The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-03-09
GOVERNMENT AIDS
IN CONSTRUCTION
LARGE SUM GOES For WORK ON
LEyEEs OF MISSISSIPPI
RIVER.
GLENN COMMISSIONER
Jt uIsDfCTIoN FROM HEADwATERs
TO MOUTH OF THE PASSES,
WITH MUCH SIDE
POWER.
GLENN COMMISSIONER

WASHINGTON D. G. March S.
After years Of repeated pleadlngs the
advocates Of government aid TO le-
wee construction an the upper Missfs-
sippi river have won the rivers and
harbors committee to substantial rec
IGNITION OF he soundness Of their
views. The appropriation OF $1,000
GEO 10 be spent by the Mississippi riv-
CT comm 5sstan in reyetment work and
levce construction on both the upper
and lower river showing the strength
of those who are Interested in this
movement.
Among the constant friends of the
upper levee region are. two distin-
Eujshed members of the house whose
districts are dlvidedhy the Mississippi
riyer-Speaker Champ Clark. of Mis-
souri,, and Representative Henry t.
Rainey, OF Illinois. Both Of them ap
peared before the committee IN the
past 10 present their pleas and have
fortified their arguments by abundant
testimony as 10 the great good accom-
plished by local levee construction un-
aided by the government. In the prep
aration Of the pending river and har-
Dor bin Speaker Clark while leaving
no doubt of his position, entrusted to
his friend and neighbor, Mr.. Rainey,
the discussion before the committee
of the entire subject Of government
aided leyee building
Two things in this connection have
been extremely gratifying To both
gentlemen, one the action OF the COM
mittee and the other the appointment
If Edward A. Glenn, of Missouri, as
rivil member of the Mississippi River
commission Mr.. Glenn, nose home
IL at Louisiana, Mo, in Speaker Clark's
district, has made a close and fruitful
study Of levee construction In connec-
ton with waterway Improvement.
Gratifying Appointment
TT was capital appointment"
said Mr.. Rainey today, "one that is
especially pleasing to our people and.
! am sure, viii prove popular through
out the Mississippi valley"
MIR. Rainey speaks enthusiastically
Of the outlook for the perfection of
levee system for the Mississippi river
and in good time for all rivers of the
country flowing through lands sub
ject to floods.
"rhe organic Mississippi river COM
mission act said he, gives the, COM
mission jurisdiction from the head
waters to the mouth of the Passes, but
appropriations to protect lands from
foods have heretofore been provided
only for the lower river. Two years
ago provision was made for levee pro-
lection as far north as Cape Girar-
deau, Mo. and this year II is intend
ed to push the work to Rock Island,
! ILL.,, 500 miles north Of Cape Girar
/ deau This important step means that
! hereafter the federal government Will
/ lend Its aid in the construction of le-
wees on all rivers that overflow our
wonderfully valuable and reclainlsble
alluvial lands. 1t is clearly a legiti-
mate as well as a wise governmental
proposition, coming as it does within
the commerce clause of the constitu-
ton, even though the levee affords
only landing place for boats"
/ Something of the huge benefit
achieved already solely by private en-
terprise in his congressional district
was told by Mr.. Rainey.
In my district there is a stretch
of fifty-two original levee districts. of
which twenty-six have been built by
local enterprise, so that by raising the
money necessary by land assessment
ZIG miles of levees have been COM
pleted BY the proposed appropria-
ton 7S2, 600 acres of land Will be re-
claimed and be brought TO an annual
protective value. of not less than $35-
900. GOO. We have leveeS In Illinois
that haYe been built fifty years. These
levees sometimes break, and great loss
is suffered in very valuable property.
our levees are more easily built and
more enduring than those on the
toNtt ilNti- Ntil itfti ifoW 10 hpA sun
iect to ficlSle channels, the banks don't
crumbIe over and over. they always
afford a landing place and the channel
integrity is preserved
National Problem.
= "The Mississippi river is a nation
al problem, and Is distinctly recog-
nized as such by three political par
ties in their national platforms. With
! lis navigation and vast drainage area
properly cared for, we shall come to
realize what a matchless treasure we
have in that world S granary that lies
; between the Allegheny and the Rocky
Mountain systems and the transcen-
dent Importance If improving all the