St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-12-05

the report of the Mississippi River
Commission just made and hardly yet
published, gives the very latest opin-
ion of the commission upon the levee
question. and is SO comprehensive and
pertinent that we give it at length,
towit:
1.-THE past flood established, more
clearly htan has any previous one,
both the Importance and the practi-
cability Of a complete and sufficient
levee system. In its present condi.
ton, incomplete both as regards ex-
stantial protection 70 three-Quarters OF
which under food conditions without
levees, would have been lake from
twenty to eighty miles wide from
Cairo to the gulf. This improvement
made during the past six years has
reduced the number Of crevasses be-
tween Cairo and New Orleans from
thirty-eight TO six. OF the area over
flowed this year, hve-eighths was the
direct result of back water from the
lower ends of the basins and overflow
through unbuilt parts OF projected
lines and only three-eighths from
breaks In the levees, Notwithstanding
their unfinished condition as regards
both grade and section.
"Under these circumstances the i'm
portance Of the earliest practicable
completion of the work Is apparent.
If the food damages Of 1908 may be
approximately estimated at five mil
lions of dollars, the previous expendi-
ture of that sum in permanent work
would have largely, If not entirely,
prevented them. Every years delay
in completion incurs the risk Of SINH
lar loss. When the system shall have
been completed, the cost will have
been increased by many millions of
dollars, and the development Of the
valley delayed by many years of anx-
iety and disaster, which could have
been saved by continuous work on a
scale commensurate with the impor-
lance and magnitude of the improve
ment The State levee districts re-
alize this. Most Of them have antici-
pated their revenues as far as prac-
ticable, and several have now under
consideration plans for such increase
of resources applicable to the work
as will shorten the time of compile
ton. The commission is so impressed
with this view of the subject that it
considers 1t for the best interest of
the work to now make contracts for
levee construction to the extent of
two million dollars as provided for In
the River and Harbor Act of June 80,
1902, from the amounts to be appro-
priated for the fiscal years ending
June 80, 1905, and June 80, 1906. Fur
thermore, it suggests that if congress
should think proper to make addi-
tional provision for levee construction
during the fiscal years ending June
30, 1905, and June 30, 1906, the sum
of two million dollars in addition to
the amounts already provided can be
judiciously and advantageously ex-
pended during each year."
Fifth-l1 addition to the protection
Of the lands of the Mississippi valley
from the floods, it is matter Of SUI
preme Importance that the mind of
the nation should be kept constantly
advised of the
Commercial Importance Of the Mis-
sissippi
river as highway Of commerce. The !
marvellous growth of railroad building !
within the last quarter of a century |
has so diverted the attention OF the !
public from the Mississippi river as q |
means Of transportation that it has |
been to some extent lost sight Of. It |
has remained, however, q constant |
safeguard against undue rates of trans |
portation and promises, in the near |
future, to become once more as active |
q factor in interstate commerce as 1t |
ever has been in the past. This is |
owing, first, to the almost unparalleled |
increase in industrial activity through
out the valley; and, second, to the
demonstration that, by means Of n.y.
draulic dredges a sufficient channel
for low water navigation can be Sc
cured and maintained. We earnestly
express the hope that the work of the
Mississippi River Commission in this
direction be pressed as rapidly as can
be properly done, with view to open
that the people may fully enjoy the
extraordinary facilities which it is
capable of supplying for the cheap
tiles. Levee construction, is undoubt-
edly, essential, even if all thought OF
the fertile lands of the val
|
levees, all river commerce during pc
RODS of overflow would necessarily
cease. se. - =. -
Sixth-The work Of levee construc-
ton has been carried on by the CO.
operation Of the United States gov
eminent through the agency of the
Mississippi River Commission, with
the levee organizations of the several
riparian States. OF the amount .ex-
pended in this work, the government
has contributed, in round numbers,
about one-third. The people have
subjected themselves to heavy taxa
ton in furnishing their contributions
until they have already overburdened
their resources in this regard. It is
the opinion of the residents Of the
great valley that the difficulties and
of the work and the vast
benefits to result from it, are such
that, in common justice. the burden
should be placed upon the strong
shoulders of the Federal government.
and that the work should be urged
10 speedy completion. BY suitable an
nual appropriations, this can soon be
thus securing not only
safety, but great economy. There
lore: - a
Resolved, That, in the Judgment of
this convention, the protection OF the
valley form floods is OF
such national importance as not only
10 justify, but to make it the
Duty Of the General Government
10 undertake it and press 1t to the