Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-11-22
NEW YORK OPPOSITION TO MIssIS.
SIPPI RIVER IMPROVEMENT.

sIPPI RIVER IMPROVEMENT.
The APPEAL has, ON several occasions,
called the attention OF its readers 10 the ma
Ievolence exhibited toward any improve
ment by the nation that should increase the
navigable facilities of the Mississippi river.
Numerous extracts from the columns of
New York commercial papers have been
given which show strongly adverse senti-
ment 10 that improvement, on The ground
that the commerce of New York would be
injured by work that would do 30 much to
build up the prosperity of the whole Missis-
sippi valley, to increase its trade, attract
immigration, and swell its population, fill
ing it with fourishing towns and cities, and
bringing into cultivation its fruitful soil.
Among the enemies of the Improvement the
people of this vast valley desires and is re-
solved TO have, Is the New York Journal Of
Commerce, prominent and excellent trade
newspaper, but wanting in the breadth ofyiew
10 see tina. the more this valley prospers, and
the greater its population, the more business
it would do with New York. That journal
has taken new ocossion to oppose Mississippi
river improvement from the action just taken
by New York by which the great Erie canal
will be relieved of tolls, the State support
ing it out of its taxes. Its argument is that
as New York State will pay the expenses of
the Erie canal, it cannot in justice be called
upon TO aid in paying for the improvement
of the Mississippi river, river which il
declares 10 be "a natural rival of our arti-
fetal canal in the transportation of Western
grain to Europe" 1t boasts that New York
will tax herself to keep the canal open "ior
the free use of all mankind" Such benev-
olence is admirable great State volunta-
rily undertakes to pay the expense of
maintaining great work "for the free
use Of all mankind"-beautiful disin-
terestedness! Unfortunately for this claim
of kindness 10 the whole of humanity,
no such astounding benevolence was urged
upon the people of New York State as a
reason why they should vote to abolish canal
tolls. They were told that, in consequence
of the improvements made in the canals con-
nected with the st. Lawrence river, unless
the Erie canal were made free, the Western
harvests would seek outlet BY the st. Law
renee river to the detriment of New York
hauc-lhAt tue VI thC AOiAo was
necessary as a check upon the grasping
charges of the railroads-that the canal
being free of tolls the business men, the
farmers, and the whole country near the
canal would be elevated to high degree OF
prosperity, and that that prosperity would
enrich the whole State by imparting visor to
its commerce and creating an increased de-
-,,I f,r n rraInofi0ng Tha,o
Just business motives to urge, but, unfortu-
nately for the Journal of Commerce and
its grand humanitarian assumptions, they
were addressed to the self-interest, not to
the benevolent sentiments of the good citi-
zens OF New York State. Indeed, something
the reverse of benevolent is shown in the as
surance that shaving declared her canals
free, New York now regards with increased
aversion the Mississippi river scheme" Be-
neyolent in New York, the prosperity of the
Mississippi river outside of that State is TO
them matter of indifference or aversion. Is
the support OF the Erie canal a sound and
sufficient reason why New Workers should
not help national improvements elsewhere?
The Argument might be worth something
PIOf1dcu nlAD1OuS VI TIC hAlAOn o A4AOhCJ Aoo
not been spent on improving New York
rivers, and creeks, and bays and harbors,
and ports. and roadsteads. As New York
has received in that way, it is but strict JUS
tice it should pay with the citizens of other
States for improvements elsewhere, not
withstanding what it has done for the
benefit of call mankind" in respect
to the Erie canal. The Journal of Commerce
shows a benevolent pity for the people of the
Mississippi valley because of the immense
mischief the improvement of the great river
will do to them. 1t declares that the i'm
provements "wouId greatly iniure the North
western States by increasing the backwater,
and by the alluvial freshets-it is believed that
parts of the Southwest we'll as the North
west, would be periodically, or perpetually