Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1910-03-09
EN- ROUTE TO PANAMA.
"A DELIGHTFUL TRIP WITH THE
NATIONAL EDITORIAL ASSO-
CIATION.
Chicago to New Orleans by Special
Train, With Stops at Vicksburg,
Natchez and Baton Rouge.

The National Editorial Associa-
tion of the United States is compos-
ed of editors and publishers of daily
and weekly newspapers throughout
the entire country. Each year
meeting of the association is held
at some city, and at it's conclusion
a trip is taken by the editors to
some locality of interest, usually to
a point of particular interest at the
time to the people Of the United
States, thereby combining pleasure
and recreation with the gathering of
valuable information.
made an extended tour throughout
western Canada, visiting practically
every city. and last year the editors
met at Seattle and then made an
extensive trip to Alaska. This year
the meeting was held at New Or
leans, La, and followed by the most
delightful trip in the history of the
association, TO the Panama Canal.
/ The members of the association
living in the northern states as
sembled at Chicago on Feb. 9Th,
stopping at the new palatial hotel,
the La Sale, the finest west of New
York, twenty-story structure re-
Gently completed at cost of some
$7,00O,000, and the next day de-
parted via the Illinois Central rail-
road on a special train for New Or
leans. The party was in charge of
Capt. J. F. Merry of Manchester,
Iowa, General immigration Agent of
the I. C. r. R., who is personally
credited with having done more than
any other man for the good of
Mississippi and the south during the
past forty years. To him is due the
credit for the development of in
dustries, the building OF cities and
advancement along all lines, and
the people of that state are enthusi.
aef{e In his praise at all times. II
was he who made possible the great
national park at Vicksburg, and all
through the western part of the
state may be seen the results of his
life work. He is as we'll a pastmas-
ter at entertaining, and extended
every courtesy to the editors. Our
train was magnificent one, CON-
posed of the latest and best Pullman
cars, dining car, buffet library car,
etc., and the journey to New Or
leans was continuous panorama of
interesting scenery, which combined
with the superb service of the I. C.
R. r. over it's splendid double track
railroad made the trip one of con-
slant pleasure and enjoyment.
Traversing the entire length OF
the state Of Illinois, we passed
through Kankakee, Champaign, Eff
fingham, Mattoon and Cairo, where
we crossed the Ohio on one of the
longest bridges in the country. The
most Of the way the land is fiat and
low, but is very valuable, being
worth $500 to $3.50 per acre. AS
in many parts of Iowa, an immense
amount of work in drainage and
tiling is being done, and every pos
sible foot of the land is utilized.
Through the central part of the
state we passed many immense
orchards. hundreds of acres of trees,
which are worth several hundred
dollars per acre.
The trip through Kentucky, pass
ing into the state at Fulton, was
made In the night, as we'll as
through Tennessee. At Memphis
We We're Joined by the delegates
from the southern and eastern
states, SO that we had a long train
for the rest of the trip.
When We awoke in the morning
We were in Mississippi, and the
journey through this typical south
ern state was greatly enjoyed. On
every side were cotton fields. and
the niggers were at work blowing
and getting ready to put in the crop.
breaking down the old stocks, burn
ing them, and preparing for the next
crop. This was a month ago, and it
was a pleasing sight to see every-
thing green, after the severe wealth.
er we had left the day before. All
along the rows of little negro cab
ms, built up off the low ground
on posts, the big plantation houses
near by, the cotton gins. and the
small towns through which we
passed kept us busily engaged in
sightseeing. We also passed
through a long stretch of heavy tim
Der, dense with weeds and brakes
and past lumber camps where one
is reminded Of the lumber sections
OF northern Minnesota.
We believe that the time will,
soon come when cotton will cease