The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1882-03-18

cessation of the taxes and the aban-
donment of work by the Board,
consequent thereon, together with
the destruction of the levees by
a wreck. But a struggle for exis-
tence had to be waged. Levees
were necessary to existence. Cot
ton was at fabulous prices. In
1865 the riparian counties includ-
ing more than One-half the river
front between the mouth of the
lazoo and the Tennessee line, aud
a few years later the remainder of
the riparian counties, a second |
time lnaugurated by legislative en-
actment the Levee system, again |
supported by taxation upon the 4
people of the district. This time a .
tax of four dollars per bale on cot
ton was levied, in addition to tax
on land, and this at a time when
a tax of Sl2 per bale was required
from us at the hands of the Ma
tional Government. With the
assurance thus again given of pro-
lection from overflow, the fertility
of our soil and genial character of
our climate irresistibly invited i'm
migration. The recently enfran-
chised colorcd race in thousands
deserted the less favored interior
country and sought the alluvial
lands, willing to pay the tax on the
product of their labor demanded
for protection, because the returns
from that labor protected were so
great. The cost Of all this has
been simply enormous. We under
estimate when we say that the III
auguration and maintenance of the
Levee system from 1858 up to this
date has been at cost of SS,OOO,-
600. Yet, Notwithstanding the bur
densome taxation incident thereto,
our country has developed more
rapidly aud increased in popula-
ton in a ratio greater, than almost
any other portion Of the South.
The capital Of the North and East
had just turned its attention our
way. Great railroad corporations
were about to network our Delta
with their benefccnt highways OF
commerce. Great manufacturing
companies were about to seat
themselves in the heart of the cot.
, ton belt. Then comes the disaster
, Of 1882. Our people are no longer
, able to furnish the revenue with
which to repair the damage. The
| whole country is submerged and
I the staple, upon which the tax fol
, levees is laid, will not be produced
the current year. The breaks will
l remain open and again in 1883 and
: annually thereafter will come the
I floods, sweeping away costly levec
work still standing, and further dis
t abling our population. Thousands
Q in the lowest lands will seek Other
| homes. Year by year our inability
will increase. Our towns ant
! cities dwindle into landing places
i and finally the Delta revert to III
= original state. A few planters vii
e occupy the extremely high lands
S making neighborhood comblna
t tions for protection against eXces
S sive floods. The residue of th'
: country, with its fertile soil AM
; almost tropical sun, will speedll.
It become again q wilderness. 1t /
c this prospect which alarms AM
G disheartens us, saps our courag
It and makes towards of us all. Bu
l. it is not alone the dwellers in tn
l. alluvial lands, who are intereste
> in this matter. The commerce Q
l. the whole country is deeply cor
d cerned in it. The Yaz0o Delta, wit
its thirteen counties and 100000
t. acres of arabic land, devote
it almost exclusively to the cultur
i of cotton, draws its supplies {
o bacon, corn, flour, oats, hay, mule
If agricultural implements and WOO,
II en-ware from the Northwest, il
Ie merchandise and manufacture
j. goods from the East and its viii
j. ky and tobacco from the Middl
is States. For these sections of tn
,e Union. it is a customer, whose coi
le sumption now amounts to man
S, millions Of dollars, and will go o
G. increasing, if the consequences
IS. the existing disaster can be spee'
r. ily retrieved. But the dimension
IN of whose trade will dwindle int
IL the thousands, should the retr'
e. gression which we think certai
,y in the absence of your aid, ensu
le Commerce and navigation al
Dr so intimately blended that it is di
&c fcult to separate the effect upo
se the one from that upon the othe
Or That the occurrence and cOntin
le anee of crevasses such as now G
ra ;rt cnriatiu1x, innpdn and iutprfp1