The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-11-18
THE LEVEE QUESTION.
CONCERNING THE VARIOUS
PLANS PROPOsEU.
His Suggestions AbOHt tine Calling Of n
Levee ana an International
Conventions.

Convention.
The question Of the levees being now essentiak~
ly in order, q representative Of the DEMocHAr,
mindful OF the noble and intelligent fight thab
Col, Louis Bush had made in that behalf bof0r0
the ct. Paul convention. called upon him yestor-
day at his Office to gather some Of his ideas ON
the sabject. The colonel, as customary, WAS ale
courtesy, and declared himself ready to answer
all questions, whereupon tie reporter proceeded
in the following wise:
RI suppose, colonel, thst you have resd Mr..
Buelps letter on the levee question published i'm
the DEMOCRAT Of the 9th inst. p
Col. B.-Certafnly I have; and with great
deal of interest, as do concerning everything
connected with this momentous subject.
R.-What do you think Of the second PROPOSE
ton for national levee system mentioned in Mr.,
Buelrs letter, and residing as follows:
It is proposed to create levee commission. Ia
be composed partly of military and partly of civil
engineers. who shall appraise the amount Of
work to be done and let the contracts within cer-
tain annual limitations of EXPENSE the cost to be-
betrayed out Of the treasury by regular appro-
pristion for that specific purpose, and that the
work. once done, shall be perpetusted TO all
time by the same agency.
Col. B.--rhat the Mississippi river is . national
highway cannot now admit Of q doubt however
tenacious We may be regarding the doctrine Of
State Rights Indeed we might almost say thae
ii was this very question which crushed tho
Goush, as by it the whole West and Northwest
was aroused, and, rather than ran the risk Of not
having free and uninterrupted navigation OF the
Missis gippi, entered the army, swe led the Unien
forces, and precipiated on the Southern forces m
avalanche Of men which could not be resisted.
FoFeseesng. this great danger. snd Wishing TO
yninn rfr vnxo tfNuu &ku
Louisiana convention Of 1861 formally passed m
ordinance declaring the Mississippi national in its
character and gave the people OF the West and
Northwest to understand distinctly that il should
neverfbe used otherwise. This was insufficientt0
quies the West and. urged on by their public
men, they joined the Union army with the result
known to history.
This being coDceded and the river being used
as surh easements are exercised by the West
and NOrthweat. which preepitiste uDGn the lower
portion or the stream burdens OF such magnf-
tude that the people of this section are unable 70
protect themselves. The natural servisude IL
Immensely increased by the amount OF waters
accumulated from above, and by the use OF tha
stream by steamboats, which; by their waves.
cause abrasion Of the banks and destruction Of
the levtes built by the States.
As between neighbors, and az q Iegaa PROPOSE
ton, servitude could not be used In such
manner "a by artificial meanss to augment tha
burdens OF easement, and no court in ohriHt6n-
dom would sanction such wrong. we do not
Indispensable to the people OF the whole country
and necessary to the development Of the Immense
resources Of the Mississippi Valley, which must
only addt0 the onward progress OF constitutional
government, but we do expect and we do ASA ~
q matter OF justice snd Of right that the govern
ment which participates in imposing tfese bur
dens by improving the apper ssream. and by thai
means augnenting its commerce., shall proteCe
us from the feet resulting from these artificial
burdens by constructing and maintaining our
Ievees.
Hence il follows that whatever system is adopt
ed should be separate and distinct fronnall other
measures; should be fair and equitable and
sHoUIinsRz PERMANENT,
and not variable according TO the eaprices or
Congress resulting from party strife, manifestsd
usually in the general appropriation bill.
Besides, any system to succeed must have %
it's basis pezmaneEee, otherwise no good can b0
mplshsd, for this work to be beneficial, will
require years Of uninterrupted labor and atten~
ton to reach lasting results such az are necessary
to gusEantee the people Of the lower river from
iuuudaaion.
R.-Then you agree with the ideas expressed
on the subject By our correspondents in WASH
ingtoa?y
Col. BIT follows, Of conrse, from, what have
said before that prefer this plan to any Of the
others that have been mentioned, and think that
it should be placed principally on the grounds
mentioned above, and not on the hypothesis Of
by operations daring the war, which
might bring about sectional antagonisms and
arouse old and smotherins prejudioss that would
be likely to defeat the measure.
R-Will yonq express your views. as to Capts
Eads plan to DO away with the levees and SUBJ
stitute his theory for lowering the bed Of the
rivers
Ool. B.-The commission Of engineers, of which
Gen. Warren was president, having reported on
scientific principles, indorsed by Gen. Hum
being all of marked ability, and having studied
tho subject for years, it would beimprudsnt. not
to say unwise. to venture upon new plans and