Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04
THE FINAL WORD.

Before another issue of the Ga
zette shall 60 to press the people O
Louisiana will have decided at tn,
polls whether they desire that Con
gress shall locate the proposed ex
position at New Orleans or at Sar
Francisco. It is not probable that
a single right-minded person in the
State would wish to see the choice
60 to San Francisco, though not al
may understand that the defeat Of
the two amendments relating to the
exposition is equivalent to instruct.
ing Congress that Louisiana does
not want the exposition.
San Francisco, being the only
contestant for the honor, will gel
the prize by default and that city
will reap the vast benefit that un.
der a broader and wiser policy
would come to us. As this is the
last word, it is permissible perhaps
TO epitomize in a desultOry way
some Of the suggestions advanced
from time to time to show that not
q single vote in Louisiana should
be cast in opposition to amend
ments numbers one and two.
It is well to. bear in mind that
without the tax there can be no ex-
position; hence, IN order to get the
exposition it will be necessary to
ratify the two amendments.
1t is important, furthermore, that
no possible ground should be given
the most exacting critic to question
the integrity Of the ballot or the
correctness Of the count. We should
60 to Congress next month with
clean hands, with our financial ar
rangements beyond question and
with the people Of the State united
and enthusiastic in their support OF
the movement.
The tax upon property in the
country parishes is so Insignificant
but thirty-seven and a half cents
per thousand dollars of assessment
that it is impossible for it to be
burdensome upon any. A dozen
eggs will pay the tax on a thousand
dollar assessment.
The benefits to be derived are un-
questionable. 1t has been estimat-
cd upon the basis of six months
exposition, that no less than ten
million visitors will be attracted to
the State by the big fair? We lack
the capital to develop our abund-
ant resources, to enable us to con-
vert our raw materials into finished
products and to put our State in the
van Of progress. Capital in this
country and Europe is looking for
just such opportunities to invest as
our resources offer to them; and
the exposition will bring investor
end opportunity face to face.
Not one per cent Of the people of
louisiana could hope to visit an ex-
position held on the Pacific Coast.
The cost both in money and in
time would be prohibitive. Hun
dreds OF thousands Of them could
visit in New Orleans, and pay the
expenses of their visit out of the in
creased profits which the exposition
would give them on the sale of their
country products; for it must be re-
membered that the ten million visi-
tors must be fed and it is the bust
ness of the farmer to feed mankind.
And finally, a proper State pride
forbids that we should reject this
opportunity to put our State forward
In this momentuous undertaking.
Louisianians have never yet failed
TO measure up to the standards of
duty required Of real men and it is
impossible that they should begin
TO sfail now. The remaining States
Of the South, of the Mississippi VAL
ley, Of the West, Of the North and
East-all are looking to Louisiana
70 make good in this crisis, for our
success means immeasurably more
than can be told, to US, to them,
and to the entire nation.
Posterity would be ashamed Of us
and rightly 80. should we reject this
most rare opportunity to achieve
great results in a great way.
Those who do not want the Ex-
position to 60 to San Francisco will