National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-06-09
Protection Of tho mississippi valley.


flow ever known in the Valley, and the
Presidents able and earnest message in
favor of the protection of the Valley, some
members of Congress would oppose the
expenditure of any money for protection.
Some Northern papers think this wise for
the reason that they are misinformed
and mismderStand The Wholc subject, They
are for the same reason afraid of Presi-
dent Arthur's recent message. They are
still harping about "the reclamation of
alluvial lands" and "doing farming for
individuals ut the expense of fthe national
treasury"
In re cent speech upon this subject,
and in support of the Presidents mes
sage, Hon. +. w. Robertson, who was
chairman of the House Committee on the
Mississippi during the Forty-fifth and
Forty-sixth Congresses, disavowsthe word
reclamation" and shows that it is solely
"protection" which is sought. lie then
shows for what they seek perfection in
the following concise statement, viz:
| Protection is what wo ask. Protection Of what
and whom? Here again we aro misjudgcd by the
press and public and in the halls of Congress;
hero again the public mind is mislnformod. It
| attributes to us simply one idea-the protection
OF alluvial lands. challenge any one to find the
| words "alluval lands" in the act creating the
commission. We ask for protection from destruc-
tive floods, not only Of auvia lands, for that is
| but one itom out OF many, but our lives, our
| health, our buildings, farm Improvements, live
stock, our great commercial towns and citles not
only our agricultural, but our manufacturing in
dustries and commerce.; not only protection for
the capitalist owning the plantation. but for the
laborer; not only parts of one State but parts of
several; not only Democratic States, but parts of
| the great Republican State Of Illinois; not only
| the property of our own citizens, but railway
property and telegraph lines owned largely
in the North; not only railways in the
| delta itself, but the tyanscontinental lines
of travel and commerce which have to cross the
valley in going from the Southern cities and
| States to tho West and Southwest. the Pacific
| slope, and Mexico. We ask protection
not only for private property. but the postal routes
| OF the government itself There are in
round numbers ten thousand miles Of postal
| routes-railways steamer routes, aud star routes
| within the alluvial or oycrflowed district. The
| railway postal service has been interrupted and
| delayed in many places. The service upon the
river and lower tributaries has been subjected 10
similar delays and interruptions, and to much
greater danger. The star-route service has not
and months. We ask for protection--not
for one race only, but for two. According to the
census of 1880 the total population of the over
flowed district in tho three states-Arkansas, Lou
islana, and Mississippi-alone is approximately as
| follows:
Soiored.., Sli 0oC
lotai. ltioi,OU
Or about 81 per cent. colored. 1t is then the
AZ.
nre accustomed 10 call the colored race, who are
the chief sufferers from the periodical floods. II
would be well for those friends of the colored
who are opposed to the protection of the valley to
bear this point In mind. We ask for the protec-
tion of the cotton industry. Is that unreasonable?
On the contrary, we think it Just a3 much the
duty of the Federal government to protect II from
the destructive ovcrHows of national highway
as 1t is to protect the grain of the North and North
west from the monopoly of railway corporations
by improving the river channel, and thereby
supplying cheap transportation to the scaboard
IN brief, we ask the protection not simply o.
alluyial lands, but agriculture in broad and
national sense; not only agriculture, but manu-
ihctures, commerce, the postal service, and the
people themselves of the lower valley, an alluval
area embracing Al 900 square miles, or nearly as
large ns all New Engiand-.three times the area oi
the celebrated Valley Of tho Nile, formerly the
granary of the Oriental world-and eighteen times
the size OF Holland. A magnificent empire in its
extent and resources.
Now, none of the errors INDUCED in by
some of the Northern press have been in
corporatedin the Presidents message. He
recommends protection-notr reclamation.
His reasons for this step will bear the
test of the closest scrutiny. Colonel
Robertson closes his able speech by the
following well-merited tribute to the
President, viz:
When recently President Arthur made the pro.
lection of the valley the subject OF special mes
sage TO Congress the rejoicing was unbounded, and
the name Federal government received in the
minds and affections OF my people new s!gnif-
cameo. 1t became the synonym OF protection.
shall reprint this message as an appendix to my
remarks, and hope all dwelling In the great valley
VIII have it framed and hung by their tlrssideI as
a model OF liberal and progressive statesmanship-
as the mark of Il new era of good feeling between
the two sections OF Il common country
We regret to observe timidity with
some in regard to this message. Theil
fear arises from their oWn udnt of infornla
ton of The subject. When they study the
facts they will find the message to BIZ
one of more than ordinary merit, Importance
and political significance.
We reproduce the entire document be-
cause it is germane to the great measure
now under discussion in the House:
To the Senate aud House Of Repre- sentatiyes:
transmit herewith letter dated the Goth ul
timo, from the Secretary of War incloslng copy o
II communication from the Mississippi River Com
mission, in which the commission recommends
that an appropriation may be made of 81, .00C
for closing existing gaps in levces," in addition to
the like sum for which an estimate has already
| been submitted
| The subject Is one OF such importance that ]
| deem 1t proper to recommend early aud favorable
| consideration of the recommendations of the COM
mission. Having possession of aud Jurisdiction
over the river, Congress, with view of inprov-
ing its navigation and protecting the people ofthe
valley from floods, has for years caused surveys OF
the river to be made for the purpose Of acquiring
knowledge Of the laws that control II, and of IL
phenomena By act approved June 2S, 1879, thI
| Mississippi Ryor Commission was created
composed Of able engineers Section o
the act provides that II shall be the duty Of sale
commission to take into consideration and ma
ture such plan or plans and estimates MS will cor
, rect permanently, locate aud deepen the channe
and protect the banks Of the Mississippi River
: Improve and give safety and ease TO the navi
cation thereof prevent destructive floods, pro
, mote and facilitate commerce, trade, aud III
, postal service" The constitutionality of q la
making appropriations in aid Of these object
} cannot bo questioned. While the report of tn
for the rivers improvement seem justihe
,E.l..a IN9a rta