Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-04-20

va t1OiIddy ldSO ttlt lIOuo6 vi mop
eesentatives passed the River and Har-
Dor Bill. The Bill makes appropria-
tions for the following places in Wis
consin, viz: Superior, $4,000; Green
Bay $4,000; Menomonee, $4,000;
Ahnepee, $4,000; Two Rivers, S15,-
600; Manitowoc, $40, 900; Sheboy-
gan, $4,000; Port Washington, S12,-
500; Milwaukee $4,000; Kenosha
$4,000, Fox and Wisconsin Rivers,
$3.50, 600, and Chippewa River, $15,-
900. 1t is certainly an object to be
Chairman Of the Committee on Com
merce, if this Bill, as passed by the
House of Representatives, under
suspension of the rules, thus prevent
ing any amendments being offered, be-
comes a law, as said Chairman has Sc
cured for his state, West Virginia,
nearly one twelfth of the entire appro-
priation for Divers and EIarbors. A
A state that has not a mile of sea-
coast or navigable lake within its
boundaries. Not dollar of this large
amount is for the improvement of the
Ohio River bordering on said state as
there is an appropriation of $270, 600
for the Ohio River in addition to this,
one twelfth Of the whole amount to
West Virginia. The member Of the
Committee from Minnesota has secured
the ordering of an examination and
survey, from the Dalles Of the Saint
Croix River to Lake Superior IN Mn
nesotG, with view to water route
Notwithstanding an examination Of this
water-route under authority Of the
State of Minnesota showed the cheap
est route would terminate in Wiscon-
sin as follows, viz Improve the wa
tiers Of the St. CIoix and Kettle Riv-
ers, then cross over to the waters of
the Femadji River and improve that
to the point where it is now navigable
from Lake Superior at Superior, Wis
consin This section will undoubtedly
be amended in the Senate so as to
have the examination and survey made
SO as to determine the cheapest route
for watercourse from the Dalles of
the Saint Croix River to Lake Super
Tor without regard to state lines. Ov-
er one-half of the entire appropriation
for River and Habors goes into those
states that did their utmost to destroy
this Government. It is only necessary
to state this fact to show the great in
justice of the Bill. These late rebel
lious states with only small fraction
of the commerce Of the country to re-
ceive over one-half Of the appropria-
tions made for the benefit Of commerce
Can it be that they want the General
Government to improve their rivers for
them, to give them better opportuni-
ties Of success when they secede again?
There certainly is no justice in the
Government making improvements out
of the general fund, which is the prop
erty of all citizens, for those ssections
of the country whore the rights of all
its citizens are not fully recognized.
Can anyone say with truth that such is
the case in the Southern States to-day?
Are Northern men, when they chose
to live in Southern States treated as
we'll as Southern men when they settle
in Northern States? Nowhere in the
North is Southern man or woman,
whatever be his or her creed, treated
with diseourtesy or socially ostracised.
CuCu 10 HUG luG case NlG1 UuS ~ OiIiI6Iu
man settling at the South. How Of
ten DO you hear the statement made
that Northern men are well treated in
the South "when they don't interfere
in politics. Is not this a confession
that they are not we'll treated when
they do take part in the political
situation wherein they have so much
at stake ? Is it not the duty OF every
citizen of the United States to take an
interest in politics There should be
no appropriations made for improve
ments of any kind, by the general
Government, to any section of the
country where the least obstruction is
thrown in the way Of any class of it's
citizens exercising their political rights
to their fullest extent.