The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-01-20

Lacrosse, Duluth, Davenport, Rock ISL
and, Buffalo, Syracuse, and elsewhere
have so declared by formal resolutions
and memorials. The Produce Exchange
OF New York specifically addressed the
Fortyseventh congress in that behalf:
thus for the first time in the history of
that strong organization of commercial
men, committing itself, by report of
committee and of its membership, in fav-
or Of work of improvement at national
expense. The New York Board of Trade
and Transportation had little earlier eX>
pressed itself no less emphatically in the
same behalf A few weeks ago--en De>
cember ?, 1854 1.-THE Mississippi and Mis-
souri, Hardware association, at its semi
annual meeting, adopted a series OF car
nest resolutions renewedly pressing upon
congress the duty of at once making ap>
preparations for the Hennepin canal A
large number of the leading manufacture
erS in New England have, during the last
month and this month, signed their names
to memorials to congress urging the same
request.
Of delegate conventions representing
an extended territory which have thus
spoken we here mention these; AT Day
export in May, 1881, the largest delegate
convention ever held IN the Mississippi
Valley in the interest of cheap transpor-
tation; that at St. Louis in October, 1881;
that at the National Board OF Trade in
january. 1884; that of the River In
provement" advocates in Washington in
February, 1884. and that of the Indus
trial Congress in Chicago in May, 1884.
Five times has the legislature of Iowa
by joint resolutions memorlahzed cons
gress for the construction of the Henne-
pin canal by the general government.
Indeed it was the General Assembly of
that state which first, in 1864, urged the
attention of the country to the necessity
of thus extending to the Upper AIississip.
pi the Erie canal and Lake system of
water route transportation as now pro-
posed The Illinois legislature has re-
peatedly adopted similar memorials to
congress. The New York senate in June,
1882, also adopted unanimously memo
rial to congress urging the construction
of this canal. Only the close of the SEES.
sion prevented concurrent action by the
House of the same General Assembly.
Indeed, it is justly claimed by the
friends of the Hennepin canal that no
other projected work of public improve
ment has ever received so extended ems
dorsement in this country. 1t has how
ever, been without support in such per-
sonal or corporate interests which, unfor-
tunately, most surely and speedily cons
'duces Savoring legislation. The Henne
pin canal has advocacy in public behalf
solely. But number of gentlemen, resis
dents respectively ofseveral Upper Missis
Sippi cities, Chicago, Detroit and New
York have within the past three years or
ganized themselves into voluntary asso-
citation known as THE Michigan and
Mississippi Canal Commission for the
purpose of pressing upon the country and
upon congress the Importance of CONNECTS
ing the waters Of Lake Michigan and
those of The Mississippi by means of the
proposed canal. There are fifty>one citi-
zens thus associated. None of them, as
the Graphic is able to state with all posi-
tiveness, has the slightest interest, direct
or indirect, present or prospective. in the
proposed construction of the Hennepin
canal except such as is really possessed
by any public spirited citizen desirious Of
extending the advantage of cheap trans
portation. There is, then, no lob IN
this enterprise. II there were such, then
such gentlemen as ex-Mayor Franklin
Edison, l.. J. NJ. Stark, George 3. Doug>
lass, T. b Thurber and A. B. Miller of
New York, Hons. VIM. Bross, c. B. Far
we'll Garter Harrison and J. c. Dorc, and
Messrs. L. T. Letter, Murray Nelson,
Jesse Spaulding, Z. F. Lawrence, G.. G.
Bonney, and still others, well known
citizens OF Chicago, would not have their
names appear rs those Of members of the
commission Nor as certainly would
any one of the several scarcely less ennis
ncnt gentlemen who, with those named,
are associated in an effort to obtain from
congress due recognition of the imports
ance Of the immediate opening up of a
completed all water route Of transporta-
ton from the upper Mississippi TO New
York.
1t should be noted, also as related
and weighty argument in behalf of the
Hennepin canal, that the western outlet
OF that channel would be only a very
short distance from the United States ar
senal at Rock Island. That arsenal. OF
which about S10000;000 has already been
expended by the government, is soon to
rank as the largest establishment of lis
| kind in the world. In the event of for>
eign war the value of the Hennepin canal
to the Rock Island arsenal would be in
calculable.
| A bill authorizing the construction OF
the Hennepin canal, and making an APP
preparation of 100000 for beginning
of that work, is now before congress. Il
was last session favorably reported, anC
with unanimity, by the committee on
railroads and canals. 1t has, also, re-
ceived the earnest approval of large
majority of the committee on rivers anC
harbors. 1t would almost certainly have
passed the house last session could il bu
have had the opportunity for full dis
cussioh of its merits so earnestly desired
| by its friends. Congress shonld order
such Just consideration without delay
Then the bill will certainly be enacted
into law, and the greatly needed Henne-
pin canal be placed in the way of earl!
construction by the United States. Witt
that grand work completed the great al
water route of transportation created il
the Hudson, the Erie canal and the lake
would no longer have its western termin-
US ,at Chicago. Instead that terminus
would be on theupper Mississippi. Thel
would New York harbor and the Missis
sippi be united. Then would the com
merce OF the upper Mississippi valley hav'
that free choice of markets which is 1T
just dues Then would that commerc,
be as free to seek its natural outlet at New
York, Philadelphia. Boston and Balti
more as it is now to 60 to New Orleans
whittier It'll often uDjustly compelled, be
cause Of the absence of the water com
munication to the east which it possesse
TO the south.
Haines Getting Scared
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, Jan 20.-ISpecial.
| IJ,;,oc o,,nI;nJ 20 ATavor No(Hraar,, tI,;