Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-04-21
WANT MILLIONS
TORECLAIMLAND
Money Asked Of Congress
Would Also Insure Against
Floods in the Future.
STATES MUST GIVE HELP
Bills Introduced Provide for Federal
Expenditure Of 100000, 900 In
Five Years.

during the early days of the first ses-
sion Of the SD congress, and which
probably have escaped attention by
reason Of the change in the admin
istratton OF the government, provid-
ing for the relief of food sufferers in
the Ohio and Mississippi valleys, for
flood prevention through the building
Of reservoirs, for the deepening of
rivers, etc, probably none will COM
mand more general attention than the
bills introduced by Senator Ransdeu
of Louisiana and Representative
Humphreys of Mississippi on the first
day OF the session appropriating
funds to prevent floods on the Missis-
sippi river and to improve navigation.
These bills are identical and pro-
vide for an expenditure of 100000, 900
to cover a period of five years, S12,-
100000 to be made available July l,
1914. OF this $4,000, 900, and for ev-
cry year thereafter until the full
amount is utilized, three-fourths, or
$4,000, is to be used each year for the
protection, repair and construction of
levees and the balance for bank re-
vetment work and for work in the in
terests of navigation.
STATES MUST HELP.
The appropriation OF this large sum
OF money, however, is conditioned up
on the states, or 1evee districts in
terested, appropriating a sum equal
to one-third allotted to each levee dis
trict affected by the bill
This amount, carried over a period
of five years, it is believed, will COM
tween Cape Girardeau and the head
of the Passes as will give immunity
from everything but extraordinary
floods, and safeguard against such
floods as that of last year and the
one now sweeping down the valley.
In this connection, it may be said
that the bill embodies the ideas of
the Mississippi River commission,
which has been studying this vast
stretch of water for upwards of 30
years, and it contains the best
thought of the best minds of the Mis-.
sissippi valley, brought in frequent
consultation to devise practical plan
for the prevention of food jevasta
ton.
And what are the interests behind
this bill of Messrs. Ransdell and Hum
phreys? 1t will be supported with
practical unanimity by the p.opIs in
the overlooked delta of Missouri Ken
lucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missis
sippi and Louisiana, with the ,,spc, ia
backing of the powerful Mississippi
Levee commission, with headquarters
at Memphis, Tenn.
INTERESTS ARE VARIED.
So varied are the interests the REQ
pie of the United States have in tn,
Mississippi valley that i. is onl,
through a concrete recitation OF then
that the country gets fair knowlodg,
of their extent and the ramifcatiC n.
: of their activities.
The overlooked delta of the Missis
sippi valley contains $4,000 squar,
, miles, in round numbers $4,000, 0nt
acres of the most fertile soil in tn,
. republic Within this dominion Their
is a large section especially adaptet
, to the production of the long stapl
> cotton so largely used by the New
I uSIduO IL Iul6 SECllOE FsDult
be thoroughly protected from over
. flow there seems to be no reason VIII,
another pound of long staple cotto
need be imported from Egypt, but IN
r stead, it would raise enough cotto
3 not only to supply our own mills, bu
: to change the balance of the lon
Z staple cotton trade in our favor.
EFFECT FELT FAR.
= When an overflow occurs, however
+ not only is the immediate eountr
, laid waste, and 100 different indui
tries put out of business, to say mott
D ing Of lives and property destroyet
0 but the farthermost commercial el
terprise feels its effect, for the peopl
OF the Mississippi valley use a va,
quantity of manufactured goods, "a
, RIGS OF the richest as well as til
p p]ainest kinds, machinery, farmin
implements, live stock. etc, cor