The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-01-24
ALL FOR SAN FRANCISCO.

It is natural That everybody III lhls
part Of the country should come to The
support of San Francisco in the siren
uous efforts of that city to get the OF
fetal honor of celebrating the opening
of the Panama Canal in 1915. San
Francisco has couragconsly, and we
might also say, lavishly, rallied to the
support of the proposition to have the
big celebration at that place. An ample
sum is assured to make that celebra'
tion a brilliant success, and the Gov
ernment is rot asked for any help,
Nevertheless, il appears that the
ma iority of the House Committee hav-
ing TINS matter in charge is in favor
of New Orleans. This is doubtless be-
cause New Orleans is nearer to the
masses of the population of the United
States than is San Francisco. And yet,
that is not matater that should cut
any figure. The comparative nearness
Of Maine to New Orleans as compared
with San Francisco, for instance, has
nothing to do with the matter. The i'm
pclling cause of the building of the
1sthmian Canal is the great wealth and
commerce Of our Pacific slope. Without
that there could be no thought Of the
construction of the Canal. San Fran
cisco is the great port for tho hand
ling of this Pacific coast commerce. And
therefore, because that commerce is
the melting motive for the building
of the Canal, San Francisco is the nat
ural and proper place for having the
celebration,
All of the business and commercial
here have united in
plea in behalf of San Francisco, and
against the vote of the House commit
tee. The spontaneous and unanimous
support of San Francisco ought to have
weight with the powers that determine
the location for this celebration. 1t
may be fairly said that New Orleans
might exist as city for a thousand
years without melting any special cf-
fort to build the Canal. But the ex
Istence Of San Francisco for sixty
years was sufficient to give impulse
10 that construction.
We believe. further, that the hold
ng of the celebration at New Orleans
would be a comparative failure as
sized up against the celebration that |
San Francisco would provide, For the
special connection of New Orleans with |
and of the future; whereas, the !
connection of San Francisco with it |
5 immediate, direct. and overpower-
ne. New Orleans expects to do
.reat business with the Canal. if, and
a nine.foot channel is made
II the Mississippi river as far up as
he head of navigation at ST. Paul. I'm
loubtedly, when. if ever, this occurs,
lew Orleans will become great port
nd highly important in its relations
With the Panama Canal At present,
owever, New Orleans has to depend
N its railroads for this Importance;
nd the railroads have not made New
orleans either very energetic or very
prosperous, 1t is. to be sure, quite
easible to make nine-foot channel
n the Mississippi river for naviga
ion, But it would cost great deal Of
honey. and the present administration,
{ least, does not appear to favor the
roiect And since that project is dead
or the present, the claims of New
orleans as the Panama Canal exposi
ion city ought to die with it.
The locality claim. that is, the con-
enience Of the masses Of the people
I the United States to the place of
should have no weight III
this question. If the choice
7ere to be determined in that way, then
lew York. by the very force of the
casoning employed, would necessarily /;
e the city to celebrate. But no one
talking of New York; and the very
act that no one is doing so demon
trates the weakness of the locality (
rgumcnt. The logic of the situation
mites with the argument for fair
ess and candor, III determining the
lea overwhelmingly in favor Of San
francisco as the canal exposition city. !
md to that point everyone in this
,cality, and every organization, and {
very civic power agrees, and will !
-ork