Le Louisianais. [volume] (Convent, La.) 1865-1883, 1877-09-22

The undersigned desire to respect
fully represent 10 your honorable.
body the Importance of rcclaimin4
from overflow the a'lnvial lands o
the Mississippi river and tributary
streams, and to urge such speedy
congressional action as will be ne
cessary to accomplish that otjec,
within the shortest period possible
We are fully persuaded that if oul
Senators aidRcp,cscntatives in Con.
gress We're correctly advised vi tho
vast Importance OF protecting these
fertile lands from annual inumHa.
ton, and the great benefit that
would follow. not only to that i'm
mediate region, but to the entire
country, they would promptly enact
such Legislation as would insure AN
early completion OF the work.
Thereisno publicentcrprisewh which
the Government could aid with SO
much justice and %rrcpricty is this
one: nor is there one that could be
undertaken at SO small an expense,
from which such immense profit to
the agricultural and commercial in
tcrests CT the whole country would
result. 1t is i'll no sense a local enter
prise, for the benefit of either q cOr-
poraDon Oh small community of pri-
yate individuals, but its scope and
extent embraces interest and covers
an extent OF territory OF sufficient
magnitude to make it cmincnt'y ma
tional in its character. This will be
more apparent when the following
facts are even briefly examined and
considered: The region Of country
subject to overflow lies i'll the States
Of Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Ten
nessce, Arkansas, Mississippi aud
Louisiana, and embraces within its
area about 24,S00,OO0 ere Of the
richest and most productive corn,
cotton, rice and sugar lands i'll the
world. If these lands we're protect
ed from the flood Of water which
annually flows over tttn, they
would De quickly put III Cultivation,
and by very moderate computa.
ton it may be safely estimated then
in less than five years the proluc-
ton of our three great agricultural
staples, cotton, rice and sugar,
would be increased more than fifty
per cent. Cotton is the commodity
which more than all others cOntri-
butcs to our commercial prosperity
and gives us a substantial basis OF
wealth not possessed by any other
country OF people. The high lands
of the Southern States, upon which
Il large portion Of the cotton crop
has heretofore been grown, is be
coming so much exhausted that III
Il few years their cultivation in cot
ton will have to be Abandoned,
and the decrease in this valua-
ble and important product will be
materially felt upon the finances OF
the country. Our expectation of all
articles now amounts to about S64O-
OOO, GOO in value; by reclaiming the
alluvial lands of the Mississppidelta
from overflow the expectation OF
cotton, sugar and rice alone could
easily he made to exceed this entire
sum-.
The action by Congress, here
sought to be had, rec'aims from a
wilderness and makes tit for
cultivation an empire OF agrl-
cultural wealth: which, when
developed, will increase the
material resources of the country
millions of dollars. The work is OF
such a character that it is impossi-
bile for it to be accomplished by the
efforts and II Of individuals,
but must be done under authority
and with the means of the general
government. We therefore respect
fully ask that your honorable body
adopt such legislation at your next
session as will give safety and pro
lection to those districts Of country
that are subject to annual overflow.