The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1890-05-24
CONE Up MEMPHIS.

An Avalanche reporter met yester-
day Col. W. IL. StOvall formerly a
leading lawyer of Memphis, now a
planter in COahoma county, Miss, and
President Of the Yazoo-Mississippi
Delta I.evee Board. The reporter cor
neTcd him and elected from him the
following statement: =.
MY immediate object here is to call
the attention of Memphis merchants
the Importance to Memphis of taking
an active part in the work now going
on. | am an old-time Memphian and
l love Memphis and her people. But
think ii was great misfortune that
Memphis displayed so little interest in
the Vicksburg convention. This con-
vention for the first time took steps to
perfect working organization. In
few minutes in open meeting there
was subscribed about $4,000 by Louis
vile, st. Louis, Cairo, Vieksburg, New
Orleans and other points, but not
cent from Memphis, | believe. A COM
mittee was appointed to 90 on to
Washington from which point | have
just returned.
"When this committee arrived in
Washington the outlet cranks seemed
to have everything their own way, and
John Cowden boasted that the outlet
men were on top. But this was soon
and entirely changed. Before the SEN
ate committee appeared five members
of the Mississippi River Commission
Gen. Comstock, Ernst, Suter, IIarrod
and Fladd. Also two army engineers,
Capt. Leech and Capt. Kingman; three
civil engineers, Maj. Startling, Maj.
Dabney and Capt. Thompson, and
Others, such as Capt. Shields of the
Anchor Line, Capt. Gould of St. Louis,
Col. Yerger of Greenville, Col. b. ID.
Woods of New Orleans and myself.
AS you see, all men conversant with
the Mississippi River. Now everyone
of these men simply secuted the outlet
theory and every one indorsed the
levee system. Gen. Comstock and
Col. Ernst had some doubts as TO the
cost as compared with the results to be
accomplished, but admitted that levees
did great good. | think the sentiment
Is now unanimous in the Senate Com
mittee in favor of liberal appropria-
tions for levees. A great gain to the
cause is the support of the organ of
the Farmers Alliance, which is pub
lished at Washington. This is called
the National Economist, and is heartily
in favor of our system This will help
to create healthy and proper public
sentiment
"What is to be done with the money
raised y asked the reporter
"Well, we have appointed perma-
nent subcommittee to remain at Wash
ington the whole time, and we have
rented headquarters.
"An elaborate presentation Of our
ideas and system has been prepared.
Twenty thousand copies are to be
printed aud distributed throughout
the West, especially to educate the
people to correct knowledge. AT
present we hope for and expect to urge
liberal appropriations, but ultimately
our plan Is TO get Congress to assume
charge of the whole levee system as a
national work and appropriate Sl0,-
100000 or whatever may be necessary
to erect permanent system of levees,"
"Are you looking after aid from
Memphis p
"l am here for that purpose and ex-
pect to see Memphis take hold Of this
as she does of everything, with public
spirit and enthusiasm. have already
spoken to several merchants and all
express the greatest willingness to do
their full share. II was a matter of
universal wonderland surprise at Vicks-
burg that Memphis of all places in the
valley should be so apathetic. knew
IL was simply an oversight and so
stated. But unless quickly repaired, |
fear II will cause unkind criticism.
But on this score | have no apprehen-
sions. | have received the greatest en-
couragement from Mr.. Woodson, pres
ident of the Cotton Exchange, and
from many of your cotton kings. The
hall IL now rollinUv