The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-02-14
THE MISSISSIPPI.
Resolution Passed by the Improve
ment Convention.

Hiellt convention.
WASHINGTON, Feb. THE MisSis- .
ippi river convention reassembled
his morning, and the committee on
resolutions unanimously reported the
following:
Whereas, This convention, repre-
sentlng the broad area of eighteen
states and territories. and a people
which is intensely interested in cheap
er transportation from the producer to
the consumer, OF all the products of
the country, whether of the soil, mine
or factory, has assembled at the ma
tional capital, expressly to give utter
ance to the popular decree for the con-
tinuous Improvement and extension
of the great Western waterway; there
fore,
Resolved, First. The interests for
which this convention Is authorized to |
speak are entitled in the highest de-
gree to consideration from the nation |
al legislature, to which is entrusted 10y |
the constitution as well as the regula-
ton of commerce between the states |
the promotion of the general welfare.
Our domestic commerce affected Is
already one half that of the whole
United States and more than twelve
times greater than the total foreign
commerce Of the nation, and larger
than the total foreign COM
merce Of the world. Upon this vast
commerce has been levied year by year
a direct and WaSteful tax, enormous IN
amount by way of increased trelghts,
insurance, demurrage, wrecks and re-
pairs, caused by Sandbanks, snagS,
treacherouS banks and other obSta-
cles to the safe and easy navigation OF
the Mississippi river and its naylga-
BILE tributaries. No exercise OF the
power of congress- can be more legltl-
mate or more just than the relief OF
that commerce, and of the immense
varied industries which support it,
from such needless burdens by remOv-
ing those obstacles. The navigation
to be acquired of these great water
ways and the development of the vast
territory they drain was the triumph
of early American craftsmanship; to
restrain their mighty floods and direct
their resistless energies is the achieve
ment of its latest science. 1t is for
present craftsmanship to complete
that triumph by calling that science
permanently to its aid.
Second-We earnestly re-afllrm the
declaration of the river Improvement
convention, which met in st. LOUIS IN
1881. that it is manifest the Imperative
duty of the government to cause to be
made such Improvement OF the Mis-
sissippi river and navigateable trlbu-
taries as shall permanently secure sale
and easy navigation thereof. Espe-
cially Is this duty obvious and our de-
mand lust, in view of the donations
already made by Congress in land,
amounting to nearly 200,OOO,OOO acres,
and in bonds issued, or guaranteed,
of nearly $100,O000O0 more in the aid
of artificial highways through proper
tv of individuals, and which, even at
the lowest rates, must furnish a most
costly form Of transportation on
large scale as compared with an ap
preparation not yet so great as one
tenth in all for Improvement of more
than 1900 miles of natural water
WAYS, whose freedom from tax OF
monopoly is protected by constitu
tional guarantee, while cheaper ser
vice and unrestricted competition
they afford most efficient check upon
exhorbitant charges by any othel
route to the sea.
Third.-We also emphatically ap
prove the appointment by Congress Of
the Mississippi river commission as at
first well considered an efficient steI
towards permanently opening the
Mississippi valley to the markets Of
the world. The work Of the CORN =
sion has passed out of the region Of
experiment, and has fully justified
the expenditure made and the plans
adopted for the improvement of thu
lower river. We especially approve
their plan for preserving the malI
river and all its tributaries, and for re
moving all distractions, whether nat
ural or artificial, which tend to deflec
or draw off any portion of the same
We also declare the system now being
successfully prosecuted under the di
rectiOn OF the secretary Of war for tn,
improvement of the upper Mississippi
meets with general approval. In oul
Judgment, this convention said, thu
improvements ought to be continued
, under the same system of the genera
, plan and jurisdiction, respectively, a!
at present. We also earnestly urg'
upon Congress that scientific
!, and comprehensive system o.
river improvements by competen
: commission thus inaugurated as to
the Mississippi should be applied with
out delay to the competent and perma
nent improvement of 1.-THE Missouri
Ohio and other navigabl rivers, anC
! true economy dictates all such works
be carried on byiliberal and regular
appropriations
Fourth-That in the interest OF
cheap transportation and to afford
choice water routes to Seaboard We
| l,,f, +l,n
: naviga5le waters of the Mississippi
and the great lakes as great an impOr
lance, and Congress in making the ap
preparation ought to have regard tx
the establishment of free water com
munication between the valley of the
great river west to the tideIwater east
in accordance to the recommendation
heretofore made by the president OF
the United States in his special mes
sage on this subject.
Fifth = We desire to express
our cordial appreciation anG
acknowledgement of the broad ant
patriotic views expressed, and the i'm
porGant services rendered to the i'm
provement of the water ways of the
West by the president of the United
States in his official acts and declara
lions.
Sixth-We also recognize the wis
dom of congress in the appropriations
heretofore made for the Improvement
of the rivers Of the West, and at the
same time observing, with satisfac.
ton, the recommendation made to the
Senate by the select committee on the
Mississippi river improvement. That
if the work of improvement is worth
doing it is certainly worth doing well
and to secure thoroughness, perman-
ancy and economy in its prosecution
that a uniform system be adopted and
adhered to.
Seventh-We also recognize, with
satisfaction, the benefits that have
resulted from the navigation of the
Mississippi river and its principal
tributaries from the extension of the
lighthouse system thereto. and re.
new the hope that the number of dis
tricts and lights therein will be in
creased to such an extent as the light
house board, in consultation with the
river commission finds necessary to
render the service completely efficient.
Eighth-We approve of the action
of the executive committee on i'm
provement of Western waterways,
and request that it continue its labors
in that direction and for the purpose
for which it was formed until the
Mississippi river and its tributaries
are in such condition as the safety of
the people and the interests of COM
MERGE demand and deserve, and said
| committee is authorized and requested