New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1910-09-10
IOUfSfANA'S BIG UNDER,
TAKING.

|
proposed Worlds Panama EXposi
ton. It is a work requiring five
years of active preparation ano
the expenditure of many million
Of dollars in order to prepare Tho
| stage for the great drama which
will be participated in by every
nation Of the civilized world, anc
by millions of our own citizens.
During the period Of prepare,
ion, and while the Exposition
shall be in progress, the world s
attention VIII be focused upon
Lou siana to an extent which i
would be impossible to bring about
N any other way and the scrutiny
of the State, her resour-
res and her possibilities can
not fail to be Of vast permanent
benefit. When the man who IS
aking Out a bare subsistence upon
rocky and barren farms in many
Of the older States find ont for
instance that he can come to Lou
isiana and realize twice as much
profit for the same amount OF la
Dor and at one half the investment,
nothing is going to be allowed to
prevent him from coming here.
He has been kept away by the
wild and sensational stories circu-
lated by ignorant or malevolent
persons concerning the alleged un-
nealthfulness of our climate
When he Shall come to under
stand that the drainage and cult
Walton Of the lands destroys the
that the mosquito has
been responsible for the yellow
fever. malaria and other forms Of
disease; when h shah understand
that it was in New Orleans that
the battle was fought which rele-
gated yellow fever TO the hygienic
Junk pile and sounded the death
Ilnell Of the pestiferous mosquito
when he learns all Of these
things, the small farmer on the
hin soils Of the older State
where men toll and slavh half
IF the year in order to provide
food and clothes to enable them
o keep from starving and freez-
NC during the remaining half of
he year, will pack his household
goods and come to Louisiana.
And they are going to learn of
I'll these things from the public
ty that will result from the Elk
position. Therefore, it is not an
to assert that the
Undertaking which the people have
II hand is the biggest thing that
louisiana has ever engaged in
Turing the LIE Of the present gen
ration Does the reader grasp to
he full extend that it would
mean to all the people if Louisi-
ina had a population of ten mil
ION, instead of the less than two
million she now has? Ii she had
wen one city that had popula-
ion Of one million or more, and
lalf a dozen others ranging in
from fifty thousand to
wo hundred fifty thousand? 1t
would mean active markets for
he products of farm and garden.
larry and orchard, pasture and
ield. 1t would mean a quickened
demand for everything that one
night have to sell, from tooth
,icks to flying machines, from
hickory nuts to original ideas. 1t
would mean acadamized roads al! !
'ver the State, at a cost whic |
would not be burdensome because
he expense would be distributed |
mong millions Of tax payers. If
would mean the finest technical
nd trades schools, in reach of |
very boy and girl in the State;
t would mean good society, |
hurches. opportunities for the in
ellectual development of every.
'ody and plenty of profitable en-
'loyment for all. Are not these
hings worth striving for? The
'rize that we are endeavOrmg to
btain is lcrdly one well worthy
f the efforts the sacrifices nee
ssary TO secure it. In the pres
rce, IF such fruitful possibilities
II pickering and strife should
ease, end the men and women Of
.ouisiana should let nothing d.
ert III If efforts from the greet
ask they have in hand; for it is
ne supreme opportunity of our en-
re carer, as an organized State
n opportunity that we dare not
ermit to pass by unimproved.