The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1883-06-16
:. $. Cox Wants to Know Hhy He Is
Singled Out.
Special to Times-Demoerat.J

Washington, juno Hon. S. S
Cox called on your correspondent
to-day with reference to an edito.
rial article which appeared in the
Times-DemOcrat May aG. In the
article in question, Mr.. Cox is
placed in the position of opposing
the Improvement of the Mississip-
pi river. Mr.. Cox said: 81 desire
to say that the article in the Times
Democrat does me great injustice.
Ii also does the New York delega-
tion in Congress great injustice.
The delegation does not oppose
the improvement of the Mississip
pi river, and neither do |. When.
ever the opportunity presented
itself have spoken and voted for
the largest appropriation for that
river. 1t is not true that | have
placed myself on record as oppos-
ed to giving a cent for improving
the navigation Of the Mississippi,
or that | am making my present
canvass on that platform. When
ever opposed the river and har-
Dor bill ii was because the bill
contained lneonsequential items
items which was not of national
commerce and which ought not to
be in a bill for general improve
ment. This reason for opposing
the river and harbor bill | stated
time and again, in order that my
position might not be mistaken.
SO anxious, however, was that l
should not be misunderstood that
at the request of a member of the
Louisiana delegation | stated to
| the House at the last session that
the river and harbor bill would
have been forty votes stronger il
the small items had been omitted,
aud that the Mississippi river alone
would have been much stronger
than with q number of smaller
streams. My speeches show my
position with reference to the riv-
or and harbor bill'nnd the improve.
mcnt OF the Mississippi river clear.
ly. Because of my known partiality
for the Mississippi river, | was Sc.
lected by Gen. Gibson to speak on
the La Sale resolutions. When
the votes were being taken on the
last river and harbor bill | voted
T. for the largest sums for the Mis-
sissippi, when attempts were made
to lessen tho appropriation by
amendments. For the truth OF
this statement Mr.. Dunn, of Ark
ansas, will vouch. for he thanked
me for my aid at the time and re
marked that he understood my p0'
sition thoroughly. | twice sent
resolutions to the committee requi'
ring the committee on commerce
to report two river and harbor
bills--oDe for large streams and
Federal harbors and the other for
smaller ones. stated my object
to be to assist permanently the
Mississippi Improvement by dis
embarrassing it Of the objections
made as to State or local or little
streams. What whould have been
the result had my ideas prevailed
l prophesied that SO large and mul.
tifurious measure as the s2O,OOO,'
900 bill of the first session of the
Forty.sovcnth Congress would
measurahly fail.
"What are the facts I Some six
millions were not used by the War
Office under that bill, aud the eight
million bill of last session failed in
the Senate altogether, so that moth
ing was gained but much lost by
this mixing of big and little, useful
and doubtful items in one bill.
j "Sinee the Times.Democrat op'
poses me on this ground why does
it not oppose Mr.. Blackburn lie
signed the protest in the Forty
fifth Congress against such meas
ures. Mr.. Carlisle and Mr.. Ran
dali are recorded against river and
harbor bills. Mr.. Randall was Sc
anxious that he telegraphed me to
pair him off on the twenty million
bill. That fact appears in the rec
ord. If | am to he selected fol
assault for this vote why not select
others alsoi stood on the old
Democratic ways against the indis
criminate use of public moneys fol
these little streams and useless
harbors, but l have always favoret
the Mississippi Improvement as
national work-an inland sea-
with no stint of votes or speech
This can be stated by members
representing the Valley and pro
ven by the Record. / do not ear,
so much about the Speakership
but | do care about my record OF
the Mississippi Improvement ques
tion. On that question | hav,
stood with the people of the grea