The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1910-11-05
NUMBER IL
THE FINAL WORD.
Not a Single Vote Should be Cast Against
Exposition Amendments in Next Tues
days Election Duty of Patriotic citi-

days Election Duty of Patriotic citi-
zens Clear.
Before another issue of The Chief shall
60 to press the people of Louisiana will
have decided at the polls whether they
desire that congress shall locate the pro-
posed exposition at New Orleans or at
San Francisco. 1t is not probable that a
single right-minded person in the state
would wish to see the choice. 60 to San
Francisco, though not all may understand
that the defeat of the two amendments
relating to the expcs;tsissszs- IS equivalent to
instructing congress that Louisiana does
not want the big show. San Francisco,
being the only other contestant for the
honor, will get the prize by default and
that city win reap the vast benefit that
under broader and wiser policy would
come to US. As this is the last word, it
is permissible perhaps to epitomize in
desultory way some of the suggestions
advanced from time to time to show that
not a single vote in Louisiana should be
cast in opposition to amendments num-
bers one and two.
Ii is well to bear in mind that without
the tax there can be no exposition: 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 go to congress next month
with clean hands, with our financial ar
rangements beyond question and with
the people of the state united and en-
thusiastic in their support of the move
ment.
The tax upon property in the country
parishes is so gnifcant-but thirty
seven and half cents per thousand dol
lars of assessment-that it is impossible
for it to be burdensome upon any. A
dozen eggs will pay the tax on thou
sand-dollar assessment.
The benefits to be derived are unques-
tionable 1t has been estimated upon the
basis of six months exposition that no
less than ten million visitors viii be at
tracted to the state by the. big fair. We
lack the capital to develop ouf abundant
resources, to enable US to convert 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 in
vest as our resources offer to them. and
the exposition will bring investor and op-
portunity face to face.
Not one per cent of the people of Lou
isiana could hope to visit an exposition
held on the Pacific coast. The cost both
in money and in time would be prohibi
tive Hundreds of thousands of them
could visit in New Orleans. and pay the
expenses of their visit out of the increased
profits which the exposition would give
them on the sale of their country products;
for it must be remembered that the ten
million visitors must be fed and it is the
business of the farmer to feed mankind.
And finally, proper state pride for
bids that we should reject this opportu-
nifty to put our state forward in this most
momentoous undertaking. Louisianians
have never failed to measure up to the
standards of duty required Of real men
and it is impossible that they should begin
to fail now. The remaining states of the
south, of the Mississippi valley. of the
west, of the north and east-all are look
ing to Louisiana to make good in this
crisis, for our success means immeasur-
ably more than can be told, to US. to
them. and to the entire nation.
Posterity would be ashamed of US and
rightly so. should we reject this most rare
opportunity to achieve great results in a
great way.
Those who do not want the exposition
to go to San Francisco. viii vote for
amendments and on the official ballot.
The Southern Pacific Agricultural Demon
stration Train.