The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1899-11-04
The Convention at Memphis for the
Improvement of the Western
Waterways.

ment Of Western Waterways, obeyipg
the behest of the convention which
convened at Davenport, Iowa, In
1897, has called convention TO meet
in Memphis on Tuesday and We'd
nesday, the l4th and 10Th inst.
The labors Of this convention will no
doubt have far-reahcing effect on
the Improvement OF our inland
streams and Great Lakes, and the
influence these Improvements will
have on the development of our in
terror and foreign commerce is be-
yond calculation. Statistics on APP
preparations show wonderful in
crease in shipping on the rivers, and
still larger increase and more won
derful development of our carrying
trade through the formerly inaccessi-
bic channels which connect our Great
Lakes, This convention will be one
of the most important ever held, and
it will be of especial interest to the
cotton belt along the Mississippi
river, as many projects for the Inn:
provement of cur waterways will he
brought forward, none of which will
he of greater Importance than the
plans for levees and the Improvement
of our great river.
Congressman Ransdell thinks it
very necessary that there should be a
large attendance of our prominent
people to insure the passage OF
favorable resolutions. We are vitality
interested in securing appropriations
for our levees, and it is very essen
tial that as large delegation as pos
sible should go from East Carroll
We urge the people to take some
action as soon as possible in this
matter. Delegates should be APP
pointed who will not only attend, bu
who will work for liberal appropri
atoms from Congress. Hon. j. E
Rausdell will attend the conventiol
and will use his utmost influence
towards securing liberal apprQpria
tons for our levee system. Tn
governors of States and mayors O.
cities have the authority to appoin
delegates, and we hope our mayo
will take some action in sending
good delegation The Levee Boarc
will be we'll represented, and the en-
tire Fifth District should be well an,
fully represented also.
The Executive Committee on tn
improvement of the western water
3 WAYS has issued a circular letter iron
f New Orleans, under date of Octobe
18th, 1899, urging all sections OF tn
country whose interests are involves
to send delegates. Among othe
: things the circular says:
Zone of the objects which will b
likely to come before the convention
=. will be the question as to the govern
ment control of the levee system OF tn
: lower Mississippi Valley. The pre-
gress made in the last ten or lively
years in the work of levee building ha
9 been most remarks able. 1t is perhal
not too much TO say that. except as
certain limited sections. the levet
which now exist are practically suff
cient to withstand the greatest flood
! The enormous financial interest benin
these ievees cannot. however, be cor
tent with anything short of absolut
: safety. The Government has bee
: quite liberal in extending its aid to th
riparian owners. who have taxed then
selves to a degree scarcely known els'
: where. The levecs which now ext
are the result of this joint effort of tn
riparian owners and the goyernmen
There are many reasons in the jud,
: ment of those who dwell in the lowe
4 valley why it is impracticable to hay
: protection except through Governmel
: control, and the effort will be doub
' less made in the approaching Congre'
to bring this question up for considers
o ton. 1t is exceedingly intsrestin.
J. whether it be regarded as great wor
4 of protection which would bring bal
f piness ard prosperity to many thou
ands of people. and add enormously
the national wealth, or whether it
regarded merely as great enginee
ing feat. No work of such magnitut
has ever been undertaken elsewhere.
Equal in Importance with any of II
questions to be considered is the cal
OF the navigation of the Mississippi
i river and its harbors from Cairo
:. New Orleans. Congress put this wol
under the continuing contract syste
), and provided the means for four year
. That time has expired and the annu
allotments have been expended. Th
last Congress. though it passed a rive
and harbors bill at the last short sc
sion, made no future provision of al
kind for this long stretch of river. ar
IL nnless there Is a rivers and harbOr b