Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-03-13

DAILY States.)

In the Judgment OF Inc OCatc0,
relief from food disaster for the peo-
pie who live in the lower Mississippi
Valley is more likely to be obtained
through the Ransdell- Humphreys
bill, which embraces the army en-
gineers' well matured plans for con-
troll of the river, than the undigest.
ed scheme of Mr.. Newlands.
One is a practical measure, carry
ing with it reasonable annual appro-
priation. The other is a measure
whose merit still remains to be de-
termined and which proposes to
commit the government to an ex-
penditure doubling that Of the Pan
anna Canal.
An element of the people OF Louis
lana holds a contrary view. 1t does
MT question the incalculable benefits
that would flow from the passage OF
the Ransdell- Humphreys bill. But
it thinks that eventually there will
be better chance to enact the other
bill because it offers financial sops
to SO m.ny different sections that it
will prove a vote-getter in the House
and Senate.
Nevertheless, there is one propo-
sition on which the people Of the
lower valley and particularly OF
Louisiana are united and that is that
it is the duty of the Federal govern
ment, largely or wholly, to relieve
the alluvial states bordering the
Mississippi Of the burden they have
borne of controlling the flood waters
of thirty other states.
A large and representative mass
meeting of citizens of West Baton
Rouge and neighboring parishes was
held at Port Allen on Thursday. The
Governor attended and spoke. Ad-
vocates of both measures now pend
ing in Congress we're present. But
instead of dividing into hostile
camps, each indorsing its favorite
bill, as happened here some months
ago, the meeting confined itself to q
broad and earnest appeal to the
President and Congress to recognize
the Policy Of Federal control Of the
nations great water artery, and as
sumo the grievous burden which has
for so many years been unjustly
shifted. to the shoulders of four or
five states.
1t is to be regretted that the spirit
manifested at the West Baton Rouge
meeting was 30 lacking in the state
wide meetings held here last year.
If it had not been, Louisiana would
not have had to present herself at
Washington in the attitude of a
house devided against itself, and
thus seriouly impaired her influ-
ence.
The question of Federal control
and the form and extent it ought
properly to embrace is now subject
of much investigation by members
of the Cabinet and the heads of var
ious government divisions at WASH
ington. The result will determine
the policy of the administration in
respect to food regulation. While
this investigation is in progress it
would hardly seem to be the part of
wisdom for Louisiana to engage in
agitation over the respective merits
Of the two measures. What they
ought to do is to follow the example
act by the West Baton Rouge meet
ing of advocating the principle Of
Federal control without attempting
to urge either plan upon Congress.
Due to the efforts of Senator Rams
dell and Mr.. Humphreys the Missis-
sippi river feature Of the Newlands
bill has now been recast to include
all the essential elements of their
own bill. Whichever bill is adopted
by the administration, therefore,
equal relief is assured the lower
valley.
| NJ 81 A. ~. ~