Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1884-03-07
Speech Of Prof, T. ]. Lowry.

Speech OF Prof. L. j. Lowry
At the recent Mississippi River
Convention, held in Washington
City, among the most earnest of the
delegation was Prof. I. j. Lowry, OF
the State University, a native, we
believe, of Randolph county, where
he owns large stock farm. We
reprint his speech Oh that occasion
because we believe it is the senti-
ment of the people who are virtually
interested in the subject of improve
ment of Western rivers. There
ought to he no division among west
ern people in reference to cheap
transportation, the great object ex-
pected to be achieved by removing
sand bars and snags which have so
long obstructed natures thorough
fares in the great Mississippi Valley,
and which have forced the people to
contribute so largely to soulless cor
porations in order TO reach market
for Western products.
Mr.. PRESIDENT: There is one idea
that has not been brought on promi-
nently before this convention, and
there are one or two thoughts that
were suggested by the Senators
present with us that are in the right
direction. The great obstacle an our
way, the great difficulty which has
resulted in the necessity for calling
this convention together, is the iner-
tia of that mass of brains yonder on
Capitol hill. We have come here,
sir, to move upon, and, if possible.
move Congress. Applause
Too many of our Congressman are
not reading Alright the signs of the
times, and hence are not meeting
fairly and fully the demands of the
age. When they get here in WASH
ington, instead of addressing them
selves to the solution of those prob
lens which the times demand, and
which their constituents, irrespective
of party, are crying aloud for, they
display mastery inactivity on these
very questions on which they pledg-
ed their dear constituents to make
Titanic efforts, and bend their ener-
gies to distributing Executive docu-
ments. Patent office reports and
garden seeds. and set about securing
an appropriation for anything from
the establishment of a star-route to a
few 81, 900 to be expended ON an
insignificant creek in their "dees-
trict." Laughter. beg pardon
for saying that the day for this sort
of electioneering is past. These vote
catching devices have lost their eff
cheney. Sirs, the school teacher, the
the preacher and the editor are
abroad in the Mississippi valley.
The Atlantic States may worry
themselves over side issues if they
will, but, sirs, the great, the SUI
preme, the aIl-absorbing question to
Western men is not the tariff, either
horizontal, vertical or oblique,
neither is it the greenback dollar,
nor the dollar of our daddies-it is
cheap transportation. Out yonder,
in that vast empire of the Mississippi
basin-that mountain, and lake, and
gulf-locked empire yonder-''river
Improvement in the rainbow of prom
ise which now spans our political
sky" CApplause.
The teachers teach it, the preach
ers preach it, and our press proclaims
1T from the house tops. 1t is a creed
in the political and religious faiths
of our men, women and children
without regard to age, color or pre-
vious condition of servitude. Laugh
teri And to those Senators and
Representatives who, having eyes,
see not, and having ears hear not
this truth which so nearly concerns
their political salvation, let me say
that If you have not the grace, that
christian grace of resignation that we.
the people of the Mississippi Valley,
have the power, the will and the OBJ
legation of relegating you to private
life. GApplause.
As to what influences are now
dominant yonder on Capitol Hill, 1
know not; but this much do know,
that out yonder in the Mississippi
valley it is neither the Southern
confederacy nor the Northern con-
federacy that is in the saddIe-it is
the young Democracy and the young
Republicans who are in the saddle
there, and they are pushing things.
i lrProlouUad annlause