Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-04-20

and mark the boundary line between
part OF the territory of the United States
aud the State of Texas, and to complete
the survey authorized by the act of 1858.
Passed.
The discussion of the Mississippi river
improvement bill was resumed, aud MIR.
Jonas, of Louisiana, argued in favor OF sp-
plying part OF the appropriation to the i'm
mediate repair or construction of such levees
as, in the judgment of the Mississippi River
| Commission, will assist in deepening the
channel and improving navigation. He
| discussed generally the utility of the levee
system.
He favored a direct appropriation for
| building levees- He said the bill and the
pending amendment provided for the tx
pendituce Of the money in accordance with
the plans recommended by the Mississippi
River Commission, and be proceeded to
show not only that these plans included
aud recommended ito large extent meas
ures for the protection of alluvial lands in
the valley from overflow, but that the
commission was expressly charged with
| the duty of inquiTing into and maturing
such plans, and submitting them to Congress
for action. He quoted the language of the
statutes defining the duties of the com
mission, to show that its plans ard estimates
we're to be matured for she protection OF
the river banks, in order to prevent destruc-
said recommend levees anu are an endorse
ment of the levee system, had been sub
| mitted to Congress, a disposition was
| apparent to treat the question
as an original one, and as
such to deny the right of Congress to
make an appropriation for the purpose. He
regarded the prOviso in the bill as embOdy-
ing the hostility which had long existed in
and out of Congress to any measure for
the improvement and development of this
magnificent, natural water way, which while
accomplishing that object, would protect
| the alluvial lands through which It flows.
This hostility was urged even In the face Of
| the great misfortune OF the recent ove flow,
! which had reduced one of the most pros
| porous agricultural districts of the earth to
comparative waste, and thrown many thou
sands OF laborers upon the charity Of the
! government for bread with which to sustain
| life.
Iu the opinion OF the commission as well
as OF many engineers andspractical men, the
levees were the only means of protection
against OVERT ows, and so far from the ques-
tiOn being a new one, Mr.. Jonas cOntended
that it had been settled in the passage CT
the bill creating the commission, and that
the country didn't expect the Senate now
to take a step backward when the whole
Mississippi valley was deluged and required
protection, and when the States affect
the flood. Was 1t proposed, he asked, that
the channel should be deepened so that
the produce of the North and West may be
safely and cheaply conveyed 10 market, and
yet that the waters should be permitted 10
desolate the magnificent country between
Cairo and the Gulf : Was the great river to
be permitted to carry ruin and desolation TO
another portion? Was it to the interest of
the grain producing North and West that
their home markets should be destroyed?
After simplifying tni' consideration and
quoting views enunciated by Messrs Gar
field, Hendricks and Calhoun, ne argued
from the gigantic and national character of
the work that no Individual efforts of
States or districts would avail, and that
without the intervention OF the Federal
Government the vast alluvial region of the
lower river must be reegated TO the condi-
ton of q wilderness from which it was re-
deemed. He was unable to give any esti-
mate Of the cost Of a, complete levee
system, but in his opinion $4,000 600
would be a cheap expenditure, If thereby
the threatened vail, Y was protected, and
this would be repaid tenfold to the general
wealth of the country in the increase OF
values. Cf population AID of agricultural
products. The speaker further stated that
Senators who were objecting to the
appropriations for the levees as
a means OF reclsiming lands, had
already voted for the initial surveys and
estimates for this very purpose, and that
the commission had reported in favor of
such appropriations. He secuted the as
sumption that the owners of the lands were
not 10 be protected because the value of
their property might be enhanced, and de-
MED that the improvement of
the rivers navigation as a work
of national importance was entitled
10 any consideration that did not pertain to
rh Of ha IIa coid fha+f fl,,
movement Of grain by the river for export
from New Orleans increased in the single
year ending August 81, 1880, at the rate of
% per cent. in corn and 1S6 per cent in
wheat, and this with low water and danger
Gus navigation.
Mr.. Garland spoke in advocacy of bis
amendment, increasing the appropriation to
SIS 900 000 He urged that experience had
demonstrated the economy of a sufficiently
adequate appropriation in bulk, rather than
periodical Cutlays. He eulOgized the recon-
mendation of the recent message from the
President, favOriGg the additional sums
asked for by the Mississippi River Commis-
sion, and especially endorsed the sugges-
tion that It would be equitable to return by
this method to the population of
the lower Mississippi valley engaged In
the production of cotton portion OF the
SOS, ,OC0 600 collected as tax on that product.
He would make a sufficient appropriation
and leave its disbursement, whether for
levees or outlets, to the commission. He
asserted the constitutional power of Con-
gress to appropriate for the reclamation OF
lands, and quoted from Mr.. Calhoun, who,
be said, was the great light Of the strict
constructionists, in affirmation of this
power.
Mr.. Frye remarked that the votes of the
Northern members against any appropria-
tion for the repair of the levees ought not
n ha etr cd ND iuo ~ oil
hostility on their part. As evidence dis
pelliug any assumption to the contrary, he
referred to the prompt and generous
response OF the North to Southern appeals
IN the yellow fever epidemic, and to the
fact that no Northern member had raised
his voice against the voting of amounts
aggre eating $500, 900 at the present session
for the relief of sufferers by the recent
floods.
Mr.. George obtained the floor, but yielded
for an executive session, when the bill went
over Until tomorrow without action.
Mr.. Miller. of California, from the Com
mittee on Foreign Relations, reported, with
amendments, the House bill to execute Ger
tain treaty stipulations relating to the
Chinese. He stated that the report was not
unanimous, and that he would ask con-
sideratiOn of the bill tomorrow.
The Senate without dissenting vote in
sisted upon its amendment to the post office |
appropriation bill for the ratable distribu-
tion of special mail facilities on trunk lines, |
and Messrs. Plumb, Allison and Beck were |
reappointed conferees.
AT er an executive session the Senate ad- |
journed.
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
Pursuant to order, the House met this |
morning at IL o'clock, at which hour its fu-
ture sessions will begin until further Or
dered.
Mr.. Taylor, of Ohio, Chairman of the |
committee to audit the expenses OF the i'll |
ness and death OF President Garfield, sub. |
mitted bill and report on that subject.
Mr.. Blackburn, OF Kentucky, presented |
the report of the minority Both reports |
were referred to the committee of the |
whole.
The bill appropriates for the relief of Lucre-
tia r Garfield the sum of S., 900, less any sum |
paid to the late President Garfield on &C |
count OF his salary as President OF the |
United States. It paws to DIR. Bliss $95, 900, |
TO Drs Agnew aud Hamilton S15, 900 each, |
to Drs. Reyburn and BOynton $4,000 each, |
to DR.. Susan E1son $4,000, to VIM. j.
Crump $1,000, to the Secretary of the Navy |
81. .7SS 40, to VIM. r Speare, undertaken,
81, ,S35, to g. F. Jones, of Elberon, 81 ,092, |
and to various merchants and others
sums varying from so cents to 81 900 1t |
provides that when Surgeon General j. K
Barnes shall be retired from active service
he shall be placed on the retired list with |
the rank and pay of a Major General. 1t
further provides that there shall be added
to the medical corps of the army one sur
geon. with The rank, pay and emoluments
r. a.