St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-01
TIE Mivsis.ippi Ricrr Commirsfon.

The Mississippi Ricrr Commissfon.
The Mississippi river commission was 1--WE
thInkl organized by the exertions Of those
especially rSerqsted in the Mississippi river
below Carr. a tsis stretch OF tue river no
work osgadlca FIN roSement had ever been
atteinpte i'by tie general government pre-
vious to the organization OF the commits
sion.
When the com mission was first organized,
1t was 1--WE thinkl generally supposed their
jurisdiction covered the entire Mississippi,
iucluling the upper Mississippi, aud during
the first year of tine commission, its mem
beers made lastly inspection over the entire
river from St Paui down. The result Uf this
inspection was their unqualified approval OF
all plans b"ing carried out. Bat AZ the work
Of improvement between St. Paul an.i Cairo
was at that time going on under
the supervision Of the engineer
corps Of tie army, the commission did not
assume any special charge over the work. In
the river and harbOr bill, approved August2,
1882, under the items of appropriations for
improving the Mississippi river from Des-
MONIES r. ills - the mouth Of the Illinois,
and between mouths OF Illinois and Ohio, a
reference 10 rXecGling work in accordance
with plans of the commission was made; but
the presentation OF projects 10 and approval
OF the same by the commission WIS the only
result.
The river and harbOr bill, approved July 5,
1884, again contained worlinY which con-
nectrd the Mississippi river commission
with the "details OF work ON the sections of
the river above referred te, and these sec
tons have now passed under the control OF
the commission, and cut Of the hands Of the
engineer department. The special action
OF congress, placing the above referred
70 sections under the commits
sion, indicates that originally they
had 10 jurisdiction as regards detail; or the
upper Mississippi. This Is in accord with
customary ruling that the Mississippi aud
upper Mississippi are different streams. That
is, the upper Mississippi Is tributary OF the
Miss,ss ppi, as are the Missouri and Ohio,
over which tie Mississippi River commission
exercise no Jurisdiction Il ia thought posi-
bic that au attempt Will be made in tae river
and hIrbnr bill, which Will probably be
passed by the present ngrrss, 10 extend thr
authority cf the commission over the balance
% the upper Mississippi, that Is, the portion
between St. Paul and the Dcs MOines
rapids.
Il cannot Of course. be argued that any
special evil woGid result from such a change
in administration further than the more red
tape Is wound around any work the more
troublesome the work becomes. In
duubtedly the same pans as have been
worked under ins six years would De con-
unued. Bat There is this 70 be said against
q change: The Engineer Corps Of the War
Department were carrying. on this Work when
the commission was Organized, and have
continued TO carry it on; and It is believed
they have carried Il on sue eessi1llY and
economically, securing, according TO the
verde; Of the practically In formed and most
interested. most creditable results. Tne En-.
ginecr Corps commenced the works aud
against opposition have proved the correct
ness Of their plans aud have converted Op-
position into strong support Now that sue
cess Is assured, and the time for giving errdit
has arrived, il seems hardly Just that the
work should pass Rnder the general charge
Of another organization.
II would therefore appear that il 20 good
Is - result from a change, II there is no good
reasDu for tskiag supervision out Of the
engineer corps and placing i IN the hands
OF the AississipFi. rtEeT commission, iaai
justice would GeTnand that the work Of i'm
tt"'f~- N1N ~s4sNrt@,tf'fit taNgl AAtn - all
10 the Drs A0-nes rspiGs, be continued on the
sane basis ~ heretofore.
The same rsuIzFks as are made above refer
also 70 the improvement of the Mississippi
from the DSs Moines rapids 70 the m0uih Of
the Illinois and TIE improvement Of tae Mis-
sissippi oetEeen the mouths Of the Illinois
and the csiO. On both OF these stretches,
as between -. Paul and Des MOiues szpics,
/ the engineer corps we're carrying on tue
So-S satisfactorily before the commission
vas organized. and there existed no neces-
I siiE for change 10 the gCuerII supervision.
( Ieis Is especially the case between toe laaatbs
+ Of tue limos and Ohio. Major Ernst, Of
I the engineersY In charge Of fhat1so-k, has
7 accomplished below s. Louis more 4sso3ish-
I Ing results. aud 20 him add bis corps the
I credi: OF this work should Be given. As Il
( nov stands, us Eork viii b known As the
] work q TIE 4ississlpps river commission,