The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1892-04-02

Claims-Action by the Legislature.
JEFFERSON CITY, March 21.-Gov.
Francis to-day transmitted the follow
ing special message to the Thirty-sixth
general assembly relative to the inn
provement Of the Mississippi river:
STATE OF MISSOURI,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
JEFFERSON CRY. March q, ls92-)
The Thirty Sirth General Assembly:
GENrLEMEN-It is difficult to overestimate
the importance to Missouri of the improvement
Of the Mississippi river and the securing of .
good stage Of water from the mouth Of the
Missouri to the jetties. 1t would cheaper the
transportation Of our surplus production to
the consuming markets OF Europe, and
every decline in freight rates works q
corresponding advance in the value OF the
products exported. The people of the Missis-
sippi valley have for years been endeayoring
to impress upon the federal congress the claims
for special attention possessed ty the Missis-
! sippi river. The large increase IN population
during the last decade in the states washed by
the Mississippi river and the large proportion
which these states contribute to the wealth of
the county, justify the federal congress in sep
arating the Improvement Of the Mississippi
river from the general river and harbor bill,
and in giving to the great inland sea" a con-
tinued annual appropriation OF sufficient mag
nitude to insure a depth Of eighth feet Of water
from the Missouri river to the gulf at all sea-
sons of the year.
The commercial and manufacturing associa-
tons of st. Louis, realizing that low-water
rates to the ocean regulate the freight charges
on all rail shipments between the Mississippi
river and the Atlantic seaboard, have united
in a movement to impress upon congress the
necessity of providing literally for the i'm
| provement of the Mississippi river. A bill for
l @h.A ,,--o- -. I11~ .N-l,.-l -, ~. ,A-
ate, and made the special order for Tuesday,
March -. A memorial to the Fifty-second
congress, prepared under tho direction of the
commercial organizations and the municipal
government Of st. Louis, and fa~voring a sepa-
rate annual and continued appropriation for
the improvement OF the navigation of the Mis-
| sissippi river, is presented herewith l recon-
mend that you take such action as will
strengthen our senators and representatives in
the congress in support Of this worthy move
ment. DAVID r. FRANCIS, Governor.
After the message was read both the
senate and house passed the following
resolutions:
WHEREAS, A memorial of the merchants ex-
change of st. Louis, the industrial bodies and
the municipal government of the city of st.
| Louis has been presented to the congress of the
United states Ia copy of which also has been
laid before this body setting forth the neces-
sites OF the mississippi valley In respect TO the
transportation of their products AMI the per-
manent Improvement of the Mississippi river;
and,
WHEREAS. The complete and comprehensive
views of the facts therein contained conclusive
ly proves that the improvement of the Missis-
sippi river will go far toward solving the ques-
tion of transportation, affording to the people
of different sections of our country an opportu-
nifty for the interchange of their products at
less cost; and,
WHEREAS. The measures therein advocated
are in the highest degree national in character,
and of special Importance, not alone to the peo-
pie of Missouri. but TO the people of every state
in the Mississippi valley; therefore belt
Resolred, by the senate, the house of repre-
sentatives concurring, That our senators and
representatives to congress be requested to
give their earnest support to the measure pro-
posed in said memorial to the end that the
main channel of the Mississippi river may be
permanently improved and made a highway OF
commerce to the people of all the states in the
Mississippi valley.