The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1903-07-02
A WAY back in my school days /
~ had a geography which was

A WAY back In my SchoOl Gays
~ had a geography which was
embellished with series of
illustrations, and one picture
among them has always clung to my
memory. 1t was in chapter toward
the end of the book in which the
Southern States" were graphically de-
scribed and pictures of the most i'm
portant cities were displayed. The one
particular scene have never forgotten !
was one of the levee of New Orleans.
The big double funneled steamboats,
at the wharves and the huge bales of
cotton, upon which were perched half
clad negroes, apparently happy. A
few of the more energetic ones were
dancing on the wharf, while others
patted for them and one fellow had
mouth organ upon which he was pre-
sumably playing lively "buck." That
picture, as say, gave me my first and
most lasting impression of what the
Crescent City was-I say "was, for when
left the train at the New Orleans depot,
I found myself in city to all appear
ances as thoroughly modern and North
ern-like as one will be apt to see. Yet
it is different, and vastly so, from any
other place it has been my fortune to
visit. True, along the main business
street tCanal) one can easily fancy him.
self up North, but get away from Canal
Street and go down by the French
quarter and the liveliest Imagination
can see no resemblance whatever to
any other city in America. At least,
this is my opinion. The very air seems
foreign.
] suppose the reader is wondering
what / was doing in New Orleans. /
fancy some one saying, "He's after
more tomatoes" No. The tomato bus
mess and myself quit at the Louis
lana state line. Twas after the banana
Yes indeed, the genuine old-fashioned
Dago ssbanan." For know this, New
Orleans is the market from whence all
the cities west and south of Cincinnati
get the banana. New Orleans is q
port. She has to be. Just think of the
immense territory she has to supply
with her imports! 1 hate statistics, sc
I'll not attempt to tell you just how
many cargoes of fruit arrive at New
Orleans each year, but you can feel SURE
it's big "bunch." Yes, sir. To giv'
Chicago alone her weekly ration O.
bananas is big undertaking. Isther'
a banana trust? WellI should smile
And big one, too. The United Frui
Company practically own the island o
Jamaica's product. Fleets of steamer
ply daily from America to Jamaica
and nearly all are owned by the trust
which also owns big plantations in tn
island.
Now 1 am no bloated bond-holde
nor monopolist Il weigh 108 pound
when 1 am fat), but I'll say this with
out fear of successful contradiction
the Banana Trust is a good thing
Yes indeed! Tell you why. 1t ha
been practically demonstrated by thirt
years experience that the only peopl
in America who can handle banana
proftabIy are the Italians and Greek
The American wholesale fruit deale
has torn out his refrigerators and ripel
ing rooms for bananas. Take Chicae
for instance. In 1892 was on Sout
Water Street. In those days the Anne
ican firms handled the bananas
wholesale and the Italians We're tt
chief retailers. Today the American
have quit. You won't find firm
that line any more in large way. II
Italians have got it all their own We
and they wholesale bananas to Il
Greeks and the few Americans WI
fill out of town orders. Well, then, Il
Italian will not buy his bananas in ]
maica. You've got to show him. T
won't risk ten cents on future mark
as rule. So the big boys Of t
American persuasion, said in effe'
swell, Antonio, we will bring the b
nanas over here and you do the iobbil