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

The errors ana ue!syS OF the past anu
the adverse influences OF the present and
the future can only be efiectualiy over
thrown or dispersed by proper and dccls
I'VE action. And the present crisis which
exists as to foods, togtt,cr vi the action
OF VIC state of Illinois in November last,
and many other things, commune to make
the present llmc by tar the most favorable
that we have ever vet h, As 10 tht
nroprr connection between the great lakes
and the Mississippi system, II never coud
under any circumstances have been right
lly done except by the |. >. government.
! In no O,her way could Its use Tor al me
ueoplc of nil the United States be made
Substantially free ana IN corresp 'ndcnce
with the excellent principle esiabllsntu IN
the ordinance of 1887 for the Tree use OF
the great lake and Mississippi systems,
and the carrying places between, by al the
state, of this Union forever. Kight h re
the committee hluntcrcd who met here TO
memoriaIZe congress On The inject,
| Right there, too, many other public men
have erred. But now he pathway has
Iop.neG properly 10y his legal Step for
ward. By Illinois in November last Aud
| in reality The matter never before could
other state to ask the national action thar
is needed. And properly the state should,
after its vote in November, have announc
ed thr result officially and specially 70 The
other states and to COngicss, setting forth
fully a. the same time the leading truths
as 10 the prOprlety aud necessity OF lneir
action. and the great and common interests
of all that are involved, and hre Ia be ~.
NOTED by mple,lng suitable work hhu
making u Suitable connection, SO that the
RIVER boats from all the rivers may pass up
freely 10 the lake, and meet and connect
with the lake shipping. At the same time
it would be well 10 set forth the great BEN
HFIrs THAT WILL AT ONCE AND FOREVER
ENCRE TO ALL THE STATES OF THE
MISSISSIPPI AND LAKE SYSTEMS; ana also
suggest u safe governmental and admins
tyailve change and the creation of board
constituted ike the L. S. Light House
Board, that should at once be established
to let the contracts for the work needed In
making this connection And ii would be
well also To suggest that the same board
should als) be entrusted with the reason
able clearance Of the river channels below
of such snags and wrecks as obs,ruC' and
ance. AMI aid ~ to floods, and that il
should consist OF one man from the lower
NJ ississippI, one from the upper Mlssis
sippi, 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 I,
entirely distinct from the war department.,
and responsible To congress and the Coun-l
try for the early completion and sultableI
maintenance OF this free, cleared and con
ncctcd L. ) inland navigation. ~ this,
du'y has been neglected SO long by the
state officials perhaps now Il had best be
done by suitable convention at some
suitable place, ana ;hGt followed 10y others
nj other places In this way, 10y the help
OF the press aud united interests, the next
seven months should be Sufficient tune for
getting the work fully prepared fer con-
gress when it meets in December. Bat H.
this opportunity goes by the excitement of
the presidential election, The change O. Ot.I
ficlals, &c. may easily cause delay of
years And should the time OF condition
al cession expire the state would b. dis
hcarlencd, and perhaps ready to transfer
the |. Il NJ canal to Il corporation, and let
lnt IlFtI WI N hi'l tiiC idNV C'uHt'ti'H "i'''
all the vast Interests involved ilnger as
thcy have fingered and suffer AS they have
suffered The questions OF inland aud
ocean nav galioa and of the clearance OF
river channels so us TO lessen the danger
and destruction from floods, can now all
be met successfully They belong together,
but never yet have been connected Con.
meet them and the interests in their sup
port when fully awakened, Will be sui
nccntly strong 10 secure the needed work
by the action of Congress next winter
Congress, is already well disposed in that
direction, aud so is This state the great
cities Of the interior and the country n,
large. Why, then, should we delay? why
Iall to improve the occasion which great
events have brought AMI which is more
important than language can express?
Delay is dangerous.
The net of the safe OF Illinois in No.
vembcr last may justly he regarded as the
most important legal step IN favor of our
inland navigation since the ordinance oil
1887. Yet II il beng allowed 81 WHY To-
perish by delay rs though It's birth was OF
no consequence. So the floods at Paris IN
December on the Rhine III January and
on the OHIO in February will each be the
most remarkable III all their history, And
great Is the danger OF allowing their warn.
,ne To pass unhcldei. In every way the
time for decisive action has fully COmc.
Let me cntrcat yon not to allow 1t 10 laeS
unlmprOved.