Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-10-21
THE QUINCY CONVENTION,

Fail Tept Of the Resolutions adopted.
The telegraph brought synopsis of the
resolutions adopted at the river convention
at Quincy, but we append below the full
| text:
l. That the river improvement convention
now assembled, representing the States and
Territories tributary to the Mississippi river,
having for its object the consideration and en-
couragement of the Mississippi and Ohio riy-
ers, and their navigable tributaries as meas.
| ure that tends to develop the resources, to aug
ment the wealth. and to facilitate the com.
MERGE OF the whole country, deem it proper at
the outset to declare that the usefulness of
these rivers 20 the industrial, agricultural and
commercial interest Of the country demands
at the hands Of Congress a wise, liberal. and
vigorous policy in making adequate. appro.
prlatlons for improving and developing the
water ways between the interior of the CONT
nent and the seaboard, for the purpose of
cheapening the cost of trans portation and pru-
dnctlons developing the resources of the coun-
try, and opening up the markets of the world
to allow that commercial supremacy to which
we are entitled among the nations Of the
earth.
T. That the improvement of the Mississipp
river and its navigable tributaries for CONNER
clal purposes is 50 par. mount to all questions
OF public policy now under considera ion by
the people of the United States; that the great
bulk OF the com merce Of the country emf
mates from the Mississippi valley, which covers
two.thirds of the area of the country, and con-
talns more than one-haif of our population:
that since the formation of our government up
to 1876 there have been expended $780, 37S. S22
for river and harbor improvements OF which
sum less than one tenth has been expended
upon the rivers of the Mississippi valley; there
fore. be further resolved, in the light Of these
facts, that Il is the duty of our national gov
eminent to make appropriations adequate to
tue needs and commensurate with the lust
nights or the people OF the Mississippi valley,
aud we demand that Congress shall co-operate
with them in giving effect to these wisely
devised measures, which have for their opiaet
larger, better, and cheaper facilities FIR inter-
State transportation and the development of
our domestic commerce.
g. 8. Ihat the extraordinary foreign demand
tor our breadstufts, cereals, cotton, and provis-
ions, increasing each year in their magnitude
we demand that every avenue for their cheap
and rapid transit from the place Of production
should be speedily opened to accommodate
traffic which WILL if wisely presented, make Of
the United States IF America the most PROSPER
GUS country on the face of the globe.
4. That we hail with the greatest pleasure the
action of the last session Of Congress resulting
IN the appoint ment of an ngineering commits
sion tor the improvement of the Mississippi
river and its tributaries, as giving assurance
that these great waters are contem plated in the
light of one united and unbroken system Of
waterways, and they are to be i'm proved as
such, and that in asking appropriations for the
Improvement of the Mississippi river and its
tributaries we have no prescribed plans but WE
leave this subject entirely to the Judgment and
experience of the able corps of engineers of the
United States army who have the work of i'm
provement in charge.
5. That we favor the establishment of a.
reservoir system on the waters of the Upper
mississippi river, whereby surplus Of water
may be stored until low water sea,ons thus
utilizing it when needed for navigation.
=. That general act of Congress should be
passed forbidding the construction of private
wharves, the throwing placing of debris.
chips, slops, sawdust. ashes, cinders or any
other matter which forms, or aid in FORMING.
sandbars or other distractions, into the Mis-
slssippl river or any of the navigable tributaries
of the same.
z. That it is contrary to public policy for the
general government to construct public i'm
provements at immense expense, and to suffer
the same to be utilized by private spectators.
to the detriment of public uses, and that this
hereby expresses its opposition tn
the practice of allowing cities to use the water
power created by the improvement of rivers for
local manufacturing and mechanical purposes,
3. That permanent commission of three
from each State borderinp unon
the Mississippi river and it's navigable tribu-
tarles, appointed by their Governors to pro-
mote the improvement Of said rivers for com
mercial purposes, would conduce to the best
interests OF the whole country; and that Gov
errors of any of said States who have not
made such appointments are earnestly REQUEST
ed by this convention to do So
g. That the president of the convention Sc
lect an executive committee of nine, together
with the president of this convention, whose
duty it shall be to prepare a memorial to Con-
gress setting forth in detail the views of this
convention upon the subject of the improve
ment of the channel of the Mississippi river
and its tributaries, to call future conventions
If they deem it expedient to do so, to collect
and publish statistics bearing on the subject
for the information of the people and of the
government, and to use all further means to
procure early and favorable action upon this
subject by Congress.