80 united, strong
for self.defense. They see that the empire of
tho Great Valley ought not to be governed by
those only who represent the Atlantic slope.
They feel that the young giant is discovering
his strength and preparing to throw off the
bonds by which he has been heretofore re-
strained. Mr.. Oonger. and men whom he
know the resources, the power, the
advantages, the prospects and the wants Of
this great domain, consecrated, Is we hope, to
free institutions for all time to come.
We have no desire to see political parties
again sectionalized, nor to see the interests
of the West antagonizsd to those of the
East; but We shall be moro than pleased to
note and commend every symptom and ten
dency towards . Western unity Of action
based unon a unitv of interests.
Quite large party Of gentlemen was pres.
emit last evening at the depot Of the Pontchar-
train Railroad for the purpose of taking
trip to the Lake, in order to witness practi-
cal test Of Mr.. O. L. Rocks newly invented
spark arrester. The purpose of the invention
il to prevent the escape of either live or dead
sparks from the chimneys Of locomotives and