The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1885-10-26
CHICAGO FOR 1HE CANAL.
The Henne pins Champions in the Gar.
den City.r.Nhat the Great City
Proposes to do this Winter.

Lt"eNp"b Ndiitu Nv oliAt VI l$a"NscN'
| William Bross, president of tho Chicago
Tribune Company. Gov. Bross has all
| ways been one of the most active of CHS
cagos leading commercial forces, yet he
has found time to serve his state at its
capital for four years. and to devote
much time and energy to public interests.
| He has been an important factor in the
growth of his city, having been for thirty
eight years one of its leading citizens. 1t
is fact that to Gov. Bross belongs the
| honor of being among the very first to
advocate internal improvements in the
west Among all the early and late
| frien DIS of ii water connection between
Lake Michigan and Mississippi river no
one has n IN ore splendid record for per
sistent and effective work than he. His
enthusiasm has grown as the years have
rolled by, and to day he is recognized
as one of the leading cham-
pions of the Hennepin canal. AS long
ago as the Rock Island convention in
1878 he was regarded as Hennepn's vet.
Gran. lie WAS present at the Des MONIES
convention, at the Davenport convention.
He was made presiding officer of the great
st. Paul water way gathering in August
last. or every conference and conven-
ton for twenty years whose object was to
reduce transportation charges he has been
an influential part. The Dem0crm of
Sunday contains full account of its
representatives interview, the following
! being an abstract of Gov. Bross' remarks
"The friends of the Heunepin canal
and the people of the west have occasion
to congratulate themselves as they never
had before. The measure has more
friends in congress and outside of that
body than evea before. You find cvi>
dence of this in the st. Paul convention
which was attended by the best men in
| the west 1t is my impression that more
and stronger men attended that meeting
than were ever before present at IA water
way convention
The only opposition to the Ilennepin
canal" explained Gov. Bross, comes
from cranky men everywhere, not from
any particular section of the country.
Any level headed man who examines the
subject will be in favor of it The
Springfield (Mass.) Republican,, the New
York Times and Sun, and the Philauel
paia Times are specimens. They assail the
Hennepn canal because they have the
insane idea that there should be no inter-
nal improvements in the country, and be.
cause the canal, in their opinion would
hurt the railroads. want to say that in
my Judgment if the very men who edit
these papers would carefully examine the
advantages of the canal they would favor
it,
81 am told" said the interviewer, that
Chicago is looking upon the canal project
with more favor than formerlY2'
''Yes, that is true. Our business men
| who understand it or will take the time to
consider it, are all interested / think
Chicago will make united effort before
| the next congress. Our people regard the
canal as an essential part OF the improve
ment of the Mississippi river and the sys>
| TEN which connects the great lakes with
the st. Lawrence. The reason Chicago
has been lukewarm is because business
men have so much to think Of Time is
precious. Now, however they have de
termined to bring it before the board of
trade in such e way rs to secure the sue
cess of the enterprise
Recurring to the enemies Of the l1enne.
pin Gov b. was asked to locate any op
position tina, might come to the front IN
the west. lie said;
II can't locate the opposition There
are mea-ia Wisconsin who want the Wis
c0nsin river made into canal across the
state. They will do nothing for the Mis-
sssippi and Lake Michigan improvement.
There used to be some opposition in st.
Louis, but there is none now in that quar-
ter because we are considering 1t as part
of their own great river. Aud more, they
must have a finger in the pie else they
will not have any pie baked"
in point of long service, ability, and
earnestness Gen. Thomas J. Henderson,
of the 7th district of the state. stands at
the head. He is now serving his sixth
continuous term, although his district has
been changed, and he has never lost an
opportunity to advance the interests Of
the canal. He has made many friends
among congressman whose party views
are opposed to his own. Congressman
Murphy of Davenport, and Neece of the
TNoCh ulSGiitt, nave htGl
good friends OF the canal.
| think Senator Culom of illinois
will do gallant work, and be considered
as the special champion of our cause.
Senator Allison, of your own state. has
been a staunch friend and will continue
to be-
II consider Edward Russell, Of Day
export, one of the main advocates of the
.,,,l Of AL
promoters. Mr.. Russell is the efficient
secretary of the Michigan and Mississippi
canal commission, and has been for years.
He knows more about the transportation
question, as it is related to this waterway
improvement, and can make a stronger
argument than any other man. Give him
that compliment from me, for he deserves
il, and more, too.
With now and then an interruption.
Gov. Bross continued to speak of those
who have been of great service in adyanc,
ing the peoples interest:
There is John c. Dore, formerly pres
ident of the Chicago board of trade. He
is now in Europe He has been in
Washington great deal on this business.
He is one of the most intelligent workers
in the country. He knows what the, can
ais ulC III Wis NouHtIN, III
aud England. | am assured by Mr Dore
and Judge Frye. who is the promoter of
the Florida ship canal project, that the
canals in Germany France and England
are paying better than the railroads. This
act has given an impetus to canal build
ing for the last ten years, not only be-
cause they pay but because they are es-
sential to the commerce of the people
who build them"