Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-02-10
WORK WELL DONE.
Proceedings Of the Great conysn'
ton at Washington
ON THE GREAT MISSISSIPPI RIVER
And Its NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Adopted
Which Are Short. Sharp and Practi-
eal-Eloquent Speeches,
but no Buncombe.

work on Thursday. 1t was splendid
iody OF representative men gathered from
eighteen States and territories. These
States contain over 30 O0O, 900 OF the $1,000
600 Inhabitants Ct the United States. The
objects of the Convention are we'll set forth
in the resolutions which were adopted at
Thursdays session, and which are printed
below.
Net ONLY river men but all who are
interested in chesp transportation, VIII
r. ed tie results of the convention win In
tsrest.
MI, Hitchcock, OF st Louis, the chairman
O! the Committee on Resolutions, submit
ed the report OF that committee. Inc res
buttons, as read, were as follows:
The Resolutions.
Your committee on resolutions having
carefully considered the various.resolu Gus
referred to them, respectfully submit Tor
your consideration the following:
Whereas this convention, representing
the broad acres Of eighteen States and Ter
ritories, the people of which are intensely
interested in q cheaper transportation
from producer to consumer Of all the pro-
ducts of the country, whether Of the soil,
the mine or the factory, has assembled at
the National Capital expressly to give ut
terance to the popular desire for the con-
tinuous improvement and extension OF the
great Western waterway. Be 1t therefore
Resolved-First-That the interests for
which this convention is authorized to
speSk are entitled, in the highest degree, 10
consideration from the National Legisla-
ture, to which is entrusted by tie Consti-
tuition, as well as the regulation OF com
IaA hn Skato hn
Of the general welfare. The dome site com
uerce Affected is already one h If tina. of
he whole United States, more than twelve
lines greater than the total foreign com
uerCe of The Nation. and larger than the
Total foreign commerce OF tie world.
Upon This Vast Commerce.
has been levied year by year, direct aud
wssteful tax. enormous in amount, by way
of increased freights, insurance, demur
rage, wrecks and repairs, caused by sand.
bars, snsgs, trescherOus banks and other
obstacles to the safe and easy navigation OF
the Mississippi river and its navIgahle trio'
utsries, No exercise of the power of Con.
rress can be more legitimate or more Just
than the relief of that commerce and OF the
immense and varied industries which sup
port 1t from such needless burdens by
xemoying Those Obstacles 10 Naviga-
ton.
70 have acquired these great tergays
I'D the vast territory which they drain
Was the triumph of early American states
mansbip. To restrain their mighty Hoods
md direct their resistless energies is the
Achievement OF its latest science. 1t IS Tor
he states manship OF to day to complete
hat triumph by calling that science per-
manently to its aid
Secopd-Fnat We earnestly reaffirm the
declaration of the River improvement Con-
yentiCn, which met at st Louis in October,
1881; That il is the manifest and impera
i've duty OF the government of the United
States to cause to be made such improve
trent Of the Mississippi river and its nayi-
liable tributaries, as shall permanently
,ecare the safe and easy navig ition
thereof Especially is this duty obvious
and our demand justified in view OF the
For atoms already made by Congress in
and, amountin. 10 near!v 200 600, 600 acres,
snd IN bonds, issued or guaranteed, nearly
clU0.ND,OOO more
In ara Of Artificial Highways,
the property OF individuals, and which even
At lowest rates must furnish the most
,ostly form of transportation on large
cale-as compared with appropriations not
vet so great as one tenth in all for the i'm
yrovement of more than ID OO0,OD miles OF
natural waterways whose freedom from
. tax or monopoly is protected by cOnstitu-
;orsl guarantee, while as 4 cheaper service
snd unrestricted competition :hey afford
he most efficient check upon the eX-
Orbitant charges by any other route TO the
az
The River Commission Endorsed.
Third-That we also emphatically APP
prove of The appointment by Congress OF
The Mississippi River Commission as the
first we'll considered and efficient step to-
ward permanently opening the Mississippi
Valley to the markets OF the world. The
work of the commission has passed out OF
he region of experiment and has fully
justified the expenditure and plans adopt
for the improvement OF the lower river.
We specially approve their plan for pre-
serving TO the main river
All the Water or All Its Tributaries,
and for removing all distractions. whether
natural or artificial, which may tend to
defect or draw off any portion OF the same.
We also dec are that the system now be-
,pg 81 ccessfully prosecuted under the di'
=, n of the :, cretsry Of War for the i'm.
yovement OF the Upper Mississippi meets
Nth general approval. In the judgment
II this convention the said improvements
uyht TO I've CONTINUED under the same sys'
en-, gen, raj plsn and jurisdiction re.
pectivelr rs at present. We also earnestly
Irse upon Congress that the scientific and
Omr &C hensiyc System or River I'm,
prOyement
" competent commission, thus inaugu'
rsted as to the Mississippi, should be ap.
Piled without delay to the complete and
permanent Improvement OF the Missouri,
the Ohio and other navigable rivers, and
a true economy dictates that all such
work should be carried on by liberal and
regular appropriations.
Fourth-That in the interest Of cheap
transportation, and to afford choice Of
water routes to the seaboard, We regard
connections between the upper navIgable
waters of the Mississippi and the great
lakes as OF great Importance, and that Con
gress in making appropriations ought to
have regard TO the establishment OF free
water Communication between the valley
of the great river OF the West and tide
water of the East, in accordance with the
recommendations heretofore made by the
President Of the United States in his
special message on this subject.
Appreciation OF the President.
Fifth-That we desire to express our cor
dial appreciation and acknowledgement o!
the broad aud patriotic views expressed
and the important seryi ces rendered to the
improvement Of the waterways Of the West
by the President OF the United States IN
his official acts and declarations from the
time of his accession to the high office.
Sixth-We also recognize the
wisdom OF Congress
in the appropriations heretofore made fol
he Improvement Of the rivers Of the West
at the same time observing with satisfaction
the recent recommendation OF the Senate
Select Committee on the Mississippi River
improvements that 'if the wants OF the
IMPROVEMENT Is worth doing it is worth
doing well, and that to secure thorough
ness permanency and economy in its pros
ecution, q uniform system should be
adopted and adhered to."
Seyenth-That We also recognize wlth
satisfaction the benefits that have resulted
to the navigation of the Mississippi river
and its principal tributaries from the eh'
tension OF
thereto. and renew the hope that the mum
her of districts and lights thereon may be
Increased to such extent as the Lighthouse
Board. in consultation with the River
Commission, shall find necessary to render
such service completely efficient.
Aha action nj