Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-12-03
n EMPNiS APPEAL
SUNDAY, :: DECEMBER }, 1852



When man undertakes to teach others
what he himself does rot understand, his
Instructions are usually peculiar and mostIy
absurd. Such is the case with the Cincin-
mil Commercial instructor of Presi-
d. nj, Congress and people as TO what should
b done aud what should be avoided with
Ttfpect 10 the improvement of The Mssis-
ippi river. It's columns are constantly
giving forth, ez eothedyG, lofty decisions and
ali Acknowledgement statements on that
subject, that are unsupported by facts, and
often contrary TO facts, as known by those
whose life has been passed upon the river
banks and whose prosperity is closely con-
necied with the river commerce. Why are
nese mighty uttersnces OF the Commercial
to be accepted? Simply because the
COMMERCIAL utters them. We havf no de-
sire 10 depreciate the Commercial, nor 10 call
IN question the great talents of its editors,
but there are limits to our admiration. We
entertain the opinion that, wide Is the
knowledge displayed in that journal, there
~ some particulars here and there in the
universe that have escaped its comprehen-
awe grasp, and among them is both the ba
ais and the superstructure of the Mississippi
ri liver problem. 1t is situated far away on
the banks Of the fair Ohio. 1t sees that river
rushing up 10 a vast food one week and
sliding down to a creek too low for the navi-
CATION of the little siernwheel steamers that
navigate il on another. IL watches the tu-
multuous current that on occasions rushes
tnrbulently from the lawless Licking, carry
ing destruction to craft that lie on the banks
Of the Ohio from Ludlow street to the lower |
end of the Cincinnati landing, but |
all this gives no knowledge of |
the nature of the phenomena pre-
Sented by the Mississippi. In fact, knowl- |
edge derived from the changes Of the Ohio |
are calculated to mislead, when those of the |
Mississippi are studied. The people Of Ne,T
Orleans are in this respect in the very oppo-
sits condition to those Of Cincinnati. They |
are, from childhood, conyerssnt with every
phase the current of the great river presents.
Besides THE, their interests are inextricably
1nnd 1 "a WITH ths yhnse hanks
they dwell. without unTemittiug care the
' ater would bound over their streets and
level their grandest buildings and meauest
huts to the ground. With that care, and
with improvement of the nayigable quail
ties Of the river, the city fourishes, and will
one day become a port second in i'm
lortance and amount OF business to no
othre in the United States. Do the I
press and people of that city, with
interests so great, as we'll as with
personal safety to consult, they, who have
lifelong knowledge of what the journal
away up the Ohio can know practically SO
little about-do they second the confidently
dieta of the Cincinnati CONNER |
'ial? Do they rage, and storm, and denounce, 1
ind foam at the mouth in their vituperation of C
he mode OF river improvement adopted and
low carrying out? And are the jetties OBJ z
ecis of their scoru and themes of their con- {
lemnation? No, but the contrary. They
md the people OF the other cities along the u
Mississippi know what they speaking of
nd why they approve; the Cincinnati Conf 81
lercial understands neither, as its frequent II
lunders upon the subject shows. 1t should te
ierefore be a little more modest in it's express Il
ons and a little less assuming in its dictG, Sc
; far as the Mississippi river problem is !"
)ncerned.