New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1910-06-11
SHOULD BE A STATEWIDE
ENTERPRISE

~
are now upon Louisiana as a re-
suit OF the nationwide publicity
given to our efforts to secure the
Worlds Panama Exposition. The
unprecedented trip of our entire
Genera / Assembly, headed by our
prime pal state officials. has excit-
ed an intense interest in the con
test between New Orleans and
San Francisco, and every paper
OF any Importance in the country
has given more or less publicity
to the claims of the rival cities.
and most of them are favoring
New Orleans as the "Lo@ical
Point
There can be no doubt that pop
ular sentiment IS with New Or
leans in this race for Congress
sional recognition, and as the sit
uation now stands, the general I'M
preston is that a majority of thp
members Of Congress viii fay Y
the Crescent City, but when our
Representatives 90 back to Wash
SngtOn meNt December to have
the matter definitely settled. they
must be prepared to show that
Louisiana can finance an Expo
sitiOn on such a basis as to guar
antee rs success.
SanFrancisco has put forward
one argument which Louisiana
must Immediately meet The Cal
ifornians contend that the be>t
evidence of their ability to prop
arly take care Of a great world s
fair. is that their State is back Of
their Exposition movement. and
not the City of San Francisco
alone. They contend, and have
demonstrated. that subscriptions
to the stock of their Exposition
Co.. have been received from IN
dividuals, mercantile houses and
banks in every City, town and vii
iage in California aud it has
been intimated that New Orleans
is undertaking to carry her load
alone.
It is true thai by the submission
Of the Tax Amendment. our Gen
eral Assembly has put Statewide
approval upon the Exposition
movement but California intends
to likewise provide several million
dollars by an exposition tax; and
it seems but right and proper that.
in order to put our Representa-
tives in Congress upon an equal
basis with those from California
in the fight for recognition. the
business interests of our entire
State should join with the bust
ness men of New Orleans in rails
ing an Exposition fund which
shall favorably compare with the
total raised by California.
The material prosperity of our
State will be advanced by this Ex-
position more than could possibly
be accomplished by fifty years of
steady progress. Our population
will be greatly increased. Our
land values will be advanced. Our
industries will grow. Investors
and capital will be turned this
way. Our now idle lands will be
opened up to immigration; and
a great era of material prosper
ity will prevail throughout the
entire State.
San Francisco has already rails
cd over seven million dollars and
in all probability will go back to
Congress next December with at
least ten million. New Orleans
has raised $1,25O,00O locally, and
the 100000 tax amendment
will increase this to $5,25O,O 600.
The Ways and Means Committee
of the Exposition Company is
about to inaugurate campaign
to raise another million by July
4th, and the people of all sections
of our State should see to it that
Louisiana does not lag far behind
California in the financial show
ing which is to be made before
Congress.