The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-05-05


the adverse Influences OF the present and
the future can only be cfreciually over
thrown or dispersed by proper and dccis
I'VE action And the present crisis which
exists as to floods, toget scr vi h the action
OF nc state Of Illinois IN November last,
and many other things, combine to make
the present time by tar the most favorable
that we have ever vet h d As to the
proper connection between the great isHts
ana the Mississippi system. IL never cou,d
under any circumstances have been right
Nv done except by the |. ,. government
In no Oher way could its use for al the
people of all the United States be made
substantially free ana IN correspo ndence
with the excellent principle established IN
the ordinance of 1857 for the free use OF
the great lake and Mississippi systems,
and he carving places between, by oil the
state, of this Union forever. Right h re
the committee hunGorcd who met here to
memOriaIze congress on The ruhJect,
Right there too, many other public men
have erred But now The pathway has
opened properly by ihis legal Step for
ward. bv Illinois IN November last And
in reality The matter never before could
be presented 10 congress by Illinois or any
other state to ask the national action thar
is needed. And properly the state should,
after its vote in November, have announc.
cd the result officially and specially 20 the
other states and to congress, setting forth
fully ~ the same time the leading truth.
as to the proprlety aud necessity Of their
action. and the great and common interests
of all that are involved, and arc To be IrO.
,,t.l D., r,l a. "a SnItahlp XtlTz tuI
making n suitable connection, so that the
RIVER boats from all the rivers may pass up
freely tn the lake, and meet and connect
with the lake shipping. At the same time
il would be well % set forth the grea! BEN
HFIrs THAT WILL AT ONCE AND FOREVER
ENURE TO ALL THE STATES OF THE
MISSISSIPPI AND LAKE SYSTEMS, ana Also
sugges. u safe governmental and aumlnls-
trauve change and the creation of board
constituted like the |. 5. Light House
Board, that should at once be established
to let the contracts for the work needed ia
making this connection. And it would be
well also to suggest that the same board
should as) be entrusted with the reason
able clearance OF the river channels below
of such snags and wrecks as obs,ruCi, and
OF maintaining such connection and clear.
anCe, and all as 10 floods, and that i'll
should consist Of one man from the lower
MississippI, one from the upper Mlssi.
sipo, one from the Ohio, one from the
Missouri one from the region of the lakes,
one from the region Of the gulf, and one
from Illinois, making in all board of /,
entirely distinct from the war department, !
and responsible To- congress and the COun-
try for the early completion and suitable
maintenance of this free, cleared and con
nectcd L. ) inland navigation. ~ this /
duty has been neglected So long by the
state officials. perhaps now Il had best be
done by suitable convention at some .
suitable place, ana that followed by others .
ut other places In this way, by the help
OF the press and united interests, the next .
seven months should be Sufficient time for !
getting the work fully prepared fer con
,sres. when it meets in December. Bat i'll
This opportunity eoe. by the excitement of
the presidential election, The change O. OF. .
ficlnls, Sc. may easily cause a delay Of
wears. And should The timG Of condition |
al cessiJn expire the state would be- dis
and perhaps ready to transfer
the |. & NJ. canal u 4 corp0ratl0n and let
the river work and the lake connection ond
all the vast lntcrts's involved inger as
thcy have fingered and suffer AS they have
suffered. The questions of inland aud |
ocean navigation and of the clearance Of
river channels so as to lessen the danger.
and destruction from floods, can now all
V. L.