The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-28
THE NEXT ASSAULT.

templating an open assault upon the
federal treasury for a trifie of some
$50, 0OO 900 to begin with with an annual
appropriation of perhaps half as much
more, for the maintenance and protec-
ton of their levee system This whole
battle was fought out years ago, to
what was then supposed to be finish.
A raid was made upon the federal
treasury to compel the government to
assume charge of the levee system
along the Mississippi; and to build and
maintain, at it's cost, great dikes that
would protect property not only in the
delta region of Mississippi and Louisi-
ana, but up the river as far as over
flows occur The proposition met at that
time a deserved defeat. The adequacy
Of levees for protection on the Missis-
sippi has been hotly and successfully
| disputed. Congress did not dare to throw
upon the people Of the whole country
the vast burden of protecting the low
lands of the lower Mississippi by the
barbaric method of levee building, that
carries in it's own history its sufficient
| condemnation. Neither did it dare to
assume for the federal government the
burden of public improvements purely
local in their nature and benefits. So,
| for time, the matter rested. Under
| the beneficent influence of compelling
men to rely upon helf-help, the people
of the lower Mississippi states went to
work to look after their own levees.
The states were divided into assess
ment districts, and legislation was OBJ
| tanned authorizing the collection of a
state tax for levee purposes. With the
funds so procured the levee system Of
Louisiana was strengthened, extended
and improved, and great progress was
made in those of other states.
Now, however, under the debauching
influence of vast appropriations made
by prodigal congress for everything
under the sun, the people Of the lower
Mississippi are once more ready for a
| demand that the rest of the country
come to their assistance Why, indeed.
| should they not? They have before
them the spectacle of a congress tax
Ing everybody for the benefit of some
body else. The people upon the plains
! of Kansas, Nebraska and the Dakotas
are to pay 81 a thousand more for their
!, lumber because the millionafres of a
/ few other states demand it. The peo-
pie of the entire country are to pay
more for their sugar. ostensibly in the
interest Of the Louisiana planters and
the owners Of a few scattered patches
of sugar beets, but really to swell the
Golfers Of Messrs. Havemeyer.
Spreckels and the rest. Why should
not the states that now tax their peo-
pie for levees be relieved in similar
FASHION? Besides, what a temptation
and assurance there is in recent appro-
priation bills. With a river and harbor
OIL, passed at the last session, that
carried some $50, O0O, 900 for internal i'm
provements of doubtful value and with
a straight steal of about $4,000. 900 in
the last sundry civil bill for river and
harbor jobs, why should not the lower
Mississippi people pull their plum out
Of the pie? OF late years appropria-
lions have been made and spent bv the
river commission for levee purposes
contrary to our fixed policy. but wink
ed at by those who handed over the
money
With the spirit that is now abroad
ana reVellng at Washington in the very
safety of excess-the spirit of suueez-
ing ever more and more millions out
Of taX-ridden people to be scattered
! In bonuses with a lavish hand-why
shoulo not the leVees come in for their
share? 1t matters nothing that the levee
system is as old as the history of China
and as futile to protect the dwelIers
OF the low lands as the Chinese loss
Is TO grant the prayers of his votaries.
1t matters nothing that the experience
of the Mississippi valley people them
selves shows the absolute inability Of
any leVees that can be built by human
hdHuS " CoElFOl the vast volume of
that river in flood time, or to guard
against crevasses and periodical mum
dations. 1t matters nothing that no
scientific system for the management
of the great river Of this continent has
been worked out or even plausibly sug
gested.
The situation is simply that the peo-
| pie of these states find themselves. ow-
ing to their situation, because they in
s1st upon occupying fertile lands that
are sure tC be submerged once in so
often, weary of bearing the burdens Of
their own defective methods, and unable
to devise better; and they have caught
the idea that whoever, in this republic.
finds himself doomed to unpleasant ac-
tlvity or subjected to uncomfortable
drains upon his cash resources should
turn to the government for help. All
the lessons of recent years have taught
the people to do that: and the uniform
success Of every recent attempt to loot
the treasury, with the single exception
of the temporary defeat of the Mica
ragua canal job, inspires the lower Mis-
sissippi valley with the belief that it.
too, can sit down in comfortable idle
ness and impose the charge of its ex-
istence upon the rest of the people.