The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1879-11-05
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER COM mis-
@ SION.

gH SION.
The people of Louisiana and Of the
South have not, as we believe, a very
clear idea of the scope and purposes Of
the act which was passed at the last
session of Congress, creating the "Alis-
sissippi River Commission" There is
a general and rather. vague idea that
the act ,contemplates some improve
ment Of the river, but few realize that
/ the purpose is to make the Mississippi
the grandest commercial highway in
the world, to confine tile majestic
stream within its banks. and to broad
en- and deepen its channel until upon
its bosom the fleets Of the worldsmay
fiud ample space and absolute security
from the jetties, at its mouth, to ST.
Louis and beyond. !.
| The grandeur of this design is wor-
thy of the marvellous century in which
we live, and it is an evidence of the
tremendous strides of science in recent
years that the present generation will
probably live to witness the accom-
plishment of the ultimate purposes Of
this act. t
From General R. Z. Gibson, who in
trodueed the act, we learn that this act
is the result of three years struggle
with opposing influences. The North
and East persistently refused to see in
the attempts to secure aid for building
the levees or for improving the Missis-.
sippi anything but a job for the recla-
nation of ovelilowed lands, and hence
they strenuously voted against every
measure of chat character brought be-
fore Congress. They planted them.
selves on the Constitution and declar-
ed that nowhere in that instrument
could authority be found for expend-.
ing one,dollar for the reclamation of
lands subject to overflow, and hence
|all arguments based Oh. that idea and
all bills having that end in view were.
we're steadily and successfully opposed.
Realizing the situation after much
and deep reflection, and after discuss
ing the subject with the Leading repre-
sentative men from all sections Of the
country, General Gibson determined
to take The ground that the improve
H,ent ofihe aIississippi4is clearly {, ua-.
tiuit.il Wotk, because tits It grard high
Way of commerce, belonging to the
nation aud not to The States on its
border, who could not if they would
enter into any agreement regarding its.
improvement, being tebarred there
from by the Constitution itself. He
claimed that under the constitutional
provision giving Congress the exelu-'
'sive right to regulate commerce it was.
absolutely incumbent upon the gov
eminent to undertake this work, which
was of such vast Importance to the
people OF the whole country, aud espe-I
cially to the jewellers in the richest
and most productive valley in the
world. He showed that the Republic
itself had its origin in the necessities
of commerce, and in The language Of
Mr.. Webster, "for its Immediate OBJ
ject the relief of those necessities by
removing those causes and by estab-
fishing a uniform and steady SYSTEM"
Commerce, he argued, meant naviga-
! ton, and therefore We had the angues-
tioDable right to deepen rivers and
harbors, and to appropriate money for
those purposes; it meant more than
navigation, for itrcQuired many appli-.
ances for it's ease and safety, and hence
the general government annually APP
propliated millions Of dollars for the
erection Of light houses, to build shell
tering piers, bnoys and Water-gaps, all
of which are intended for the perfec-
lion of commerce against the dangers
of navigation |; it siguifled also the ex-
change Of commodities and trade, and
The intercourse among people. The
bill which he offered in the last Con-.
gress is based upon the eighth section
Of article | Of the Constitution. In his
speeches before the House he contend
ell that levees and jetties are CONNER
ciaI appliances, that when applied to
the Mississippi river they will benefit
trade and commerce, deepen the chan,
mel ofthe river, afford protection in
storms; and en;lble the people dwelling
on tile banks to exchange their pros
ducts over them as merchants do over
their counters that as the revenue.
power. OF the Constitution when exer-
cised by the government affords Incl
dental protection to American manu-
FIXTURES, by discriminating in favor of
certain articles, as, for instance, iron,
cotton goods, silk, wines, elcs SO as
when we come 10 exercise the CONNER
cial power we may likewise afford in
cidenial protection to the agricultural
interests of the great valley.