The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-16
OUR VALLEY.
AN INTERESTING COMPARISON BE.
TWEEN TIE NILE AND THE
MISSISSIPPI.
GOI, LOCkett at Baton Rouge Delivers n
Most Entertaining and interest
Ing speech ON the subject.

Ing speech on the subject.
Editor Dem0crat-Among the interesting
episodes which traDspired at Baton Rouge or
the fourth Of July. none attracted more atten
tion, or elected more favorable comments
than the valuable address Of Col. Lockett, de
livered by request, at the close of the com
mencement exercises of the Agricultural anC
Mechanical College.
Col. Loekett chose for his subject "a Com
parison of the Valley of the Mississippi with
the Valley of the Nile" After rapid and
most graphic sketch of his trip from Bator
Rouge to Cairo, Egypt, the speaker entered
upon the subject which he had chosen, anC
held the attention of the large audience spell
bound during the whole time OF Its delivery
i sincerely wish your readers could have en-
ioyed the pleasure of hearing the whole ad'
dress, but as that was denied them L am Ell
abled, through the kindness Of the author, to
give them the benefit Of the closing part OF IT,
And in this connection permit me TO REUTER-
and indorse the sentiment which was so finely
expressed by all who listened to Col. L0ckett,
namely: What O pity Louisiana should nave
lost SO valuable a man; and more the pity
that she cannot now induce his return. 1t
may not be known to all your readers that
Col. Lockett has In manuscript book de-
scI1ptive of every parish in the State, accom-
panied bya map showing at a glance the
quality of the soil of each parish, and also by
sketches Of the most striking features in each
parish taken on the spot This work is still
In manuscript and could be had by the State
on the most favorable terms. Gould not our
Legislature be induced to have the valuable
work published and spread broadcast over
the whole country? / venture to say that no
other State in the Union would permit such G
valuable work TO remain in obscurity. What
a valuable publication it would be for our
Bureau of Immigration to have for gen
eral distribution. Each parish in the
State would want few hundred copies,
and the cost of publication, In com
parison to its value, would be insignificant
II | have not occupied too much space al
ready, would like to say q word as to the
success and prospects of The University aud
Agricultural and Mechanical College, which
+ closed its first session ON the occasion above
referred to. All things considered, the ses.
sion just brought to close may be considered
success, and | trust an earnest of better
things in the future. The military bearing OF
the young cadets was noted by all, in spite OF
the heavy fourteen pound muskets which
they carried. The agricultural feature of the
the honest purpose of the board to put this
department in operation as fast as possible
The board at its session to-day set apart q
portion of the funds at its disposal for the de-
yelopment Of the farm, and instructed the
commission intrusted with this work to en-
ploy O superintendent Of the farm, who is to
be a scientific man, to aid in putting the farm
and garden in order. The farmers Of the
State may be assured that while the present
board hold their positions, the agricultural
and horticultural departments will receive
every encouragement. / say this the more
willingly because many of my friends have
known that was opposed to the union of the
two schools. There was an honest differ
enGe of opinion on this subject, but
now that the union IL an accomplished
fact it behOOves all to aid In making the very
best school possible for the State. We have
money enough for our immediate wants, and
for that we do not ask but what we do ask
from our fellow-citizens Is, that they show
their sons to be educated at this institution.
The board is making every effort to do It's
duty. Will you do yours, parents of Louis
lanai r, Ell. RYLAND,