The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1885-03-28
The attack on the River Commission.
IN. o. Picayune.r


IN. o. PicayuneI
The call for a convention of the
friends of river Improvement, TO
be held in this city, April Z, 1885,
should be needed by every CON-
mercial organization in the Missis-
siPpi Valley. The entire scheme
of river Improvement is in danger
at the hands of the supporters of
Capt. Eads, a man whose schemes
are numerous and pretsntious.
Every Board of Trade, Chamber
of Commerce and other like or
ganization of persons directly or
indirectly interested in the busi-
ness of the river and its tributa.
ries, should take pains to be careful
ly represented at the approaching
meeting; otherwise nspjudgment
will be entered against the River
Commission for which we have all
been working hard these ten years
and mere, and whose method of
improvement is no sooner begun
to enter on trial than it is assailed
for selfish purposes.
If the Commission does not re
ceive the support, the unwavering
support, of the valley in the pres
ent crisis, we shall bid long fare.
we'll to appropriations for improve.
ment of our navigation by Con-
gress, and shall have to make the
whole fight over again do noyo,
before any representatives of the
States not interested will give us
his ear. All the friendliness which
has been evokdd by faithful dis
cussion in and out of Congress,
and by the dissemination Of in
formation obtained ou the spot by
committees Of inquiry sent down
the river on investigating tours,
and by the news of our great dis
asters by food during the period
of the discussion, now will stand
at the back of the Commission and
push it forward in its work of i'm.
provemeut, if the false friends of
Improvement can be withheld
from stabbing the Commission in
the back. The temper Of the
whole county has been shown by
remarks and votes in Congress,
and has proved itself friendly.
The country has, been fairly con-
vinced of the situation. We can.
not expect support in wavering
policy. We cannot hope to win
on a series of experiments, none
conducted to conclusion. The pur.
pose of establishment Of the Com
mission was to prevent conflict Of
judgment regarding the method
of Improvement. 1t was dcliber-
ately designed that the valley
should have no judgement, but
should put the work in the hands
of the Commission Of experts,
most of them skilled Government
engineers of known achievements,
and having put it there should
leave it there unquestioningly. 1t
was the intention of the great
leaders who planned the measure
that those engineers should be
given unhinching support and
abundant time in whicn to carry
forward whatever plan thay should
adopt. Yet we see now pretended
friends Of the valley and of i'm.
provement scattering broadcast,
by indians of telegraph, reports re-
flecting on the incomplete work OF
the Commission, impugning the
Commissions skilled judgment
regarding the best means fol
reaching the objective end and
even falsely accusing the Commits
sion of an "extravagant policy" ol
revetment an accusation SO made
as to convey the impression to un
informed persons that the policy
of revetment is that which special
ly characterizes the lower river
so that one would infer that the
lower river was to be improved
by revetment and the upper rivel
by something else. The further
false accusation is made that sale
revetment policy has failed, ans
that its failure has broken dowr
the confidence of the friends o
improvement.
In o matter of so much momen
we are entitled to demand bill o
particulars. Where are these ex
travagant expenditures for revet
menti Where are these failures