The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-01-18


f enough AS it is but the attention OF congress
t should be directed to the building OF the 'nrcc
remaining dams on the river at lrliing cost
to complete the improvements already begun
| to st Louis, Congress has already aldea In
| nois internal water improvements ana should
f be asked to assist IA tins work
Mr.. John Smelling thought this proi-ct OF Il
ship canal one of the creates, Importance Ma
turc has already done most of the work 1t Is
not a local affair for it opens up vast coun'
ltrv. The south i, interested in it, and the
west; and it will dcvclopc a greater commerce
| with the east, And it can bc accomplished by
/ the representation these states nave IN con
grcSs
Mr.. Holdridge said It matters not whence
that resolution came, 1t wa, evidently against
the interest of the canal But the state is not
T against the canal-it is interested IN it though
the people, through the influence OF the
railroads, might vote against the amend
ncnt This improvement must be nation
al onc--a shipcaual. OF what use IS the
building of locks and dams on the river II
the canal is to he dried up? If tIs only a ca
nal it Is a local matter, but a ship canal is a
national highway. 1t is but two weeks since
a Boston paper devoted two columns of cditori-
al advocating making this ship canal if neces-
sary. The benefits to Boston derived from the
canal by cheap grain and flour are so great
they could afford to help build it, Make 1t IA
ship canal and all the people will join in.
/ Mr.. Alex Naaghey, Seneca, said that was
! all true enough, but this fact is patent: the
canal is blockadcd; and we must see to il that
| it is kept open. \ ship canal is a big thing,
but that is only a question of time; but in the
meantime we must keep this canal open. Is
| the canal run economically? | think not
| There must he Il cutting down of expenses and
a wedding out Of useless officers. In congress
we must advocate the canal us a national pro-
! icct; ana think if congress can pay $4,000,
600 for the privilege of catching few stink
| inc Goldfish and herring on the banks OF New
Itoundand, it can afford TO help this
great northwest. (Applausc) But to keep
the canal open there must be retrcnchment in
expenses, and such an organization among us
as will terrify the grasping corporations
! Michael Haley, of Morris, then took dive
| into his satchel and tishcd out formidable ar.
ray of notes by means OF which he began Il
violent philippe arraignlng the management
of the canal, but he was frequently called to
order on the ground that the meeting was not
called to discuss that question. His exceed.
! ingly simple method Of solving the great
question OF keeping the canal going was to
wipe out all tolls and levy tax on the corn
going over it to pay the "expenzes,' which
is about as lucid as his fiat money schemes.
He was finally chokcd of.
| Mr. John :. Armstrong said that thus far
nothing practical had been done in the matter
under consideration, and thought it time some
| thing was done There should, he thought, be
town organizations and some action taken to
make our representatives know that we are in
earnest
Hon. Elmer Baldwin said that an effort
must be made to keep this canal open, and as
great deal of time was being wasted in useless
talk, he moved that committee OF nine be
appointed by the chair to draft resolutions or
suggest plan of action with that end in view,
said committee to report at a subsequent
meeting
| Hon. G. w. Armstrong thought the energies
of the meeting should be directed to some CIV
en- point and that point is the river improve
mcnt-the canal is a local interest The canal
| is now large enough, but it is too short We
must open communication with the West be
fore we deepen it. 1t will never be Tried up.
! Chicago must have it--her vital interests are
lconnected with it, and she must have it kept
open if only for sewer
Mr. Stackpole, of Farbury, said that con
vention had been called for the Both at either
Peoria W Bloomington, and he thought the
resolutions of Baldwin's committee should
keep that fact in mind We must work for
two obiects-to keep open the canal and to en-
large it, objects this convention is called to adj
vance. Mr.. : then attempted to give his views
on the subject of ship canal which would be
found both interesting and valuable, but he
was called to order
Mr. A. Lynch said he thought the appoint
ment of the committee against the interest OF
the meeting It was called to consider the ac-
ton of the railroad in 50 cutting rates AS to
dry up the canal No man could afford to
carry corn at . cents Il bushel, and so the rev
enuc of the canal is gone But in this meet
inc we are distracted from the real subject by
a ship canal and other projects. We must
keep what we have got. We have our rights
and the privilege of demanding our rights.
This constitutional provision sccmsfo annul u
contract with the [. ), 1t is ridiculous to say
a state can annul contract with higher
mower. The land was given the state on the
Icond that the canal be kept open forever,
so this provision amounts to nothing; ana
from the creation of the canal come rights
which the constitutional convention can not
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