Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-07-14

The people Of the great Mississippi val
lev have the advantage Of the people oil
other sections Of the country in this. that
they have an issue which, if it is not
already national. they intend TO make
national. Their issue Is that the Federal
Government shall 50 improve the
Mississippi river as TO prevent ue-
structive OveTfiows and meet tne
demands Of commerce. They have been
pressing this issue on the attention Of
Congress and the country for years Inc!
ara a-itatinr il now with such vigor ana
force that il promises 70 play an I'M
nortant part in the Speakership contest
and I'm next winters legislation. They
held a convention in Baton Rouge few
weeks ago and another in st. Louis last
week. Conventions are called TO meet IN
Vicksburg in October. and in Washing
ton in February. This looks as
IL they were in earnest and
meant business. Their opponents are
those whose interests are affected adverse
IL. or are not affected at all by the i'm
provement Of the river. Congress mas
undertaken the work. but halts and
besitates because Of the estimated eN-
uensa. and because the plan Of improve
ment includes the building Of levees.
There is a suspicion that the lower valley
pe0ple want leyees built 10 protect their
lands. and that the proposed river I'M
provement is a scheme in the interest
Of private property. This suspicion IS,
probably. not we'll founded. The protec-
ton Of lands Is not the primary object. 1t
i incidental. however. to the improve
ment Of the river. Levees are necessary
10 the improvement Of the channel. and
protection to lands follows the building OF
/ levees. Because private property would
I be benefited Is no reason why a great ma
I tional work should be abandoned. such
f a contracted policy Is unworthy great
nation. The main work tue people
Of the Mississippi Valley viii have TO ac-
complish 70 secure favorable Congress
sionaI action. is TO get their Representa-
tiyes to act unitedly and tremendously
They may hold any number Of coDven-
tions and agitate the question Of imprOy-
ing the Mississippi river until the country
Is sick Of it, but they viii accomplish
nothing unless their Representatives and
+ Senators act as one man, as II were.
f These representatives. are jealous Ofeacf
other. and Of the popularity each may OBJ
+ tain i'm connection with the improvement
+ 0f the river. One thinks the appropria.
ton for the Mississippi ought to come
through the river and harbOr bill. and
another thinks it ought to be made in a
f separate bill. one talks about the re-
clamation Of lands and demands
. Ievees for that purpose. while
another asserts the private land
question has nothing 10 do with the
matter. II is doubtful if there has evcl
. been meeting Of all the representatives
i'm Congress OF the lower valley, and, il
there has. it is certain they have never
agreed upon "a line Of action. How
can the people Of the lower valley expect
any satisfactory results when those who
ought 10 be most Jealous in their interests
either sit back on their launches OF
pull in different directions. Let the
conventions which are to meet before the
f assembling Of Congress give these lower
valley representatives some plain tall
with respect to their duty. Let them be
made 90 understand that unless they
abandon their personal ambitions an6
their iealousies and act unitedly, yigOr
ously and solely for the good of their con
stituents in this matter Of improving tn,
Mississippi, they viii I've left at home a
the next election. Until they so act little
progress will Ice made with the Missis
-ippi improvement.