The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-12-10
Rivers and Harbors.

k(lVcIB 6kl0 x10k WIZ
We have had occasion to speak several
s;ues heretofore Of the provincial character
Of the New York press. The papers OF
that city assume that whatever measures
they agree upon, II Is the duty OF Congress
70 adopt, and whatever measures they OPP
pose II Il the duty Of Congress 10 defeat.
Nay, more: they assume that II they OPP
pose o bill, the bin has no merit and Is re-
garded by the voters with the same degree
OF hostility which animates the New York
guardians OF their interests. To any one
whoee horizon IL not too limited. the silly
talk Of northern editors on the subject
Of the river and harbor bill Is highly
amuxpg. The Nation constantly writes
o. n the people had condemned by their
votes at the recent elections the river and
barbor bill passed at the last session OF
Congress, and threatens the members with
the disapprebation Of their constituents II
they shall at this session dare to appropriate
the peoples money to the improvement OF
the peoples rivers. We have again and
agsin reminded our New York contem-
poraYics tha, they did not know what they
were talking about, and assured them that
the voters were almost all OF them favora-
bio 10 river aud bsrbor bills, but New
York editor will not listen 10 the voice oil
the southern edioor "charm he never so
wisely"
But what did The Nation and the World
and the Times and the Tribune and the
Sun say when they learned, as they did the
same day, that Oh Friday last the Com
mittee on Commerce OF the House Of Rep
rcsentatives decided to call upon the pro-
per Cabinet officer for estimates for tho I'M
provement OF rivers and. harbors! No
thing less THIN sovereign contempt for the
ungcdged statesmen who edit the New
York Journals would have led the Commit
tee Of Commerce 10 put such an indignlty
upon their Uigh-Mightinesses.
An Of our Virginia congressman who
were reelected voted for the river and har-
Dor bin OF last session, and we suppose
that ali Of The ten members whom Virginia
will have in the next House OF Representa-
lives will vote for similar bin whenever
they get an opportunity to do so. "A SINH
Tar state Of things obtains, we doubt not,
M every southern, southwestern, western,
and northwestern state. The hidebound,
petty New England States cannot control
The sction OF Congress. Texas has 214,O00
square miles Of territory. All six of the New
England States have together less than one
ta;Td AS much. OF course the representa-
tlves In Congress Of those little "patches
upon the earth's surface" 20 use Mr.. WEE
sTER's EXPRESSION, are opposed TO appro-
priations for rivers and barbors. and inn
press their contracted notions upon the
editors Of the New York journals, most of
these editors being young men Of little ex-
perience and rs little knowledge OF the
wants OF the country OF the opinions Of
the people living outside OF New England.
Congress ought not only to pass another
river and harbor bill this session, but
ought 70 teach Mr.. ARTHUR and his Cabi-
net the lesson that when Congress desig-
mates the uses to which the nations money
shall be appropriated it is impudcnce in
tolerablc, and "a usurpation Of power not
10 DO countenaneed, for the executive or
ficers OF the Government to fail 10 use IL
as the peoples representatives ordered it
10 he used. We need for James river
twice Is much money as Congress
appropriated at its last session to
our river. We could advantageously
expend upon its improvement this
year hundred thousand dollars to be
appropriated at the present session. 1t is
wrong, nav inexcusablo, for the President
" initiate GRANT and keep the money in
the Treasury.
However, we have wandered from the
question. We desired only 10 call attcn-
ton once more 10 the proyincialism OF the
so-calle1 metropolitan " press-the press
which thought it a shame that WAITE
should have been made Chief Justice Of
the Supreme Court OF the United States,
rather tban WILLIAM NJ. EyARTs, who,
being New York lawyer, was, IN their
opinion, much better qualified for TINT high
office than any man living west OF the Ohio.