The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-05-04
AN UNFORTUNATE PARALLEL.

The New York Tribune Of Sunday at
tennis in an illustration to ind an argu-
ment for protection in the MISSISSIPPI
levee system. President Mckinley is rep
resented as standing on the banks OF the
river. with spade in hand, directing the
work of Reed Dinghy and other mem
beers of Congress in strengthening me
leyee
II seems to us that this illustration
u.s. from the Tribunes point of view most
unfortunately chosen We showed IN an
article in Sundays PAPER, that the whole
levee system is a dismal failure, and that
the people along the line OF the river are
I'm revolt against il. The mistake has
been in interfering with Natures laws
Man has tried to wrest from the river an
area which IL needs whenever concurrent
thav-s at the head waters Of the Missis-
sippi Missouri. Ohio, Cumberland ana
Tennessee rivers occur. By building
levees tho river has been robbed OF its
natural outlets. so that the food breaks
it's bonds and works destruction. Ii is
said by those most Interested that an
occasional overflow of the bottom lands
is really beneficial. whereas through the
crcyasse the rosistless current PUSHES
upon the lowlands IN its fury, and does
mcalculable damage. destroying both lie
ana property. Bat for the levcc the pres
ont floods would long ago have found
their natural outlet 80 tie gulf. But by
building these dykes the bed OF the river
has been raised. and while one section
may he protected by the lcvee system,
this protection IS secured ~ tire expense
of other sections when the ieree breaks.
Tho natural laws Of trade are just as
sure as ihc laws OF nature I'm the physical
world. and TIE current of business can
no more be restrained by laws without
injury to business than can me Missis-
si9pi be restrained by levee5 without dis
asirous Hoods. II it we're possible TO
make the levee system 50 complete so as
10 give natural protection TO all sections
through which the Mississippi flows. the
system might be justified, but il has been
shown that one leyee demands another
levoe And so one res .rictivc law de-
mands another restrictive law.
In the illustration which the Tribune
furnishes we note that the proteciionists
are II work at one point only. On the
bank Of the river are numerous manufac-
turing plants. and the protectionists are
| busy erecting there high barriers of Isl
oc,' cent on wOollea goods "Ji per cent.
on silk goods" "53 per cent. on pottery,
| ard so on while this point on the river
is 'protcctod.' other points appear to be
left TO the mercy OF the Hoods.
A telling Illustration IS this OF the in
Justice and iniauity Of the entire proiec-
ton system. II all classes were inclcded
in It's benefits. II might be justified. but
the system makes only a sham pretence
OF protecting all Its benefits are be-
slowed upon fayoiites at the expense OF
other classes.
Ry way Of pareEihesis. we remark here
that Coaeressman Allen, OF Mississippi
said. In an interview printed in one OF
the Sunday papers. that he was opposed
10 the levec system because IL protected
at government expense the rich bottom
lands, which were capable OF producing
from one to three bales OF cotton 10 the
acre. while the uplands at the very bes
could produce only about eQelhaU = hala