The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-02-02

of country, strong effort should
be made to see that he gets the
place. Our police jury will meet
next Tuesday and our city council
on Thursday, and We suggest that
both of these bodies prepare strong
endorsing Mr.. Ransdell
as a member of this committee, and
forward them to the Speaker of the
House of Representatives. Every
thing that we can do in assisting
Mr.. Ransdell in getting on this
committee should be done, and
without any delay.
The Times. Democrat says:
There seems every reason for be-
lieving that Hon. j. T.. Ransdell OF
the Fifth Louisiana District will be
chosen to succeed Gen. L. G. Catch
ings as a member of the rivers and
harbors committee on Gen. Catch
ings retiring from Congress. He
will have the support of the Louis
lana and Mississippi delegations for
this position, and no one will dispute
that these States have a claim TO the
membership to the committee. OF
all the twenty odd States drained by
the Mississippi river. no two are
more vitality interested in river i'm
provements or more deeply con-
cerned in all the many problems
affecting "the great father of waters
coming before the rivers and harbors
committee, and which constitute the
most important work of that COM
mittee.
1t is, therefore, necessary for the
various interests of Louisiana and
Mississippi concerned in the i'm
provement of the river to do all in
their power to secure the appoint
ment on this committee of man
like Mr.. Rausdell, who is fully ae-
quainted with the subject, who I'M
stands the needs of the lower alluvial
States and who will make sure that
the committee on rivers and harbors
continue to pursue the policy that
has resulted in the completion OF our
levee system and protection from
overflow.
In the fight made for levees, to
convince the Federal government OF
its responsibility in the matter OF
caring for this great national river
and protecting the land from the
floods poured down on US from
above, Louisiana and Mississippi
Congressman. backed by the people
of their States, have played the lead
ing part, have overcome the prejudi-
cies that existed and have induced
the Federal government to recog.
nize it's. full responsibility in this
matter.
Gen. Randall Gibson started the
movement in Congress when, as a
member of the House from New Or
leans, he was appointed on the rivers
and harbors committee. Congress,
largely persuaded by him. voted a
handsome appropriation each year
for rivers and harbors, but there was
a strong prejudice at that time
against any money for levees; and
the most that Gen. Gibson could do
was to secure an appropriation for
the improvement of the Mississippi,
coupled with the provision that none
of the money could be used for the
construction of levees except where
such levees were necessary for the
improvement of the channel and the
better navigation of the river.
In 1882 Gen. Gibson left the
House for the Senate, to keep up IN
the latter body the fight for river inn
provement. Mr.. n. c. Blanchard
of Louisiana, succeeded him on the
rivers and harbors committee, upon
which he served for eleven years,
five years as chairman. resiging that
position to accept seat in the Sem
ate. Under Mr.. BIanchard's leader
ship another most important step
was taken relative to the improve
ment of the lower Mississippi, and
particularly the construction of
levees. Mr.. Blanchard broadened
The demand Of the lower river States,
and demanded in their name not only
the Improvement of navigation, but
the prevention of floods, as one of
the obligations of the Federal gov
ernment. He worked earnestly to
that end, making a tour of the West
and speaking frequently there, show
ing the reciprocity of interests that
existed between the lake country
and the Mississippi Valley, and he
finally succeeded in removing the
prejudices against levees.
The united interests carried through
the rivers and harbors bill of 1892,
which contained new departure of
policy in regard to the attitude of
Congress towards the Mississippi.
Prior to that date, as already noted,
the Mississippi River Commission
had been hampered by restrictions
placed upon the expenditure of mon
ey for levee purposes, it being al
ways stipulated that the money used
in building and repairing levees
should be expended only when levees
were necessary adjuncts to channel
Improvement"
IL took ten years to convince Con-
gress on that point. The rivers and
hsrbors bill of 1892. which was pre-
pared by Mr.. Blanchard as chair
man of the committee, authorized an
expenditure af SIG, 100000 on the