The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1895-12-28
How to get immigration.

MT. fT0SI0put anu utHtteUiefl vi tuc OF.
Martinville Board of Trade.
am precluded from using the stereO-
typed phr ase Of speakers. Of being unex-
pectedly called upon. and consequently
nnprepared to address you this evening
for have fully expected the honor
which your invitation implies. and as
carefully prepared for the occasion as
tim. and the limited data at my COM
mand have permitted.
There is tide in the affairs of men.
which taken at its food leads on t. for
tune; What is true Of individuals so
aptly expressed by the immortal Shake
speare; is equally true of communities.
You all personally by hearsav or through
the medium of the press. known, that
where now stands the prosperous little
city of Crowley in Arcadia Parish, with
its stately Court House, superior in con-
struction, finish and comfort to our own.
its splendid High school building. which
in its beautiful architecture, and ap-
pointments. the exalted character OF its
corps of professors, and the member of
its pupils. justly aspires almost to the
dignity of a college. And that what
were formerly mere cow aths, have de-
velOped into broad graded avenues, lined
on each side with fine stores, churches
and residences. besides numerous rice
mills and manufactures, combining as
a grand whole. all that goes to make up
q progressive city. inhabited by an in
dustriOus and enterprising people. Was
ten years ago, water soaked plain with
nothing to break the menotony OF the
dreary view. to the weary traveller. save
here and there. dirt fOOred howell, te-
nanted by some lonely cow puncher, you
know that what was then wide waste
of unbrOken prairie. is now a solid reach
of we'll titled farms. under the highest
state of cultivation known to modern
agricultural science. but comfortable
and even elegant houses for the farmers
to live in. and immense barns in which
to store their enormous crops of rice
OTIS and hay, while orchards Of peach
pear figs. grapes and other fruits add Il
the beauty of this scene Of agrarian
prosperity. When untamed needs o.
scrnb cattle formerly rOamed at will
are now scarcely less numerous, but fa
more valuable herds of Jersey. Durham
Alduney and other graded kind. An,
whence this great change is less than a
decadep You can answer as well as
that it is due to the energy OF one MAN
backed only by the force Of his undaun
ted will. W. W. DusOn. realizing his Up
portunity, taking the tide at its flood
and Obeying the Divine injunction Gun
consciously it may be) to make tw
blades of grass grow when only ont
grew before, determined to turn thi
worthless waste into what ii is now
comparative paradise. And how did h
do itY By the judiciOus Use of printers
ink, and persistent personal effort, tina
3 knew and realized no such word az fail
You know also that Jennings, Eunic
and other places has been build ed by tn
same or similar agencies.
Now gentlemen ask you. II with sucl
an inferior foundation to build on
backed only by the efforts of one or a
most two men, such stupendOus result
have been accomplished. What may W
not hope to achieve. sustained BY tn
united efforts of an entire community
with such country as we have to deve
lOp? My belief is. and it is as firm
ly grounded as is my faith in the stabi
lily OF our gOvernment), that by prOpe
effects st. Martinville. situated as she il
at the head Of navigation can in les
than half the time it has required t
kmake Crowley what she is to-day. b
made not only the rival Il will not ga.
in trade, for she is that nOw,) bnt in pO-
pulatiOn and progress of New Iberia
Nay. l 90 further ami assert that she cal
be- made to elipse that town. in every
thing, commerce, population, cOnvi
nience. comfort and wealth. YOn asl
how is this to be done? answer by tn
same means. printers ink and persona
effort.
Forty years ago last June, while stan
ding ON the platform Of the railway sta
ton at Chetopo. Kansas, the agent pOin
ting TO q tree. some half mile distant