The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-17
NEW ORLEANS WANTS
THE EXPOSITION
Congress Will Decide Upon
Merits of Claimants
FRISCO rs A BIDDER


New Orleans, May 16.-(Special) Con
gress WILL on May 26 sit in judgment on
the rival claims to federal recognition of
New Orleans and San Francisco in the
matter of the Panama canal celebration
in 1915. The early completion of the canal
necessitates an early decision. Some
weeks ago a strong delegation from
Louisiana went to Washington and Sc
cured from President Taft and leaders
in Congress what they interpreted as a
practical Endorsement of the New Or
leans plan and on the strength of that
an initial working fund of more than
81, 100000 has been raised and arrange
ments made to raise another 100000
through direct tax.
Meanwhile, San Francisco has raised
| S., 00o,0 600 and big delegation is now on
the ground in Washington urging the
adoption by Congress of a resolution de-
claring San Francisco the Panama ex-
position city. At the request of the Loui-
siana congressman action has been
postponed until New Orleans can be
given a chance to be heard.
"A NEW oIicdilS dciOSohAoHy A'SN-N~N ~
Governor Sanders and Mayor Behrman,
and fortified with the Endorsement and
monetary aid of every taxpayer in Loui-
siana and the Endorsement OF the Missis-
sippi valley. of many states and organ1-
cations east of the Roey mountains and
of some of the Central American repub-
lies, will lay before the congressional
committees a map showing In striking
way the relative position of the two
cities.
This map indicates that by the census
of 1900 there are 100000 people within
500 miles of New Orleans, and only
2, 100000 within that distance of San
Francisco; 65,OOo,ooo within 1000 miles of
New Orleans, and only 100000 within
that distance of San Francisco, and that
within a radius of 1,500 miles there are
80, 900, oo0o In the New Orleans territory
and only 100000 in the San francisco
territory.
The map also shows that all the people
of the Mississippi valley, the northern
and eastern states, central and eastern
Canada, the West Indies, Mexico, Gen.
trail and South America, and Europe can
reach New Orleans in much less time,
at much less expense and with much
less inconvenience than they can reach
San Francisco.
The delegation will in addition present
many other facts and figures, which they
claim cannot be Offset by the rival CITY,
I'VE do not believe San Francisco can
make out so strong case as we can" said
Chairman T. P. Thompson of the world s
Panama exposition executive committee.
the official in charge. Our movement
| is a popular one in every sense OF the
word. Every citizen of Louisiana will
| contribute his mite to make the millions
We will invest in the enterprise. Our
nearness to the Panama canal means
that New Orleans will become the port
of entry and departure for United States
mails to Central and South America be-
cause we are the logical point. If we are
the northern continents logical point of
contact with the southern continent we
are in truth the hub of the western hem
isphere, therefore the logical site for the
exposition. New Orleans can be reached
more easily-and in less time by the
commerce and people of a greater area
than any other seaport in the world.
and we anticipate no difficulty In con-
vincing Congress of this fact. However,
we expect all of the cities and towns
and states east of the Rocky mountains,
which will be directly benefited by the
canal and the exposition at New Or
leans in celebration OF it's completion,
to help US with their influence when We
present our claims-and theirs-to the
congressional committees on May 26.'