Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-06-29
MIR. Moore on Mississippi River
improvements.


and other purposes, was under cOnsid-
Grafton on the l4th inst, and Hon.
VIM. R. Moore made the subjoined
The bill appropriatcs
grand total of $l7, ,342,S76, and of this
amount the sum of 81 1923, 900 is appro-
priated to improving the Mississippi
river. Mr.. Moore said
Mr.. Chairman, living on the banks
of the Mississippi river, the grandest
river Of all the world, midway between
the cities Of New Orleans and St.
Louis, and representing the most i'm
pOrtant commercial constituency be-
tween those two great cities, it is not
unreasonable that | should feel an in
terest in this all important question.
Whether this report OF the commit
tee is to build levees or to reclaim
overhowed lands is not the question
to my mind. | do not think it was
intended or reported for that purpose.
Every gentleman in this House, / be
lieve, admits that something should be
done to improve the navigation of the
Mississippi river and to prevent its
annually recurring disastrous over
flows. Itmust be done by somebody.
Each OF US has his own opinions as to
what is best to BIZ done. And yet |
believe that very few of us are quite
certain in our own minds as to the in
fallibility Of our conclusions or the un.
erring wisdom of our own opinions.
In other words, sir, the question of
the improvement of the Mississippi
river is so vast and reaching in its
consequences than in the very nature
Of things it is necessarily an expert.
mental question.
Some people think, and they con-
stitute very large class, that levees
are the best, while large numbers Of
others, equally earnest and intelligent,
advocate what is known as the "outlet"
system. So far as | am individually
concerned, | believe the only ultimate
solution of the question is combina-
tion Of both outlets and levees. That,
however, is a matter of no concern to
this House; nor would | now urge my
own views, even were they settled into
convictions far more fixed than any
merely theoretic opinions like those
OF most OF US who desire national leg
islation upon this broad question.
Agreeing, as all Of us do, on the
commercial importance of the i'm
provement Of the Mississippi river, the
only question that to day presents
itself is, what is now best to do?
A river commission has been ap-
pointed by q previous Congress, and it
meets with the Endorsement of the
Secretary of War. The work is to be
done, according to the provisions of
this bill, only under their Joint super
vision and control. If there be Jobs
in it, as a great many people say there
are jobs in everything, it is altogether
probable that no more money will be
squandered by them than if done by
Others. And if we cannot trust COM
missioners chosen from the most re-
spectacle and eminent of military and
civil life, men cf the highest civil and
scientific attainments and character,
acting only in conference with, and
under the supervision Of, the Secret
ry of War of the United States, thena
indeed, it may be safely asked, whom
may we trust? 1t is not likely that
men selected from other walks of life
would be more jealous to preserve
their untarnished honor and good
names.
1t must be done by somebody. Is
it not probable that the work done by
these distinguished gentlemen will be
as pTudently, as wisely. and as effci
emily done as bysany other set of men?
1t is certainly reasonable to expect
it.
But it is said that somebody will be
benefited and that indirectly profit
may come to others. Mr.. Chairman,
few public improvements are ever
made which do not result either di-
rectly or indirectly in, benefit to some
local enterprise or some private indi-
vidual. But such suggestions are
unworthy the consideration Of gentle
men representing upon this floor the
American people, 1t is a mere inci
dent Of all public improvements that
profit should accrue to somebody;
| indeed, if it were not so, why should
they ever be undertaken To contem
plate the doing of this great
work, which is of an eminently
national character, though it was
for the benefit of private indi
v.duals is out OF place and out of taste
in this connection. | trust we will
look upon it in the broad sense OF our
American interests and national in
dustries. Because / happen to live
on this mighty river, half way between
New Orleans and st. Louis, / trust
nobody will consider me as advocating
its improvement from merely personal
considerations. Because my city of
| Memphis has nearly $80,OO0, 900 per
annum Of commerce flowing in and
out upon this great artery, it feels
| itself entitled to be heard on such
work; and gentlemen from the North,
| from the East, from New York, St.
| Louis, Cincinnati from Boston, Chi
cago, fiom San Francisco, from every
city and State in this Union, are all
directly interested in securing the un-
trammeled and free navigation of that
great waterway from the Gulf OF
Maxioo 10 its northernmost limit.