The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-02-16
THE MISSISSIPPI.


propriations FOR a Conuuunnce of Work
Demanded.
wAsHINGrow, d G Feb. Z.
Tho Mississippi River Coavcrtol reassen
bled this morning. when resolutloos osthanks
to the press Of the District, the Commissioners
and 9th r. were immedia ely av, ON. WIN.
Hitchca ok of It Louis. hal ma OF the Com
mittec on Resol .tols. pr s.nteJ the urani-
nous report OF the committee as folio vs.:
Your o tee on Resolutions having caic-
fully consi !e ed the various resolutions re-
fer,el the ~. r spe bfally submit for your con-
SECRETION the following:
WHEREAS. A Convention rep~eac nting the
broad area of eighteen stat and TerritOr es,
the People of hch are i'm cnscy intcrested
in cheaper transportation rom the producer
TO the c, nsumcr Of I'll the prod oti OF tue
country, whether o II the soil, m ne or FAC
try. has assembled a the "a iJnt ,apital TO
expressly give ut crancc OF the popular desire
for the continuous Improvement and extern
sion OF the great western waite WAS; there
fore, be iG
Resolved. ]. That the interests for which this
Convention Is authorized to speak arc entitled
10 The highest degree OF consideration OF the
NItional legislature. 10 which intrust"d by
tnc Constitution. rs wei, the Jcgulaticn' OF
comm rec between the 5 atcs he promo
ton Of { ne general welfare. Tn dom sic
commerce aDccted is alre tdy one -lalf Ct tlat
o the United States and more than the total
for.i IN commerce Of the NatOn. and larIer
than the total commerce of tie world. Upon
this vast commerce has been levied. year by
year, direct and wasteful tay. enormous in
amount by way OF increased frsiAhts, insur-
ance, demurage, wrecks and lepairs caused
bv sandbaIs, 81 ags, PREACHER 3us banks and
ot'er OF stacles t. the safe and G 81 navi ea-
ton of the Mississippi RNer ana It's nlVlga-
BILE tributaries. No exercise OF the power or
Congress can be more legitimate OF m IRE lust
than the relief of that CONN ,rce q ID Of the
immense and varied industre s which support
it, from such nee Hess burdens by removing
those obstacles 10 navigation. To ACQUIRE
these great WATERWAYS and the vast territory
they drain was Il tr umph OF carly Ameiitaa
statesmansnip; TO restrain their mighty foods
and direct tbeir resistless energies is The
achievement OF Its latest sClc1tc IL IL Tor
craftsmanship TO complete tlat triumph by
calling thar science permanently to It's all
g We earnestly reaffirm q @ declaration of
the River lmprOVem nj ConV6 ni.on which
met atst Louis in 1881, that it is Tue manifest
and imper alive daty of the Government to
cause to lie made such improvements of the
Mississippi River ana nayigal l. tr butaries as
shall permanently secure the SAFE and easy
navigation thereof.
Especially is this duty obvious ana our de-
mand justified in view of the donations al
ready made by Congress in land, amounting to
nearly zU0UOU,O00 acres, and in bonds issued or
guaranteed of nearly SlOJOJU.00 more IN aid
of artificial highways, the property of ind-
vduals- and which even at the lowest rates
must furnish most costly form Ct transport
tatiOn ona large scale as compared with ap-
preparations not yet so great as one tenth in
| all for the Improvement of more than 10 0J0,C
| miles OF natural waterways, whose freedom
| tutional guarantee, while by cheaper service
and unrestricted competition they afford a
| most efficient check upon exorbitant charges
| by any other route TO the sea.
8. We also emphatically approve the appoint
| ment by Congress OF a Mississippi River Com
mission, as the first weltconsidered, efficient
step toward permanently opening the Missis-
! sippi Valley to the markets of the world. The
work of the commission mas lssed out of the
| region of experiment, and fully justified the
| expenditure made and plans adopted for the
| Improvement of the lower river. We spec
| tally approve their plan Tor preserving to the
! main river all the water of all its tributaries,
and removing all distractions, whether natur-
al or artificial, which tend to detect or draw
| off any portion of the same. We also declare
| the system now being successfully prosecuted
under the direction of the Secretary of War
| for the Improvement of the Upper Mississippi
meets with general approval. In the 1u ig-
! ment of this Convention, said improvements
ought to be continuel under the same system
| or general plan and jurisdiction respectively
as ut present. We also earnestly urge upon
| Congress that scientific and comprehensive
! system of river Improvement by competent
commission thus inauTurated as to the Mssis-
| sippi should be applied without delay to the
complete and permanent Improvement of tho
| Missouri Ohio and other navigable rivers, and
| true economy dictates that all such work he
carried on by liberal and regular appropria-
| tions.
| 4. That in the interest of cheap trnnsporta-
ton, and to afford choice of water route; to
! the seaboard, VIC regard connections between
| the upper navigable waters as the Mississippi
| and the great lakes as OF great importance,
| and Congress- in making appropriations,
| ought TO have regard 10 the establishment OF
Tree water communication between the valley
| of the great river OF the West and the tide
| water East In accordance with recommended
| tons heretofore made by the President OF the
| United states in special message on THIS
| subject
$. We desire to express our cord al apprecia-
ton and acknowledgements of the broad, pa
| trotic views expressed and important services
rendered to the improvement of the water
ways OF the West by the President of the
IN r.ff = alnt.
| tons from the tina of his accession To that
hlgh oMce the wisdom OF Congress in appro-
priations heretofore made for the improve
| ment of the rivers of the West, at the same time
| observing with satisfaction the recent recon-
| mendations of the Senate Select Committee on
| Mississippi River improvements that If the
| work of Improvement be worth doing it il
| worth doing well, and to secure thoroughness,
| perm1nency and economy in its prosecution
| hered to.
7. We also recognize with satisfaction the
benefits which have resulted I'm the navigation
| or the Mississippi River and principal tribu-
taries from the extension of the lighthouse
| system thereto, and renew the hope that tho
number of districts and lights therein be in
| creased to such extent as the Lighthouse
Board in consultation with the River Commits
sion finds necessary to render the service COM
pletely efficient.
s. We approve the action of tho Executive
Committee on the Improvement of Western
waterways, and request il 10 continue its
labors in that direction and for the purpose
for which it was formed until the ri sssippl
River aud navigable tributaries arc in such a
condition as the safety OF the people and the
interest of commerce demand and deserve,
ana said committee be authorized ard re-
Ouested TO take pr Oper steps Tor presenting to
Congress n sui abe memorial in the sense of
the foregoing resolutions, and for publishing
and distributing the proceedings Of this Con.
YeutiOn.
The following supplemental report was also
submitted: Your committee, by way of q sup
Elemental renort. state that they have give 4
thoughtful attention 10 the various resolutions
presented to this Convention intended to REM
edy the dangers to navigation resulting from
the improper bridging Of Western rivers, also
to imperfect and endangered harbors in the
frabe banks of Vcksburg and other towns
and cities of the Lower Mississippi Your
committee. however, deem the matters en-.