Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1886-11-19
CANAL CONFERENCE.
The Meeting of the Commission at
Chicago Yesterday
Prominent Men Speak for the Projet (
"A Committee 10 Washington
Election of Officers.

SHiCano ytspeludy ID tdhtu'
The Michigan and and Mississippi ca
nal commission held its annual meeting
at the Grand Pacific hotel yesterday.
Commissioners Murray Nelson, William
Bross, of Chicago. Col. Utley, of Dixon,
and L. B. Ray, of Morris, were present.
In addition there were present Congress-
men L. Z. Payson, of the Ninth district;
William III. Niece. of the Eleventh dis
trict. and I. J. Henderson, of the Seventh
district-all of lllinois-and Jeremiah
Murphy. of the Second district, and Ben
lamin Hall, of the First district-bolh of
iowa. The four Chicago congressman
were conspicuous by their absence. The
meeting was called to order by Gov.
Bross, and upon his motion Col. J. E =.
Utlev. of Dixon, took the chair and Sen.
ator Ray acted as secretary Gov. Bross
stated the object of the meeting was to
arouse public interest in the Hennepin
canal, and to see what could be done to
secure its passage during the coming
session of congress. He recounted some
of the benefits to be derived from the
canal, and declared that it was essential
to enable the farmers OF the northwest to
compete with the wheat raisers of Russia
and Asa in supplying Great Britain and
Europe with wheat.
Congressman Murphy expressed great
disappointment and displeasure at the
lack of interest in the Hennepin canal as
shown by the absence from the meeting
n nj al nd oit
would receive more benefits from the Ca
nal than any other point; yet, with ten
times the interest and five hundred tunes
the financial strength of any of the Mis-
slssippi towns. it did not do as much for
the Hennepiu canal as any of the small
cities on the banks of the river. He
wanted that fact published. The most
important time in the history of the Hen
nepin project had arrived. Illinois had
gwen the Illinois and Michigan canal to
the government upon the condition that
the government should connect it with
the Mississippi river by building the Hen
uepin canal within five years. That
time will expire in November, 1887
The bill is now the first on the calendar
Of unfinished business. Congress would
meet on Dec. 6, and during the two
weeks 1t was necessary to use every ef
fort to have the bill considered. Chicago
should send its representatives 10 Wash
ington before Dec. 6, and be on hand at
the opening of the session. He inquired
if there were any members of congress
from Chicago present. Receiving no re-
sponse. he replied warmly that Rock Isl,
and, Moline, and Davenport would send
delegations. He would leave for the east
Immediately, and while there would try
to induce Master Workman POwderly to
60 to Washington at the opening of cou>
greSs and add his influence to the more
than six hundred petitions already pre-
scented to congress for Henuepin by the
Knights Of Labor.
Congressman PAyson expressed great
surprise at the lethargy of the Chicago
men in the Hennepin project If any
thing was to be done within the next five
years, it must be at the coming session,
and if there was united and determined
effort upon the part of the friends of
Hennepin, it would be carried through
Mr.. Murphy, he said, had declared that
if the Hennepin bill was defeated he
would do what he could to again defeat
the river and barber bill. but he didn't
want it published. He PaysOn) would
make the same declaration, but he did
not want it published. He wanted every
member of congress who had an AK to
npIn in hn VII nd har hi to
derstand that vote against Hennepin
would secure his vote and influence and
labor against the river and harbor bill
Hennepin he regarded as deserving of
appropriation as New York harbor. The
treasury is so full of money derived from
in disposing of it. What, then, was a
paltry SIS 900. 900 for an improvement of
such immense benefit to so large a secs
ton of the country. The revenue dis,
trict in which Peoria is located pays a
larger revenue than any other district in
the country. and it is Immediately tribu-
tary to the Hennepin canal. There was
no reason why it shouldn't be built
The question was how to induce con
gress to build it. From that meeting
delegation of representative public and
business men should go to Washington
and make the congressman vote for it by
them of its true character as
a national improvement. Many demo-
Gratis, from the south especially. were
opposed to congress building 1t because
it is located entirely in the state of lii
nOis, and they would regard its c0nstruc>
ton by the government as unconstitu-
tiOnal. Those men should been seen
aud convinced of their error.
Congressman Hall stated that for sev>
eral years past Iowa legislatures had in
structed their senators and representa-
lives to support the Hennepln project
1t should go before congress as an in
d ependent measure, and not as part of
the river and harbor bill If Chicago
would do lis duty in the matter by send
ing proper delegations to congress it
would stand good chance to go through.
He declared the Hennepin canal to bear
the same relation to interstate commerce
as the SueZ canal bears to international
commerce. NO piece OF ground ike
dimensions in the world would connect
such important waterways.
Congressman Henderson. introduced
by his colleague. Mr.. Murphy, "the faith
er of Hennepin," recounted the career of
Hennepin in congress. and stated that he
believed the Hennepin and river and bar
Dor bills should be divorced. He was
inclined to believe everything would de
pend upon the report of the board of en-
gineers appointed to investigate the
Hennepin project. He believed the re-
port would be favorable, and if so. there
was good chance for the bill, and even
if it should be defeated in the house the
senate would attach it to the river and
harbor bill.
Congressman Neece said there should
be thorough organization of the friends
of Hennepin, and Chicago could organi re
a movement and bring friends to Wash
iugton, and if necessary, antagonize every
measure with it until the members of con>
rrpss WOuld give Hennppin its inst dues