The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1885-04-18
The River CoHyeHtloR--HoDeful
Views.
IN. O. PicaYune.l

N. o. Picayune.I
The proceedings of the great
river Improvement convention
yesterday, reported elsewhere in
this issue of the Picayune, will be
read with the greatest interest
and, we may add, with unalloyed
satisfaction. The convention was
In the strict sense representative
of the commercial interests of the
valley, and its voice will have the
greater weight because of its high
character and manifested pru-
dence. 1t was beyond every doubt
most heartily in favor of improve
ment, and resolutely restrained
every sort of individual prefer
ence in order that the fnndamen-
tai desire might stand forth with
naked clearness. In this respect
it surpassed expectations. There
were reasons, many and warm,
why perfect selfrestraint could
not be anticipated; yet we defy
any similar body to convene with
less exhibition of individual will,
or to more completely suppress
partisanship Of every shade and
description. It showed what a
community animated by a common
impulse can do in this direction.
1t indafged no reproaches. tols-
rated no angers, and permitted no
asporsions. 1t went steadily
straight forward to its purpose,
and we have the result in call
for the advancement of the great
national work whose necessity is
SO deeply felt and whose enemies
are hereby pronounced the enc.
mics of the whole united valley.
1t will be impossible for Congress
to doubt the valleys wish or to
hesitate in its course. The i'm.
provement has survived its period
of depression, and takes its place
as the irresistible demand Of %,
600, 900 people.
The failure Of the last river and
harbor bill was not in any respect
due to any failure Of the work OF
improvement, so far as the same
has progressed. The failure Of
that work is not to be assumed
from the washing out of few
thousand feet of revetment in a
rapidly caving bend /; and we take
pleasure in the knowledge that the
very measure of the shortcomine
of the engineers hath this extent
not more. We would unhesitat
ingly support the work of i'm
provement even IL ten times the
amount of actual loss had accrued
it is not possible to conduct ope
rations of such nature against the
powerful current of the river
without some loss. 1t is only by
endeavoring to protect the banks
at endangered points that any pro
lection can ever be provided
the endeavor is always in the ma
ture Of a doubtful experimen
and no engineer will risk his repu
tation on the assertion that th'
work at q certain point will Ger
tainly and undoubtedly be a sue
cess. lie knows only that he il
dong the best ho can, and realizeI
that the current may beat him bacl
more Than once before he gets |
secure grip. We cannot come I,
an end Of occasional breakin,
until we can obtain from Congress
more regular and liberal appro
priations. So long as an enginee
can do q part of his work at
certain point, and leave it exposed
to the floods of one or two year
before he is given means to com
plete II, he cannotsavoid occasion
al breaks. We should not evel
think the matter worth commen
at all, or anything more than tn
usual brief news mention, If it ha'
not been made the ground o
wholesale accusations against tn
engineers, accusations that woul'
be ridiculous If everybody wer
an engineer and consequently abl
to place exact weight on sue
statements.