The Opelousas courier., 1884-06-14

The Centennial Commissioners ex
pressed regret in their report that the
resources of the States and Terrific
ries of the West and South were lot
fully represented in 1876. Profiting
by experience and having become
aware of the great benefits of exposi-
tions. 80 States and Territories have
already applied for space at New Or
leans. The manufacturers are more
largely represented than heretofore,
and this Exposition is therefore rapid
ly taking all of the national and inter
national significance Indicated IN the
act of Congress.
COTTON AND IT'S INTERESTS.
1t was originally designed to bring
together all persons engaged in the
culture, commerce and manufacture OF
cotton, with a view of comparing pro
cesses and of devising methods for
improving cultivation, removing COM
mercial restrictions and charges, and
to celebrate the centennial of a pro
duct which clothes a great proportion
of the civilized world. In 1884 the
production of cotton III the United
States was merely experimental, and Il
few bags were shipped for the first
time to England, whose total trade in
cotton was then 11,250,000 pounds
consumed and manufactured. Great
Britain now has 40, ,00G spindles
and the United States makes 2,l50,000
yards of cloth yearly. The first cot
ton factory in the United States was
built in Rhode Island in 1871, at which
time the production of cotton through
out the world was 400, $50, 900 pounds.
In 1883 the United States produced g.
949, 756 bal es, or 3 ,4O5, O7O,4lO pounds, of
| which we consumed l,Il7, S3S, 1863
pounds and exported 1921 ,3I3,992
pounds.
Such an enormous factor in the
worlds commerce seemed to deserve
special consideration in a country
which produces eighty five per e
of the entire yield, and the Herald
urged upon our citizens the impor-
lance of celebrating the wide CONNER
cial distinction primarily conferredupon
our country by this staple, by holding
an exposition in the chief metropolis
of the nation.
Atlanta, Ca, held an Exposition in
1881 which was intended chiefly as a
cotton exposition, aud the results
were of a highly satisfactory charac-
ter. but it was not as comprehensive
in scope as the subject justified. New
Orleans has been chosen as the loca-
ton for an exhibition designed to cele-
brate the centennial of cotton exporta-
ton from this country, and at the same
80 49,, L.ca -, o,I.ls4 sc A. rv,,1lf,
industries.
INAUGURATION o THE ENTERPRISE.
The enterprise was augurated by
the Cotton Planters Association of
America in 1882. It was indorsed by
act of Congress, approved February
10, 1883, which declared that a Worlds
Industrial and Cotton Exposition
should be held under the joint auspices
of the United States, the Gotten Plan
ters' Associationof America and the city
selected, and that it should be national
and international in its character. A
board of management was appoint
ed by the President, also commission
ers for each of the States and Terrific
ries. The act of Congress required the
President to invite the governments
of the other nations in the name of the
United States, and provided that ex
hibits should be admitted free of
duty.
The immediate cause of the determi-
nation to hold such an exposition was
the expression of a general desire
among the more progressive agricultu-
rists and industrialists of the cotton
States to provide a means whereby the
people of all nations could obtain a
knowledge of the resources, capacity
and products of the Southern States
of North America and at the same time
enable the people of these States to
align themselves with the universal
spirit of progress which distinguishes
the present era, but the enterprise
has grown beyond these bounds, and
now bids fair to be an Exposition Of
the worlds Industrial resources, in
which cotton will be incidentally repre-
scented.
THE MANAGEMENT.
II n $500 nh 80 R.&444 n -. :.