Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-11-25

time 10 give opportunitEIor river men and
others TO give their testimony and explain
their views in favor or against What is doing
upon il in the way of improvement, can end
in making satisfactory and unbiased re-
port. 1t is also mysterious how men
who have no special knowledge of the
very complicated problem the Mississippi
river presents, 10 those who have not studied
it, can form any approach toward an intel
ligent opinion as 10 the system OF improve
ment decided upon by individuals who have
made itssEsried phenomens, as presented in
high wafer and low water, when tossing with
flood or creeping among sand bars, when
locked up by winters ice or diminished by
the summers sun, who have studied its sur
face and in diving bells investigated lis bed,
who have measured its current and demon
strated the Law That governs the currents
mutations, and observed its changes when
passing through narrow channels and along
the broad surface whose banks have no DEF
mite outline, and who have become aequaint-
ed with its variations from the place where
it dashes down the Falls of ST. Anthony
to the low plains where II mesnders
in mszy bends and changes lis
channel from side to eide over an
area that extends for miles-it is mysterious
indeed how these amateurs in Mississippi
phenomena, these tyros in it's exploration can
be prepared, in one hurried trip, TO pronounce
for or against the judgments and decisions OF
accomplished engineers who have done all
these things, 80 az to be able TO advise Con-
gress upon what should or what should not
be done with the object OF securing perma-
nent channel ten feet deep up to St. Louif, TO
save the surrounding country from destruc-
tive floods, and 10 make the great river sub
servient, in the greatest possible degree, to the
wants of commerce. Another newspaper re-
mark is, that members Of the committee were
seen, at one of their stopping places, to run
about with charts and maps, trying TO under
stand what they knew nothing whatever
about" Yet they will inform Congress Of
what they themselves know nothing, and the
interesting little performance OF the blind
leading the blind will be presented once
more as a public spectacle, this time BY
distinguished performers. All this naturally
follows from another remark we see, which
states that "Ihe memteTs OF the committee
do not appear 10 know much about the
river" Yet their report 10 Congress will
doubtless exhibit quite profundhy OF
knowledge. Another remark, cruelty curt,
declares that "their investigation is not
scientific one" Set lawyer who never
looked through telescope 10 observe an
eclipse, bookkeeper to decide upon
doubtful geological qualification, or ply
stefan 10 decide upon the adaptability OF a
ship for Arctic navigation, and you will
have something parallel 10 the scientific
qualifications OF the committee OF Congress
for judging whether the plans upon which
present improvement making in the river
are or are not founded upon correctly
scientific basis. The people OF Helena
wanted to explain TO the committee what
was required to put the river near their city
in proper condition. They telegraphed
to Memphis 10 know what could be done
to accomplish their object, but the
| committees reply was that they were
too much in hurry to push down the
river to spend time in Helena. There is
one saving clause in favor Of the committee,
they have the advice of our eminent fellow
citizen Cspt. Cowdon, who discovered the
vessels OF Desoto, where they lie buried in
the channel of the Mississippi river, and
who is now anxious 10 sci two or three little
Mississippis running out OF the big one, and
the learned captain is understood TO expect
that the committee will help him to substi-
tuie his division of the Mississippi rivers
stream, and the drawing off OF portion Of
its waiers-by which means the decreased
amount of water will supply an increase Of
depth for navigation-ior the present plan
of making the water deepen its bed as it has
done at the jettles. We regret that our
amiabe fellow-citizen is not aware Of the
real intent Of what he is-witA that dfstin-
suished innocence that is one OF his good
tsaits-msde 1nsuspectingly and uncon-
seioGsiy to aid in and minister to. The fact
is, that New York views the Mississippi
river as a rival 10 its Erie canal in transport
ing the products of the West to the seatosrd,
and is moving heaven and earth 10 stop the
Mississippi river Improvement that it may
monopolize the Western transport business.
The com mittee, whose distinguished qualif-
cations to judge OF the right mode Of im-
proving the Mississippi we have been dis
cussire, is the main Instrument OF the disin-
lerestea East in accomplishing its work.
Capt. oowdon and his outlet scheme is
subsidiary means, by aid of which the i'm
provement plan now pursued lie to be upset.
That objecl accomplished, Capt. Cowdon's
plan wilt be as strongly opposed as Capt.
Eads's, because the real object lie not to
decide which OF the two is the better plan
for improving the Mississippi bat 10 pre-
vent the river being improved at all, and 90
secure the transport OF Western products by
way Of New York instead of by way of New
Orleans. Such is the bottom of the mystery,
which the New York HsrcidS correspondent
detected az esisting in the movements Of the
Congressional River Committee,