The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1883-12-29

eounlles 10 regret Their progress
and lock and dOuble-bolt the
treasury on us in 3 ct of disgust; ;
even should q erevssse come in
one or the other districts in q sea-
son of perilous high water and
the neighbOr district be in situa-
tion and able to extend help, we
might expect to see it refused, be-
cause for the time it would re-
lieve the pressure of water upon
the more fortunate district. In
truth, all such reasoning rs | have
indicated above. is
THE RESULT OF A FAILURE
to take IN the situation in all of Its
length and breadth, a failure to
rise to the plane of thought which
the levee system in its magnitude,
its far reaching consequences for
good OF evil, as it may be admin.
istered, and its perman ent dura.
tion demands. 1t is not n thing
of to-day or tomorrow, or a few
years hence. 1t is to continue
forever, or at least as long as the
Mississippi river and its friable
banks remain unchanged in their
characteristics. 1t is a stupen.
dous work, a contest with one Of
natures mightiest forces. 1t re-
quires large expenditures Of mon
ey and the patient, unremitting
toll of men trained by experience
and educated in the business.
When the line Of levee is complete
and made as perfect In height,
base and slope as can be devised
bv human ingenuity, the conflict
Is not ended. 1t is unceasing.
With each recurring year the
great river renows its assaults,
the alluvial banks here and there
cave into the water, the winds
and waves abrade the levees.
Sleepless guardians and constant
repairs are necessary to hold our
line. Its maintenance is the price
which the dwellers in the delta
must pay for the security of their
homes and property. Tho liabili'
ty of the back counties to over
flow is at last conceded. This is
a great step forward. For years
conscientious and intelligent gen
tlemen contended that they were
not liable. The floods Of 1SS2-S3
have removed this veXed question
from tho arena Of debate. Few
men now have the hardihood ia
deny that every inch of land in
the delta is liable to overflow
Fewer still will assert that with al
| 1882 water and the Riverton anc
Lake Bolivar levces yielding to it'
pressure, the surging waters woul'
not again lick the second-stor,
windows of the court house a.
Greenwood, even though Tho
whole line we're otherwise intact
All will admit that crevasses II
the upper counties are made inf
nitely more disastrous to ever,
body and to all sections by stimuli
taneous crevasses In the lowe
counties, thus damming ant
spreading the water. In shor
the intimate interdependencc o
the several counties Of the delt'
can not be escaped from. The,
cannot be divorced from their dc
pendence upon each other in thi
particular any more than in thei
identity Of interest, Of soil, Of pro
duets and Of habits aud thought
of their people. Unifcation is thu
physical law of their being. 4
levee system should be inaugura
ted in accordance with that law
The act creating 1t should b
; broad and ample enough in its pre-
visions to insure absolute success
1t should be so framed as to sc
. cure fair and equal rcpresentatio
upon the Board of Commissioner
from the prominent property-hold
ers of the district and to disentar
gle the Board absolutely from po
9 itics. A good method Of effect
: ing this would be to have ther
appointed by the Chancellors @
their respective counties. Tax,
9 tion should be positively equal a
, over the district. There is n
sense in making q man on til
river bank pay more tax tha
one hunrded miles away, simpl
because the water gets to bil
> first, especially when it is reco
!, lected that the river man not oil
ly pays tax, but in high water
on the levees day and night, worI
. ing for their safety, while his bacl
q county kinsmsn is securely repo
ing. In modern times no gre'
public improvement is construc
!. ed and paid for at once by tt
, generation building it. Posterit
!, reaps the benefit and is made
II bear a part of the burden.
= WE SHOULD PROFIT By THE LIE
r. SON.
-. -. ~ r..