Imperial Valley press., 1912-07-15

San Diego is working WONDERS, anu
in no way more than i'll preparation
for the great exposition that is to cele-
brate the opening of the Panama canal.
The plans and purposes of this con-
vention have been set forth officially
as follows:
The world will rejoice with the
United States upon the completion Of
that stupendous task, the Panama
1nter-Oceanic canal. A project that
has excited the imagination of the
great men of the world for 400 years
has at last come to that point where
the president of the United States has
announced that in less than two years
yit will be an accomplished fact.
1t is with thrill of exultation that
the average American citizen realizes
that by the men of his nation, with
the means at their command, through
their genius for organization and their
never-tiring energy, the gigantic en-
gineering problems of the work have
ease, and that the day approaches
when the United States will give her
self over to the celebration of an event
that will go down in history as
world-event; a turning point and
guide for future generations.
The modern idea of exploitation is
the exposition, so that it was natural
that the thinkers and business men OF
San Diego should have been the first
and foremost to resolve to hold an ex
position TO exploit the benefits coming
TO San Diego from the opening of the
Panama canal
The first port in the United States
on the Pacific coast north of the canal,
she has one Of the three improved har-
bors on the west coast of North
America available to the vessels of
the world that will use the canal. She
Is therefore peculiarly fitted to act as
a hostess when the United States calls
upon the world to come and view her
work and the nations to avail them
selves of the benefit of that work.
The countries to be represented at
the Panama-California exposition.
which is to be open the entire year
1915, beginning on January 1, the day
the canal is to be officially declared
open, are those most directly affected
by the opening of the canal, the Latin |
American republics of South and Cen |
tral America, Mexico and the south |
western states of the United States, a
territory so vast and so rich in his |
tory and in commerce that none in the |
world compares with it in size nor in
potentiality. ,
San Diego assumed a big task when |
she decided to celebrate with an ex-
position, but she rose to the task just
as she has risen to every task pre-
sented by her needs; her growing i'm |
portance and her ambitions She |
would on this occasion welcome the |
hosts of the world TO her doors. And |
what has she done to prepare for her
guests?
Starting in 1909 with a determina- |
ton 10 hold an exposition, she raised |
in six months one million dollars with |
which TO prepare for it, and another |
million dollars with which to arrange
her house for her guests. She has
since raised another million with |
which 10 prepare docks for her guests
TO land in her harbor and she has
spent in the last two years two mil |
lions cleaning house, building streets |
and otherwise furnishing and refur-
nishing. She will spend more millions |
before she throws open her doors Jan |
uary 1, 1915, and she intends to so
have garnished her board and pre-
pared her inner and outer chambers
that the millions who come here will
desire never to go away and will re
gret her through all the years before
they come again to stay forever.
San Diego is today the talk Of the
world because of this determination;
this energy and this laudable enter
prise. The world knows today that
she has the finest climate, a climate
that makes the old young, and the
strong to rejoice in their strength;
that makes possible life under such
ease that none compare with her in
habitants for wealth. culture, health
and happiness. In such a climate she
. proposes to build an exposition in
keeping with the territory that it will
represent. Her hills will be crowned
with a mission city, the most beauti-
full that human art and skill can de-
wise, set in a bower of green trees and
vines, Towering plants and graceful
palms-a Spanish colonial city in a
California landscape
Gathered in this mission city will
be the art and beauty of Spanish
America, California and the great
southwest, Indian tribes from Magel-
Ian to Alaska, archaeological, ethnolo-
gical and historical objects from the
entire American continent; historical
events will be recalled; pageants and
naradpc will he oivan in which tho