Year: 1877

Courier Journal


The st. Paul Pioneer Press, in an edi-
torial on the commerce Of the Missis-


"The railroad development of the
country has been 80 won derfully rapid
and SO vast, ssad now plays 80 conspic-
uous and controlling part in the ma
chinery of our inland transportation,
that we are sometimes apt to lose sight
of the vast commercial importance Of
our lake and river systems, and in this
Upper Mississippi region, at least, we
have been SO intent on developing and
extending our artificial lines Of transit
by rail that we have almost wholly
neglected our natural water lines, espe-
cially that great artery OF internal COM
merce, the Mississippi river, and have
thus for the time being practically pre-
ferred the more expensive to the cheaper
modes Of transportation. But this
diversion is q temporary one. The
position and course of the Missis-
sippi river, running north and south
through the great interior valley OF
the continent, and whose trunk and
navigable tributaries wash the shores
of eighteen States, are such as must in
evitably control the direction OF our
inland commerce. For It's course



of that commerce., across
latitudes in the direction Of the con
trasts OF climate and production, and
though the tendency Of commerce
around the world for number Of
physical reasons is in an east and west
direction, and the entire transconti-
mental railroad system of this country
follows the law which establishes this
great east and west current OF trans
mundane exchanges, yet it is still true
that what may be called the cyclical
movement OF internal commerce, for all
the great valley Of the Mississippi runs
naturally in the direction Of its current
across the zones Of wheat and corn, and
pork and cattle, and cotton and sugar
to the sea, which Is their common outlet
to the great tracks Of ocean commerce,
following the Gulf stream to Europe"


1t is this subject of making available
this common outlet" which the con-
vention which meets at st. Paul on Oc-
tober II will discuss.


The st. Paul Chamber OF Commerce
has urged sufficient appropriations to
secure permanent depth of five feet
from St. Paul to Rock Island. Hitherto
a pitiful sum Of a few thousand dollars
has been devoted to improving the river
between those points, while millions
have been spent in the endeavor to
make an artificial water channel from
the Mississippi to Green Bay, an enter
prise which has very much the appear
ance Of a job. There is now a general
feeling in the Upper Mississippi valley
that the river should be improved as a
competing channel Of trade with the
railroads. We do not observe that the
Chicago Tribune has yet opposed the st.
Paul Convention or its object, but we
presume it will be heard from, as its posi-
tion is that the improvement Of the
navigation Of the Mississippi river in
any form is a proceeding entirely ''sec-
tional' in its character. That Journal
took different view Of the appropria-
tions and land grants through Republi-
can legislation from 1862 to 1870. It is
only recently, since government aid OF
an extremely moderate character, and
not in the form Of a subsidy, has been
asked for the Texas Pacific Railroad,
and since the subject Of protecting the
banks along the Lower Mississippi from
inundation has been agitated, that the
Tribune has become very virtuous on
the subject OF the expenditure OF the
public money. The Tribune even op-
poses apt. Eads' jetties, and charges
him with unlawful designs on the
Treasury.


The charge Of 'sectionalism" in ad-
vocating a we'll regulated stage OF
water in the Mississippi and protection
from its ravages from st. Paul to the
Gulf is simply absurd. There is as
much necessity to the whole West and
South for the improvement of the Mis-
sissippi as for the improvement Of the
Danube and it's mouths to several ma
tions of Europe. The one stream is as
national in its character as the other is
international.


It is true Chicago is not dependent on
the Mississippi, for she has water
route to the East, besides her numerous
railways; but Chicago represents a
very small interest beside the interests
of the Mississippi Valley. That enter
prising city has secured breakwaters
and piers, paid for out of the Treasury
to keep the water from injuring vessels
and other private property; but the
Tribune insists that while it is well to
protect these private" interests in the