The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-02-01
TEE MISSISSIPPI LEVERS

The Hon, j. r. Chalmers of the hlVer
District is busy, busting representative
with good deal of fertility OF NINA an"
readiness of speech He is on the alef''
and apt to get for his constituents reason,
able share of what is being handed round
His speech on the power and duty OF Con
press 10 keep up the levees on the MisSiS-
sippi, proves what George W. Jones, OF
Tennessee, once affirmed. A member hao
stated to the House that the argument III
srcrort of a certain claim amounted to
demonstration. "It demonstrates re-
n,;ed Jones, ''that if Congress will furnish
the money, the claimant will always furnish
tho demonstrations. Chalmers has per-
formed his part of the business, 1t remains
for CONGRESS- to do the rest. There Is real
IRONY in this speech. "If, said tho speaker
.'you find power to protect by discriminat"
inc duties, the looms and spindles' con-
Time the search and you will find the
power to encourage the production of that
which supplies them. Indeed, wh'tner
from the inevitable tendencies of cur sys-
tenn, or from usurpation, the National
Government has 50 hampered and en-
feebled the States, that it ought to reiih-
ouish some of its powers, OF assume still
greater powers The States affected by
tbe overflow of the Mississippi river are
denied the power to tax the rich commerce
of this great highway, to aid III con-
fning its vast volume of water. There
are constitutional implements, and prNcu-
cal difficult in the way OF JOINT
action by the suffering States and
n system of levees to be etfecual must
proceed on some general and compre-
hensive plan, which shall not depend
ON the caprice, or be subject to the Interior
ence of individual States, When we speak
of constitutional impediments, we are to
be understood as having reference to an H.
herent il, trinity in any resolution OF JOINT
convention of the States interested, in the
absence of any power to enforce 1t. These
considerations point to Congress as alone
possessing the power toproject and to carry
out any great scheme for building levees
Besides, the magnitude of the underN
taking places it beyond tue power and re-
sources of the States to accomplish it; and
lastly, there is this fact to be taken into the
account By a National decree, whether
justified or not is not now the question, the
taxable wealth of the States effected by the
overflow has been enormously reduced, and
whilst it may not be admissible to ask com
psnsation. it should not be forgotten that
the measure has disabled these States fol-
many years to come, to protect themselves
AGAINST this destructive and constantly re
curing evil
The power of Congress to grant money
and public property, to objects deemed I'M
portant or sin ply meritorious, seems to b.
practically without any limit. There must
however, be some definite and reasonable
limit to the expenditure. Some statistics
and estimates should be brought forward
There is another suggestion we feel bound
to make. Our representatives, in Congress
labor to prove that it is not mere matter
of local concern, while in Mississippi the
Legislature has persistently declined to give
ANYTHING out of the common treasury, oil
to levy any general tax, to aid the over
burdened local proprietors. If the States
of Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana
would each levy general tax according tc
river frontage for the purpose of building
the levees, it would greatly strengthen thu
appeal to Congress.