The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-19


couture 10 reproduce some portions of " N
this context. for tho purpose OF enlargine
somewhat upon certain special features which
rniphf not suggest themselves upon Cas'Ia
reoIng Of tho whole document After
nuotlng such Democratic authority
as Andrew jackson W prove tha
CHE practice Of dcrraylng out OF tho Treas
1ry the expebecs incurred by the establish
mont and support Of light houses, beacons
btInys and public piers within the bays inirts
and harboi4, and ports of the United States
To render the navigation thereof safo and
cney r. cpovnl with the adoption 81 the con
etiii,iinn md Ga4 hcon continued without, in
corruption or dispute, Con. Gibson goes ~
to say.
II ruay now ba regarded aa tho fxed policy ol
The goyorumont. sanctioned by our abIeat
stntostnon md mnd0 oporntive upon lHrge
scala AT every session Of Congress, to protect
mud nid and facilitate rprnmorce In every poasi
Bile manner. Tho methods by which this may
W. done upon our oc"hn api lnka fronts ana
oven up0n thu rivers ~ tho uulRnia. have
cauard hut littln differences Of opinion Eaii
mntng ana surveys have boon made WITH rngH-
IAritV and Gnngt"ga has appropriate Il fabulous
sums for their prorpt md comp ele execution.
Fortunately thero has boon happy concur
romeo botwe"n tho onglneora Of tho govern
mont and tho law making power Nearly
o. 600 600 authorized 30 hs expended und0r rso
direction Of tho War Department for tho bone
m ~ our rommerco, for tho Improvement Of
our rivers aud hnrborR. voted al tho Inst
session Of tha prnaont Congress- II IL proposed
now 10 nxpand nearly s2.op0.ooo upon Harlem Or
New York In addition TO tho largo amount NJ
propriated for the harbor Of tint great mo
tropoIis. But whilo the gOvernmont Ia max ing
these iHrge expenditures with unstnted lib"r
atty, for tho commerce au0 trade on our ocean
fronts and lakee aud rivers. In the uplanda not
hdollnr. ~ comparison. hns been devoted y
giving nnsa Rnfnty' needed facilities to
tho commerce and trade upon thnt gront inland
Hon from fafo ~ tho hoad 81 tho pnHscs
tho highway fad by 5000 miles of navi.
gablo streams. and boHriug upon its bosom the
commodities of oRhteon States and 80 oooo0o Of
peorlo- the NATURAL artery nnd outlet i d9r the
thls2 IT Ia simply bnCause the govern mont has
failed 10 appreciate the nenesaitles Of this river
and % tho Wiley ~ Tho MiRRissippi Tho mo
mont tho anEinoara agrne M to tho usefulness
Of lovooa Congress-. believe will vote tho sums
necessarily fof It's Improvement.
II would take too much space for tho
compass of single letter to show how
or why this particular argument IL pecu-
Iiarly adapted 10 the mental atmosphere Of
tho House. Suffice TO say. that the experience
of lcvco bills ia Tint body thus fnr haR demon
Sratcd TINT Il certain concession 10 what may
be called the
loo ROLLING TENDENCY"
Of members TINT is Ia say, tho reduction of
all measures which caII for appropriation Of
public money to the plane Of inter State or
inter sectional reciprocity Is Indispensable to
success.
In conversation upon this subject tho other
day. Gibson said to mH That hiA solo aim and
object was 10 get
LEvEE HIbL
through Congress and signed by the Presi-
dent SO ma 10 establish tho principle of Fed
era jurisdiction and responsibility. IIe cared
not what tactics his colleagues might employ
or what arguments they might use. tho re-
suit was NIL he looked for. and no knew no
choice 81 means.
THE REPRESENTATIVES, or THE ATLANTIC
PACIFIC AND LAKE COASTS,
in fhn IIouun r1iuht upt las inn aJ yuf d hn
same legal propositions that would weigh
with the Senate, but they all wanted money
for their harbora, lighthouses. break wa'ers
He'll Gates. and 80 on; and in order 10 got
that money they had 10 yet tho votes Of the
Southwest which, IN turn. wanted money
for tho lcycea. lIcrnn is where tho forco Of
Con Glbson'a argument above quoted lies
or perhaps the Generals own summing up
would best produce tho desired impression
He says:
The proposition | desire to submit IL this
Leyoea establish tbs proper Instruments 10 pro
tOct commences and trade On the MisaiaRippi
river. They nre continuous hnrbors or shotnr
Ing uiors, They nra adapted to give tho prooc-
tion aud facilities needed Thoy nre tho worry
counters" along which tho producers Of tho
Wost and the people ON the banks OF tn" river
lions of dollars for tho harbors mt Memphis
Vicksburg Nntchr2. 1nton Rouge and Now
op o aRaa nHI IN" c"aet We Il" not asE
for mn appropriation ~ millions 10 lr"dge out OF
bluat ont th0 nhnnnol, ~ To build dams " canals
around rapids. ne IN NJ uplnnds. Tho lower
mississippi requires dtiTnrcnt ireatmont. But
that Is no rcason why II should receive mono Mt
all Tho cost Of thrso works. in prop ,rtion 10
tho pommetca and rndo to be hsnolIttrd IL in |
significant, Tux of loas than por cent uopn |
the tonnage on tho tivor would complete Thorn
In u shot time. The river itgnlf furnishes tho |
rtopoliinE poNof ~ oyory Keel launched upon |
~ Mt n eiuGla man uf war; not Il HnilOr or sp- |
dior y required ~ Fr"tot thn ilag. ~ upon thn
ocean from It's headwHtnra 10 its mouth. Tho !
vast trade and commerce Of the Afsaissippi |