Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1898-01-13
RIVER AND HARBOR LAWS,

The Atlanta journal is very
timely when it said that the re-
assembling Of congress-, for the
real work of the session, after
the preliminary ante-holiday
skirmish duty, makes it proper to
recur to one of the most impor-
tant subjects of speedy legisla-
ton.
At the time of the recent Tusk-
aloosa convention (the formulated
result of whose work we have not
SEEM, we took occasion to point
out the fact that perhaps the
most important work, SO far as
material interest of the South are
concerned, was that cut out by
the rivers and harbor committees
of the congress.
Indeed, as we showed the I'M
provements of southern rivers
and harbors is in no sense local
OF sectional, but wholly national.
They are the natural outports of
of the grain, meat and manufac-
turing products of a vast tract Of
northwestern and western terri
tory, which cannot reach the sea
without them; and without the
rlYers behind those ports. TIC
much of that great producing
section it is vital to thave water
transport to market its grain and
meat at any profit; and especially
to reach those marts OF Contra
aud South America. for whose
trade the press SO vainly clamors
as long as the ports remain un
improved.
st were needless to repeat here
the twice told tale Of the practi'
cal monopoly by British ano
German enterprise of a trade
rightfully belonging to the Unit
ed States, by the God-given ad'
vantages of shorter line anc
therefore Of cheaper transit. We
need not remind intelligent law.
makers that a piumb-line drop.
ped from Chicago will ground its
lead in Mobile bay, or that New
Orleans would but slightly de.
feet it from the perpendicular.
Fortunately these facts are now
we'll known, and fortunately
too. the rivers and harbor com.
mittees are built of sound anc
not wind-shaken timber. The re,
cent progress south of the mem
bers, when they specially in
spected the Gulf ports, has
proved this conclusively. They
made careful and intelligent re
search; aud they went back lader
both with full Information ano
with better appreciation of the
people Of the ports, as we'll a:
-of their commercial necessity te
the general prosperity of a whole
people.
Hon. W. B. Hooker, of Ere.
donia, N. Y, took peculiar in.
terest in this matter. He is chair
man of the river and harbor com.
mittee of the house, and can be.
come a great power for good by
utilizing the information acquired
or hat ins lection. That he viii
do so, we have little doubt; for
Mr.. Hooker is a brainy as we'll a.
a fair-minded man; and his Repub.
llcan politics are not likely tt
stand in the way of his pationa
usefulness. He was deeply i'm
pressed with the Importance ant
necessity of these ports, and equal
ly of the waterways tributary e
them; and we look for good fruit
to result from the seed of infor-
nation thus planted in the brait
of a thoughtful, influential and hon.
est congressman.
The committee should bear il
mind that the spending of public
money for such improvements ii
ever more economical when it il
spent in great sums at nee. Thu
refux injury of time, on partly
completed work, is thus minimix
ed; and results obtained are no
only greater in effect, but als'
cheaper in the end; as we'll as be-
ing more speedily utilized for the
greatest good of the greatest mum
Der. Thus liberality becomes no
only political, but practical, econ
omy; and we commend to the hon
orable chairman that of time
good advice of the bloody thane
IF 'twere done. when it is done, the
'twere well
It were done quickly"