The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1913-05-24
ARGUMENTS MADE
FOR NENL.ANDS BILL

TUX NEWLANDS BILL
A committee, composed of Messrs.
R. H. Downsman, Charles Janvier,
Frank B. Hayne, J. H. Fulton, and
John ]. Cannon, prominent business
men of New Orleans, present in We'd
nesday's Times-Democrat arguments
for the Newlands Bill, as follows:
1t is of the utmost Importance to the
people Of New Orleans and Louisiana
at this time that the exact issue as to
flood protection, which Is before them
for discussion, should be made clear,
and that 1t should not be beclouded by
either misunderstanding or misrepre-
sentation.
Two definite and specific plans for
obtaining the immediate appropriation
by Congress of the money necessary
to protect the delta of tho mississippi
river against floods now are heiore
the people. One is the Newlands river
regulation bill, which has nationwide
support, and the campaign FOR It's pas.
sage is being conducted frem New Or
leans through the National Reclama.
ton Association. The other is the
dellHumphreys bill, supported by
the Mississippi Levee Association, with
headquarters at Memphis.
The proponents Of the Ransdell- Hum.
phreys bill contend that levees and re-
vetments are all that are necessary for
the protection of the Mississippi Val
ley from floods. They contend that
money and dirt" are needed, aud moth
ing else.
The proponents of the NewlaLds riv.
er regulation bill which was approved
and introduced in the House OF Repre-
isentatives by Representative Bartholdt
of st. Louis, stand on very much
broader ground.
We abandon nothing. We surrender
nothing. We urge that larger appro-
priations shall De made for levees AID
revetments than are provided in the
Ransdell-Humrbreys bill. But we also
urge that the formation of levee-breaE.
ing floods should be, SO far as possible,
prevented by controlling the foods al
their sources, and regulating the fiow
of the source streams and upper tribu-
taries 30 that the crest Of the food
waves that now come down in destruc-
tive volume would be held back until
a time when the channel would carry
1t without overflow or damage; and, in
addition, we urge the immediate con-
struction Of all other safeguards which
can be built in the lower valley from
Cairo to the Gulf, such as great con-
trolled outlet and food water channel
through the Atchafalaya country from
the Mississippi river to the Gulf of
Mexico large enough to carry the ex.
cess of any food Of the future, no mat
ter how great or extraordinary, sup
plemented by other controlled outlets,
spillways and auxiliary channels at
other points on the river between the
head of the Atchafalaya and the Pass
es.
We advocate the Newlands bill be.
cause we believe that If an adequate
levee system, fully protected by revet-
ments, be supplemented by source
stream control, and by a system Of
controlled outlets and spillways with
auxiliary flood water channels, the
food menace will be forever lifted from
Louisiana. Under the Newlands bill
we would have Uncle Sans guarantee
that this comprehensive system fol-
food protection would be maintained
through all future years.
All this Is provided for In the New.
lands river regulation bill. It Ia con