The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1891-06-20
GEN. CATCHISGs' SPEECH
Before the Western States Congress,
AT KANSAS CITY Of APRIL Urn on
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY INTERESTS.

AlsSlsslFfi VALLEY INTERESTS
Mr. President, Laties and Gentlemen
Il Is IA matter OF regret, gentlemen or
the eongress, to one who regards nj
question d, transportation as being of
such mag Jude as / do, that 1t should
De postponed until such late hour
when the delegates arc necessarily
failgued and WORKOUT by heir duties
here; for ia my opinion. of All tbe
questions Than have been submitted 10
this congress, there is none that can
compare in importance with this. /
belong To that school OF thought which
can never understand how either in
diylduals or nation eau be made rich
by taxation, and which regards All
taxes as burden, and unjustifiable
except by necessity; therefore. | would
not, if could. underrate the question
oI taxation. The school of thought TO
which adhere, also cannot understand
how II is possible for any nation TO
have too much of gold. or of silver. or
OF both therefore | would not utter
word designed 10 minimize in the least
degree questions pertaining to the eur
rency. But these topics pertain rather
To the country at large, than especially
to us who have come here as repre-
sentatiyes OF the South and West. As
| understood, We have not assembled
SO much for the purpose OF discussing
matters affecting the general welfare
of the nation, as to counsel together.
and ascertain If we can, the causes of
the depression now aillioung the sec
tions we represent and how they may
be removed.
transportation Is the life of every
civilized people. There eau be no real
and practical civilization without it.
When our ancestors first came to
America, they planted themselves
along the borders of the ocean. for its
waters furnished them the means of
transportation. They next settled in
the valley of the Mississippi, because
that gave them transportation faclli-
ties, and for like reason, all the early
settlements were extended one by one
along the banks Of the Interior rivers.
II was only by this means that the
pioneers of this country obtained
transportation for themselves and their
commodities, and maintained their
business relations. II is because with
out transr rortation, there can be no
community advancement aud growth,
which ms be regarded us synonymous
with civilization, that highways and
bridges are constructed or maintained
at the expense OF the public. Ii is by
the same token, that Sovereign States
may, in the exercise Of their right of
eminent domain, appropriate private
property, and apply to it the use OF
the great railways that grid-iron the
continent, aud in the interest of the
public, by suitable regulations, restrain
and control them. Therefore, | un.
hesitatingly affirm that proper trans
portation facilities are absolutely essen.
tial TO the existence Of every civilized
community; and 1t Is matter of pro
found regret that we could not have
had fuller, and free discussion of .
subject of such vital consequence. L
has been suggested here in debate thai
the Improvement of our water ways
may have harmful effect upon the
great railways that have done SO much
to develop and enlarge our commerce
and that from il more harm than good
might result. That suggestion has
been sufficiently answered by the
gentleman who addressed US with such
intelligence a few moments ago. The
rapidly increasing business of this
mighty Republic will furnish ample
occupation for both. In this oonnec-
tion, | will state, perhaps to your SUR
prise, that statistics show that the
commerce entering aud leaving the
city of New Orleans, upon the Missis-
slppi River, exceeds in value ninety
millions of dollars; yet the property
of the railways entering that city has
not been at all diminished.
1t would be a blessing, both to the
people and the railways, If we could SC
develop aud utilize our water ways, as
to have them transport the heavy pro
ducts of the West and South. 1t is
fundamental principle of railway man
agement to put upon traffic all The
charges IL will bear, but the yer!
nature and quality of grain, coal ores
and such commodities makes II difficult
always, ard often impossible, to hau
them at profit Their bulk or weigh
Is so great compared with their value
that they will not bear profitable
charges for hauling. If we coult
relieve railways of the necessity o
hauling coal, cotton, wheat, grain, ores
and like heavy products, and leave tt
them the carrying of the high-prlceo
and more valuable commodities, whlct
require rapid transit, we would solv'
the transportation problem. | believe
IL 10 be fact that under stress of thu
existing state of things, railways oftel
take your grain at rates which restll
IN actual loss to them. This condition
IL abnormal aud harmful, and shoult
not be suffered TO continue, but 1t cal
only be destroyed by the utilization o
those natural highways that our fore
fathers valued so highly, and which II
these modern days have been so sadly
neglected. Now, gentlemen, | CANT
| here to do little missionary work II
behalf of that great river whlcl
stretches its tawny length from th'
northern to the southern boundary o
| the United States, and which, with II
tributaries. offers you sixteen thousan'
miles of navigable waterways.
If YOU win turn your eyes to tn
man of the United States hanging
hefnre YOU. and which, through th
skillful delineatiou of the gentlemal
from Minnesota, who has just ad
drassed you IN SO interesting and IN
struetiye a manner, very graphicall
illustrates the lines of commercla
transit. you will observe that all snip
ments from this section, seeking IN
seaboard, except those bound Tor ID
harbor of Galveston, must on thei
way, at one point or another, eros
that great river. .Ao.
Let me ask, why should not thes
shipments stop when they reach ID
Mississippi River, aud go down saiei
and oheaply upon its broad bosom !
~ G,If If Mexico? What is tn