Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-03-31

that il to be improved? 1t is that great river
which Mr.. Calhoun called "an inland sea-
the highway over which passes annually
millions of produce all the way from Min
nesota to the Gulf OF Mexico. When Mr..
Jefferson pleaded for the purchase Of LoHisi-
ana he said this river was essential for West
ern commerce; one OF the great arguments
in the war was the necessity of retaining pos
session of the Mississippi. Such being the case,
the improvement of the river is national
enterprise. The legal power Of Congress in the
case is proved by the best authorities In
the propeller "Genessee Chief' Ease the court
| luIeo that the admiralty jurisdiction of the
United States extends to the navigable lakes
and rivers, without regard to the ebb or flow
of the tide. Chief-J ustice Marshall decided
to the same effect In the face of former de-
| cIslOn TO the contrary, made in 1925, when
the commerce OF the West was In its infancy.
In the case of Hine rs Trevor, in Judge Mil
ler's opinion, 4 Wallace, page 562, in u
Howard, 457, this jurisdiction is sustained and
confirmed as extending wherever ships float
and navigation successfully aids commerce.
whether internal or external" The bill now
offered limits the building of levees to the
banks of the Mississippi where navigation
aids commerce; if there was power to give
aid to the construction of ietties the same
exists in the case of levees. Outslde the
question of riparian ownership the decisions
and precedents auth orize Congress to have
this work done. The report of the COM
mission says when the levees were
in their best condition "lhe channel of the
river was better, generally, for purposes of
navigation than it has been since. 1t is
obvious that levees are, upon a large por-
ton Of the river, essential to prevent destruc-
ton to life and property by overflow. They
give care and safety to navigation and pro-
mote and facilitate commerce and trade"
The commissioners report also speaks of the
utility Of the levees as banks for receiving
property and affording steamboat landing in
high water, as beneficial TO the channel
protection against destructive floods. as
essential to promote commerce and aid the
postal services; as protective of common
roads and railroads; If of strength sufficient
10 inspire confidence they develop and
increase trade, agriculture, and manufac-
ures. Three causes of jurisdiction existing
n the government, and nowhere else, are
ound for the levees-as an Improvement 10
as an Improvement TO navigation, |
md improvement to the postal service. |
The commission insist that uniform system |
II levees is necessary, that uniformity |
equires one authority only, and that the
States cannot OF The o,ora-,,
nent would on no account yield possession of |
he Mississippi, why then should it not |
'uild levees upon it? 1t is not insisted that |
he leyee system Is the best system, nor is it
opposed in the bill, to jetties or cutoffs, for
III come under the jurisdiction of the river |
commission. The amount of injury done by
great food is loss more than double the |
;15,000,O00 required. The present overflow |
annot be provided against, but, when it sub
ides, the men in the country will not have
FORK or means of living. Begin these inn
rovements at once and these people are pro-
iGed for. Unless the needed improvements
re made, the splendid cotton country from
county, Ark, to New Orleans, will
Ultimately have to be abandoned; devastat-
,g floods will drive the people to the hills.
# various estimates, the best authorities
how that s15,OO0,OOO will do the work.
here is no direction in the bill to the COM
lission to adopt an entirely new scheme; it
an take what there is and add to it. The
peaker, in conclusion, asked that the bill
light receive early attention from the Sen
te committee, and expressed his gratitude
n the supplies SO generously contributed by
ongress to the destitute and perishing.