National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-01-23
was clear that tho police would not shut
their eyes to a resumption Of thoir prac.
Lices.



EDITOR NArIoNAL REPUBLICAN | see by the
dispatches In your paper that the Mississippi
river flood Is at the danger line again, an oc
currenco that Is annual. the disasters attend.
ing being simply a thing Of degree.
Why, then, not allow tho mon who propose
TO remedy this annual scourge do so7 The
men aso well.known New York capitalists and
practical men, with ample means and credit to
| 10 Whlt they Propose, II the cost were millions
Instead OF n Tow scores Of thousands. want
TO state the cuse tersCly:
These gentlemen propose to make an outlet
| into Lake BOrgne, for the discharge Of the
| Hood waters Of the Mississippi, four thousand
feet wide, which would double It's dscharg.
ing capacity This would, they claim, and
calculation supports such claim, couiinc the
water within the natural banks Of the river.
Objection is made that 1t would tendto lessen
The securing force Of the current In the Jetties
~ The mouth. These gentlemen, on the con.
| trary, contend that II would have the opposite
| cncCt-bccuuse, owing to resisting currents
| as now, the tide rises at Lake BOrgne ten ~
thirteen hours earlier than at New orleans.
| This tide flood then, Of p inches, would dow
through the jetties, aud being salt water and
| heavier than the fresh of the river would be
| ~ the bottom, and thus increase the securing
| force of tho current The fact Is so simple as
| to prove Itself by mere statement
! think II must be clear to every intelligent
| mind that the free outflow Will naturally con
| hnc the river within its banks, and If 50 con
HlitNt Vuu lntTe De any pOhslDlc CuhlCt loi
snOalinN This is the object Of all leveo i'm.
| prOvemcnt and certainly the same power that
! would prevent sholling within loyees Will DO
| 50 within the natural banks.
| IL the outlet does what the men who are
willing TO test II ut their own xpense claim, II
is the cheapest thing ever undertaken for the
government aud the people OF the Mississippi
| valley; II II don't do so the men are able TO
| lose the money and no one Is injured, nor is
the treasury out a single dollar. And
| more, not single existing plan OF
Improvement is lnterfered with, but di-
Teetly aided. If the people Of Louisiana ia !,
ls proposed they would see not only rellet
| rom Hoods, but the reclamation OF twenty
million acres Of the finest sugar lands OF the
| world and the absolute protection from hoods
| Of the sugar interests of the state
am perfectly aware that there are many
theories discussed and projected. 1t is not the
| object or purpose Of the outlet company to op.
| pose or altagonize any of them. They are
willing TO concede to Capt Eads and others oil
| that Is due them as engineers, and they would
| rather aid IL they could than obstruct their
plans and designs. Tho great struggle is TO
| get rid of the Hood water. Hundreds OF thou
sands Of dollars are annually voted for the re-
| lief of the people along the line OF the river,
ls 1t not reasonable,ihen II the capacity odds
| charge is doubled, or more, thereby relieving
| the country from disastrous overflow, that the
| engineers could construct or reconstruct all
they propose TO do much more economically
and effectively than when they have the flood
| TO contend With
contend that common sense tells us that
| In the salt water passed through the jetties
aud the Conining the river within its banks
| both projects arc aided according to the prin.
| ciplc ON which they are respectively pro-
Jeced by the proposed outlet than without.
Why not then, IN the light of common
sense aud economy, give these gentlemen
| what they ask In the bin now before the sen
| ate Committee2 IL 1t succeeds, II saves mil.
lions to the treasury and redeems the Missis
sippi valley. II IL don't, the government Is
not out cent and no existing interest or plan
| injured, but on the contrary helped. Congress
| ought not TO hesitate IL day. / am simply O
citizen of the great valley and hope
| PRACTICAL MAN.