Osage Valley banner. (Tuscumbia, Miller County, Mo.) 1879-1881, 1880-01-08

ing ot a memorial 10 Congress OF citizens
OF Missouri, assembled la convention ~ JEFF
ferson City. to consider the improvement OF
this river. i. shows both The Importance Of
this river 81 q commercial highway, anu the
deep earnestness Of that people IN the appeal
they mike 10 Congress. Ii il the Chief mis-
slo1 with which feel charged In coming 10
this Congress.
Two years ago. about the time Of tho large
convention 81 JIG tIerson City, which drew the
memorial | have presented you, the general
expectation was that Congress would not
longer shut lie eyes 10 the demand OF this
river. Capitalists and lsbOrOrs tbronged that
region, and her bills and valleys were reson-
ant Tor a season with the stroke of pick and
drill. New life sprang into every artery OF
trade and business, until II looked for q while
"a /, the long expected day Of deliverance had
come 10 that people. But Congress respond
cd with a "still, small ~vOioe'-$25, coo 10
improve the river-tbe only outlet Tor the
product OF this enterprise and il almost hush
ed every sound of busy industry. Mines
have been covered up aud abandOned; the
Gres burnt Town In the furnaces, and despon.
dency ttok the place OF thrift. Tons Of lead
and iron lilo for months on the banks OF this
river, awaiting the coming of boats that must
await y swelling river 10 help them over IA
iew shoals that $4,000 you'd remove, and
return a thousand !uld to the Government in
increased revenue,
What has become Of the $25. 600 appropri-
ated IL 1912 !. has gone ike q grcat deal
Of public ~money-"where the woodbine
twibcib;" The e~xtravsgance OF 'oionce, and
tho pro1jgacy OF that wisdom which dislin-
guishes the West Point Engineer, make but
a baeatelle OF $4,000.
There arc ie'ds lying waste and untitled
each year, along this river, because their pro-
dncts can lind no outlet 10 market, which
would produce gram and tobacco sStiieieni
In two seasons TO return a revenue 10 the
Government eqnal 70 $4,000, II the Govern
ment would expend that sun on the river.
Il would boat 10 Eastern and Southern mark
cts q million dollars of coal, iron, lead and
timber in one year alter lis improvements,
which now are entirely useless.
The need Of the whole country is water
transportation. IL Is the cheapest and best
Of all. Il is the great cure for the evils OF
railroad ~monopolies, which are eating up the
substance of the producer.
There is not 3 newspaper of responsibility
In Missouri, there Is NOS a public spirited man
in the State, whose pen and voice do not Join
me in this appeal, and feel that this river has
been neglected shSmefully.
1 have asked in this bill $50 coo. The
river needs more, but l asked iot what was
absolutely necessary, and for what | thought
Congress, under the Limitations imposed by
its appropriations, would 10 all probability
restrict me to. | have been candid With the
committee. Be just TO my people. This
sun. j%udiciously expended, | believe will
afford temporary relief, and be q great bless
ing to that people. /. will plant thousands
ut acres OF corn and tobacco all along the
river this spring. 1t will send thousands OF
lahorers to those mines, and kindle the Gfes
in a hundred furnaces.
This measure lie of the gravest importance
ia the people ] represent, and l submit II
with no ordinary sOlicitude to the full and
candid consideration OF tho committee.
[Some of the main points ws publish oil
Col. Philips speech. Who can withhold
their support from az able aud faithful friend
as Col. Philips.