Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-01
The South and Annronriations.


The river and barber bill reported to
the House last week furnishes the ex-
IRENE Republican journals Of the North
with fruitful subject for comment. Be
cause the South gets little more than
hall Of the whole amount for which the
/ bill provides they are moved TO say that
Southern Congressman are trying 10 get
/ back what the war cost the South, and
I that there is an evident determination TO
provide for the needs ofthe South whether
the needs Of the North are cared for or
/ not.
\ careful analysis OF the bill shows how
entirely unfounded this charge is. Very
nearly half of all the south gets Is for
the benefit Of the Mississippi river and
I Galveston harbOr. To the former below
the mouth Of the Ohio S2,990,000 is ap-
pr0priaTed, and TO the latter $3.50, 600.
Strike out these two appropriations and it
Will at once become apparent that the
South is not more literally provided for
than the North.
In considering the Mississippi river ap-
preparation it must not be forgotten that
the Western States are as deeply inter
ested in the improvement Of that river as
are the lower Mississippi valley states.
1t is their water way to the sea, and it
would be almost useless to improve
Western rivers without improving the
lower Mississippi river. 1t is unfair,
therefore, to charge the vast sums that
are being appropriated to that river to the
account Of the South. Even the Henne.
pin canal scheme, in which Chicago is so
deeply interested, would stand no chance
for Congressional support if it were not
for the very general belief that the Mis-
sissippi river viii be made navigable tor
a much larger class of vessels.
With respect to Galveston harbor there
are very few, probably, who Will not adj
nit the necessity Of making that seaport,
which, by the wGy.is the only seaport Of
a section Of country that is mucn larger
than New York and Pennsylvania to-
gether. accessible to frst-class vessels.
Texas has had comparatively little for
rivers and hGrbOrs, and if she gets the
amount in the present bill she viii still
be far behind several of the Northern
States in the amounts received for rivers
and harbors.
TIE papers which are complaining
about the amounts the South is given for
rivers and harbors carefully conceal the
fact that the North received millions of
dollars for internal Improvements when
the South was receiving scarcely any
thing, and that if a statement were made
Of the amounts which the two sections
have received II would appear that the
amount which the South has received is
very small in comparison with that re-
ceiyed by the North. The truth is, the
North tor many years has been getting
more than her just share of the public
money, and her rivers and harbOrs are
not, therefore, as much in need Of i'm
prOyement as those of the South. Her
journals are showing q very selfish spirit
in trying 10 withhold from the South the
share that justly belongs 10 her. II the
North had not already been provided for
there might be some justice in the conf
plants of the journals which pretend to
speak for her.
In order to show that the South is not
literally provided for in the present river
and harbor bill it is only necessary to re-
fer 10 the appropriation for the Savannah
river. 1t is less than one-fourth the sum
that is actually needed to carry on the
work OF improvement and to protect from
injury the work already done.
There need be no fear that the North
will not get fair share of all the money
that is appropriated by Congress. Her
Representatives are in the majority ana
are likely to remain the majority fer a
long time, They viii take care that the
interests Of their section do not suffer.
The South will take all she can get, not
as pay for what she lost in the war, but
as her legitimate share of the money
which Congress annually distributes.