The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-03-20

YOU meet them. Get your senator's and mem.
bers at Springfield to talk OF it, so they will In.
struct Mr.. Davis and John Logan and they will
carry it through. My friends, thank you for
your Kind att ention.
GREETING.
Mr.. Wentworth here announced that he had
received an important dispatch which he read as
follows:
WASHINGTON, Ind, March ls-To the Presi.
dent Of the Canal Convention: AS secretary of
the Canal Association Of Ohio and Indiana,
send YOU greetings and hope your convention
will accomplish much good in the interest of
water transportation and bid you God speed in
the good work Of connecting the nayigable wa
ters Of the west with the east. j. h. KENYON.
The resolution offered by Mayor Harrison was
unanimously adopted.
The next speaker introduced was the
hon. WASHINGTON BusnNELL.
After the able aud eloquent speakers We nave
heard feel II TO be ain ost an act Of mprudence To
'respass your patience. We know that the
government has voted millions for the improve
mcnt Of rivers and harbors in the Northwest. The
Fox and Wisconsin rivers have received frequent
and generous appropriations, yet am told there
IS scarcely enough water in the Wisconsin to
float a bark canoe. Millions have also been eX-
pended upon southern rivers, in many OF which
there is scarcely running water enough to float
the dead carcass OF a porpose! The poinl 10
which call your attention is, that while millions
are expended upon rivers running north and
south, nothing can be obtained for rivers run
ming east and west. Why? Because to improve
the water ways from east To west would material
~ affect the immense business and dividends Of
the railroads that have monopoled the greater
part of that traffic and want IL all. II there had
been a little money given to improve this great
natural channel, eXcayated as it were 10y the
hand of the Almighty and needing but to be
opened, your eyes would to-day fall on the most
magnificent water course on which the sun
shines. Every wave which dances on the western
shores Of Lake Michigan is curse against the
puny barriers which impede their progress thro'
this canal to the Illinois and the father OF waters
and the great Gulf.
The speaker proceeded to explain why we had
thus far been unable to get an appropriation for
this canal: That it was opposed by the railroad
Hobbies, who, when they failed to defeat the ap-
preparation outright, had il cut down to misCr
able pttance and then frittered away. To say That
we do not need this ship canal was an insult to
the Almighty. who had already built it and it
only needed opening! As to the cost, the highest
estimate was $500 900. and what was that to
50,0O0000 of people? Besides, the money would
be in n large measure paying investment 1t
would create water power that could be leased
for enough to pay ~ per cent on the cost OF the
work. The time has come when the people must
rise in their might to cOntne the railroads with
in reasonable limits, and this can be best done
by opposing them with great water ways There
was no need to be discouraged about getting aid
from Congress. All that was needed was earnest
ness and determination Appoint commits and
send men 70 Washington who VIII la" nc denial
for an answer.
MAJOR MUM, Oh JoLlLi.
addressed the meeting next, dwelling upon the
urgency Of the case, both on account OF the
stink nuisance" at Chicago and the necessities
OF congress, and closed by moving that the chair
appoint committee of ten, including the chair
man. to take this matter into consideration. "Let
Them" he said, ''be men interested in this enter
prise, men Of standing and of brains, and let
them work out this problem. Then let them re.
port to meeting to be called by the president,
when We can get our memorial in shape and APP
proach both the state and national governments
ut the same time
The motion of Major Mum was adopted.
JUDGE ". 7. HOPKINS
OF Morris, was next called out, and made brief
and very amusing speech, after which, in state
of high good humor, the meeting adjourned.