The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1890-05-10
A CAMPAIGN or EDUCATION.
ICommercial Herald

During the levee convention just
closed "a gathering that in our beliefs
destined to mark the beginning of
new.and brighter era In the history of
the Mississippi Valley one of the ablest
delegates said that in order to succeed
in carrying out Its object the newborn
Mississippi River Improvement and
Levee Association must begin q cam
paign of education. This sentiment is
the keynote of the movement and was
at once recogized as such by that bril-
liant assembly, as Is demonstrated by
It's action at the time and subsequently.
BY reference to our local columns 1t
will be seen that, still dominated by
this idea, the newly appointed execu-
tive committee will hold its first ses-
sion in Washington, d. c., on Thurs
day next, thus literally carrying the
war into Africa.
Fully recognizing, as we do the fact
that the ablest business men In the
Valley are guiding and leading this
campaign we refrain from offering any
ADVICE. Otherwise we might suggest
that a bureau Of information be estab-
lished in Washington with one or
more capable engineers to answer
questions involving the interests con-
cerned aud to furnish practical solu-
tions of doubts and difficulties in
short to enlighten the candid and in
quiring representatives on the subject
ofthe Mississippi river.
There Is one point, however to
which public attention must be direct
ed aud upon which 1t must be fixed.
All campaigns cost money, and the
campaign against ignorance and pre-
judico, against honest, though mistak-
en-, conviction in many cases, no doubt,
will bo no exception to this rule. All
former efforts in the direction in which
the Association is now bending its
steps have heretofore been psralyzed
for lack of means. It must not be SO
in this instance; there must be no re-
treat for want of the sinews of war
and the fight must be maintained until
the victory Is complete. Money must
be secured in liberal and constant sup
ply. On the floor of the convention o
good beginning was made when $4 800
was subscribed in few minutes. Ad-
ditional subscriptions have since been
sent in, as will be seen by reference to
our local columns. But this is not
enough, nor should the executive COM
mittee be forced to depend solely on
such contributions. The organized
commercial bodies Of st. Louis, Louis
vile, Cairo, Memphis, New Orleans and
Vicksburg, the levec boards and the
parish and county authorities should
take hold of the financial part of the
campaign and each contribute its quota
towards keeping our little band of
trained soldiers in the field and sup
plying it with ammunition. We do
not mean to discourage aid from pri-
vate sources but on the contrary COM
mend it heartily and will keep stand
ing in our columns list of contribu-
tors, which will be added to from day
to day as new subscriptions will be re-
ceived. All such should be sent to the
Delta Trust and Banking Company,
the Treasurer Of the Association.
In this connection It may not be
amiss to remind Vicksburg that = large
portion of her commerce is drawn from
regions liable to inundation and that
the lands of hundreds of her citizens
are protected by the lcvees. We are
satisfied that her business men will not
be found laggards in contributing to
advance the interests of the Mississippi
Valley and with them their own.