The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-01
ADMISSION ID TIE
 UNION CELEBRATED
Louisiana Observes Tooth Anniversary of Statehood
KNOX IN ATTENDANCE
Says Opening of Panama Canal Will Benefit Every Gulf State. Officials in the Parade.
 Cabaldo Opened

| New Orleans April 3o.-With Secretary
 of State P. C. Knox as the guest of honor Louisiana today celebrated the hundredth anniversary of it's admission into the | union.
 | The programme arranged by the Loulst- ana Historical society began with the ar | rival of Secretary Knox from Washington
 this morning and a public reception at the city hall by Mayor Martin Behrman. A banquet tonight concludes the cele- bration. Scores of celebrities are guests
 of the members of the historical society,
 among them the representatives of five Central American republics, drawn here
 because Secretary Knox's visit is regarded as a continuation of his recent trip
 through the republics in Central America. The guests, including the officers of the
 war vessels and other dignitarles, assem- bled at the city hall and joined parade headed by the sailors and marines of the
 batteshps and gunboat Petrel and the organizations of the Louisiana National Guard and proceeded to the historic Ca baldo. an administrative building erected
 by the Spanish in ITO
 Miss Clarisse Claiborne raised the same flag in Jackson square. Place q d'Armes, that her great grandfather, Governor Clai- borne unfurled 100 years ago when the additional star of the state of Louisiana was added. The flag raising was followed by a salute of the guns of the Washington artillery.
 The programme ended with patriotic songs and the formal opening of the Ca baldo to the public as state museum, stocked with relics, many of which date back to the occupation of this territory by the Spanish.
 Secretary Knox Speaks Speaking at the centenary celebration of the state of Louisiana here, Secretary Knox declared that New Orleans and the south could not enjoy to the fullest ex-
 tent the increased foreign commerce
 which the opening of the Panama canal
 is to bring them unless the commercial
 development of certain of the Central
 American states was made possible by
 their financial regeneration and the estab-
 lishment of stable governments.
 Not only Louisiana but every state bor-
 dering on the Gulf of Mexico is inter-
 ested in the peaceful development of Cen
 tral America. It is estimated that in
 1909 the total trade of the United States
 with Central America and Panama eX-
 ceeded 42 millions of dollars, of which, ap-
 proximately, 25 per cent was handled
 through the gulf ports-New Orleans alone
 having S9,000,0O0 worth of this trade. Stop
 and consider that since the United States
 extended a helping hand to the Domini-
 can republic the total trade of that coun-
 try has more than trebed, and you will
 have some idea of what benefit would re-
 suit to the southern states should the
 Nicaraguan and Honduran treaties be consummated
 Important to New Orleans "To no part of the country Is the de- velopment of our commerce in the Car l ibbean region of more importance than to the state of Louisiana and the city l of New Orleans and to no part is it of more interest that in that region conditions for the promotion of trade should exist. Such conditions cannot exist in circumstances such as control in Honduras and Nicaragua with their baneful indirect effect upon the rest cf Central America. Therefore, as use ful nstrumentalities for commercial expansion, if for no other reason, the
 .reaties with Nicaragua and Honduras now before the Senate should have the sympathy and support not only of
 Louisiana but of the whole Mississippi valley and southern states.
 Routes Greatly Shortened
 "The opening of the Panama canal, !"
 d. clared Mir. Knox, will make New Orleans the logical port of export to
 he Orient for all the products of the Mississippi valley, which region is to- day the greatest single producer of products entering international com merce. By the breaking down of the barriers which have separated the At lantic from the Pacifc' he said, the Mississippi valley through New Orleans will have direct route by water to all of the west coast of South Amer ica a route to Japan 5000 miles short CT; to Hongkong. 20OO miles shorter; to the Philippines, 2000 miles shorter to Australia, 5000 miles shorter, and to New Zealand. nearly 5000 miles short CT 1t will place New Orleans nearer to most of these ports than Is Lon
 don, the great commercial center of our principal rival in the Oriental trade" -.s.-