The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1910-06-11
Should Be a State. Wide ENTERPRISE.

Should Be a State. Wide Enterprise.
The eyes Of the whole country
are now upon Louisiana as re-
suit of the nationwide publicity
given to our efforts to secure the
Worlds Panama Exposition.
The unprecedented trip of our en-
tire General Assembly, headed by
our principal state officials, has
excited an intense interest in the
contest between New Orleans and
San Francisco. and every paper
Of any importance in the country
has given more or less publicity
o the claims of the rival cities,
and most Of them are favoring
New Orleans as the illogical
Point"
There can be no doubt that
popular sentiment is with New
Orleans in this race for Congress
sional recognition, and as the
situation now stands, the general
impression is that majority of the
members Of Congress will favor
the Crescent City, but when our
Representatives 60 back to
Washington next December to
have the matter definitely set
tied, they must be prepared to
show that Louisiana can finance
an Exposition on such basis as
r. pto re cI1nonpo
San Francisco has put forward
one argument which Louisiana
must Immediately meet. The
Californians voted that the best
evidence of their ability to prop
erly take care OF a great worlds
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
Company have been received
from individuals, mercantile
houses and banks in every city,
town and village in California;
and it has been intimated that
New Orleans is undertaking to
carry her load alone.
1t is true that by the submission
of the Tax Amendment, our Gen
raj Assembly has put Statewide
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 Represent
atives in Congress upon an equal
basis with those from California
in the fight for recognition, the
business interest of our entire
State should join with the BUSH
ness men of New Orleans in rails
ing an Exposition fund. which
shall favorabIy compare with the
total raised by California.
The material prosperity Of our
State will be advanced by this
Exposition more than could pos
sibly be accomplished by fifty |
years of steady progress. Our
will be greatly in
creased. Our land values will be
Our industries will |
grow. Investors and capital will |
be turned this way. Our now idle
ands will be opened up to i'm
migration; and a great era of
material prosperity will prevail
throughout the entire State.
San Francisco has already reis-
ID over seven million dollars and
III probability will 60 back to
Congress next December with at
east ten million. New Orleans
las raised S1,25O,OOO locally, and
he 81 100000 tax amendment will
Increase this to S., 100000. The
Ways and Means Committee of
he Exposition Company is about
Q inaugurate a campaign to raise
mother million by July 4th, and
he people Of all sections of our
tate should see to it that Louisi-
ma does not lag far behind CAL
fornia in the financial showing
7hich is to be made before Con-
reSs.