The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1878-01-29
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Western Rivers and Railways
Internal Trade and For
eign Commerce.
Delegates from the St. Paul River
Convention Memorialiging
Congress Etc, Etc.

! WASHINGTON, d. c., Jan. 25th, 1877 -
Tho valley OF the Mississippfis rather q
trite subject for Washington letter, but
Just now it has become o topic OF para.
mount interest TO the whole nation. The
average congressman from the stone hills
and sand hills OF the Atlantic coast Is
fairly waking up to the conviction that
away beyond the AlleghanieS there is a
great and wonderful country, which In
half a century has grown from wilder.
ness into an empire, containing halt the
population OF the United States, and
supplying nearly four-iitths Of our natural
products. It's immense area Of more
than 100000 of square miles, is mostly
drained by one great river with Its affiu'
ents, which river has its sources In q
seml,arctic lake, or the fountains that are
nursed by the storms that breed and
brood amongst the cliffs and canons OF
the Rocky mountains. touches, bounds or
traverses twenty-iour great states and
territories /; carrying the mingled soils
tour thousand miles to its delta. where
It's mighty food is poured into tropical
sea. This river is the natural channel of
trade for the grandest industrial empire
on the face Of the globe.
But THIS GREAT OUTLET
for the Natural and art products Of this
western empire, which was designed by
nature 10 connect Its people and indus
tries with the outside world, uses rs
immense volume and power to impair
its own efficiency. Passing through
vast alluylal tracts, II draws into its
turbul ent flood many thousand acres Of
soil and whole forests Of trees and
underground. thus choking up Its own
channel and destroying half its carrying
capacity. The government not realiz.
ing the necessity for improving the
navigation OF the Mississippi, the
people OF the west have done all
IN their power 10 supplement lis
capacity, and meet the pressing
demands of internal trade, by building
many thousand miles Of railway, in
many cases directly along the banks OF
the great river and It's leading tributaries.
AS large portion of western treightage
consists In the cereal and other heavy
and bulky farm products, the cost of get
ting them to the seaports by rail puts
heavy burden upon the producer.
TITS DEMONSTRATED
that water carriage Oh the Mississippi Is
from four to five times cheaper THAI by
railway, and that seven or eight cents
may be saved on every bushel OF wheat
sent TO Europe by the river and gull,
over that which is sent 10 the Atlantic
seaboard by rail. The mouth of the
river has bsen opened 10 the commerce
Of The world by the genius and skill Of
great engineer, and 10 perfect TIE com.
mercial facilities OF the west il only re,
mains TO improve the navigation Of the
river itself
70 press this matter upon the attention
OF congress and secure prompt and
favorable action, q number OF intelligent
and Influential gentlemen from ST. Louis,
St. Paul and other points are In Wash,
ington now with strong memorial on
tue subject from the
ST. PAUL RIVER CONVENTION.
held last October. Amongst these |
recognize Ex.Mayor joseph Brown, Of
ST. Louis, Hon. John Hogan, OF the same
city, Hon. j II. Davidson, of st. Paul,
Hon. NJ. t. Johnson, OF Galena, ILL.,, and
other live men from the banks OF the
Mississippi, who are not here as lobbyists,
but as delegates from the st. Paul con.
( ventIou to ask congress to do simple
act of justice to 20,000,000 Of people
in the great valley Of the west. Their
memorial sets forth
THE CLAIMS OF THE PEOPLE
to prompt AMI liberal action. In clear
and forcible manner, giving the proposed
work Its true character OF great nation
al necessity. The sentiment Is improv.
ing every day, and the "spieot and bung.
hole" economists, who grow pale with
fear at the sound OF that terrible word
subsidy, begin tn see that If they can add
five millions q year TO the aggregate
wealth OF the western country by spends
ing two or three millions altogether In
work Of Improvement, that the dear
people will bless. them all the time for
granting subsidies Of that kind. The
press and the people Of the west should
do all In their power to hold up the
heads OF their representatives and dele.
gates. But even the Mississippi and Its
tributaries with their
FIFTEEN THOUSAND MILES OF NAvIGABLE
WATER
can only begin to supply the internal
trade and transportation wants of the
great west. A country whose annual
trade and products now amount to 3d..
: oOo'OoO, 1000, needs still greater facilities
Tor transportation, and Its necessities in
! this respec. are increasing from year to
year. In the great southwest lies vosl
region OF undeyeloped wealth, both OF
the soil ard the miae, including tn,
! territories Of New Mexico aud Arizon,
s with gold, silver and copper enough te
8 enrich an empire, and without mile Of
k railway or navigaOle water. Thes,
3 territories. with northwestern Texas ant
q Indian Territory, remain to be settled snr