The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1911-02-08
!. OUR WHARFAGE RIGHTS.

Probably enc of the most important
matters that has come before the
people Of Cairo and the state of llli-
nois for many years past, Is the re.
pot of the Chipeffield committee re-
lating to what is generally called land
grabs by private persons and corpor
atoms ON the river and lake fronts
OF cities in the state The committee
Was in Cairo to learn something OF
tht situation here. but its report
states that It had not the necessary
time or funds To make a thorough In
auiry nnre Yet 1t learned enough
tc feel that Cairo In very much In the
same position as East st. Louis. ir
thai she Ia absolutely and hopelessly
atSthe mercy If private owners or
corporations, 30 far as its wharf privi-
leTAs and conditions are concerned
4 1t appears that the committee does
not accept as final for Cairo the iudg
nent of the federal supreme court In
the Ensminger case, cited by Judge
Iansden in his History OF Cairo"
Whether or not this decision finally
settled the matter is likely to be made
the subject of another thorough in
quiry by the supreme court OF the
state. It NAV be and it is to he
hoped that the court win take the
broad view taken by the committee,
tfat the eople's rights along navi-
gable streams can not be taken from
4 them and held to their serious injury
for personal profit, as has so lono
Y been the case In river cities in this
4 state anil In others.
What the metropolitan press thinks
#nf the matter is stated in the follow.
ialg editorial excerpts from st. Loui
and Chicago papers;
The Peoples Estate.
The report of the legislative con
inittee on submerged lands ought II
awaken the people OF Illinois to a
truth The Tribune has been trying
to hammer into the public conscious
ness,
Namely: that conservatism Is a
vital Issue In Illinois today.
OF course, as good American citi.
zens, we are interested in the preser.
walton Of tine resources OF Alaska, the
forest lands OF the northwest and the
east, the water power of the west.
Hut public spirit, like charity, be
u gins at home. and 1t Ii up to the PEG
Y Pile OF Illinois to realize before it Is
too late, and it is now very late, tina
they have great problem Of conser.
walton to settle here within the Dor.
ders of their own state.
The Tribune has said this about the
deep waterway issue. That issue has
just entered most dangerous stage
"A stage that. unless the people wake
IMP and act, Is likely to foreshaiow
their conclusive defeat in the fight
that for a decade has grown hotter
ami hotter while they slept
the speaker or the house has Just
u named a committee whose chairman
\ Representative Smejkal, Is the repre-
sentative in the house OF the oh.
Il strnctive plan. and he has majority
B of hts committee with MIN. At best
4 that means more delay, more evasion
of the attempt to conserve the water
power values created by the taxpay
ers of the sanitary district for the
public benefit It may mean Its de
\ feat.
Az for tine report on submerged
Y lands. II 20 much az one-tenth OF 1t.
estimates and allegations Is true, thu
case n bad enough to arouse the self
interest of the most sluggish Of com
uapnitips
" The truth n undeniabis that fol