The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-09-25
THE LEvEE QUESTION.

THE LEvEE QUESTION.
Among our Northern exchanges the
New York Sun. which is engaged in
working up Mr.. Randali's claims to the
Epeakership OF the next House OF Rep
resentatives on the hypothesis OF his
opposition to the subsidies, is specially
active and violent In denouncing what
IL ia pleased to term the Mississippi
river improvements job" In striking
contrast to the Suns extremely sensi-
tive solicitude with reference to this
"job" for the building Of the Missis-
sippi levees, is its quiet assumption
that the vaults of the national treasury
will remain open for the improvement
of New York harbor and its tributary
rivers. The government has already
expended millions in blasting a chan
mel through the Hellgate rocks, and,
even with this work completed,
the contemplated expenditure Is
but just begun. Yet, already Gen.
Newton, the engineer in charge, is
urging the improvement Of Harlem
river so as to make 1t navigable for the
largest vessels, and in the same issue in
which 1t denounces as q Job" the SUBJ
sides asked for the protection of the
richest agricultural region on the
continent, the Sun paints the following
pen-picture OF what liz to result from the
improvement OF a sluggish creek that
winds its crooked length through the
slums Of Gotham:
Encased in banks of solid masonry; with
stately ships and steamers floating on It's
waters solid blocks Of brown stone and mar
bile and granite rising on each side OF the tor
tuous stream; ono or two elegant suspension
bridges hung high in dir above 1t, and a con-
slant stream of foot passengers and perhaps
horse cars emerging from the tunnels, two OF
which have already been projected, one at
Kingsbridge and the other at the head Of Sew
enth Avenue.
We have no objection to the realizas
tion by New York Of the dazzling horo-
scope, and we only quote this passage
from the Sun in order to show the true
promptings Of the bitter hostility it has
shown to the proposed levee appropria-
tion, and the secret source of it's vir-
tuous indignation over mere act of
justice, which it endeavors to prejudice
in anticipation by suggestions Of fraud
on the public revenue. As an Offset to
the glowing picture of the Sun We pre-
sent the following, contained in CON-
munication to the Cincinnati CONNER
cial, In which the benefits that would
result from a single product Of
these vast alluvials regions by the
building of proper ievees, are set forth:
We consumed $4,000, 600 worth of sugar last
year $40 OOO, 900 OF which we produced, inn
porting $50000,090. Ii the government will
care for our levees within five years we can
produce every pound Of this deficiency, and
In SO doing give profitable employment to
thousands Of men now idle
Our sac, 100000 worth of sugar was made
last year on 10000 acres-a very small per-
centage of our sugar area. How much
try annually $50,0O0,000 for sugar when we
have the soil, climate and labor to produce it,
and when by the expenditure l have indicated
by the government for leveeS the thing can
be SO fostered as to bring 1t about? What sort
OF government is it. that knowing it will
longer permit it,
IL you could only spend day in New Or
leans and see how eager buyers from all parts
of the world are for the cotton grown in this
region subject to overflow, you would under
stand its value and the Importance of pro-
tecting every acre of this land by levees,
thus putting it to its profitable task.
1t is no exaggeration to say that If the con-
sumner could get this quality" Benders,' as
il Is called; that is, cotton grown along the
banks Of the Mississippi river and it's tribu-
taries-in sufficient quantities he would not
be inclined to touch a bale Of any other kind,
and it is not visionary to say that through
thorough levee system we can drive all other
countries from the further production of this
staple, thus largely increasing our exports
and furnishing employments to our surplus
labor
We do not propose to discuss the cost
Of the work that Is necessary to protect
our river front, and make available the
rich agricultural lands that lie along
the banks of the Mississippi. It is the
duty Of the government to have the pro-
bable expense OF doing the work, thor
pughly and efficiently, estimated by
government engineers. and then make
an appropriation in accordance with
their estimates. Whatever these may
be, even though they largely exceed the
highest that ever have been made, it
cannot be questioned but that the full
sum of the expenditure will be repaid
to the country in actual practical re-
suits within very few years.
The estimate Of HUMPHREYS and Alb
bolt, made before the war, was thirty
five millions, and this enormous sum
has stood ever since in the public esti-
nation as the necessary cost of this stu
pendous work, and has had tho effect Of
many otherwise friendly
people against it. But this estimate
was clearly made In the interests Of
ring and was indeed 'job." It con-
n continuous limo M 1avooo