The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1912-05-10

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
New OrleanS.-The Louisiana Cen
tennial celebration was celebrated
here with appropriate ceremonies for
the occasion.
The doors of the city and state were
trown open to the world Many
prominent and famous personages
were present and made speeches.
The guest of honor for the occasion
was Philander C. Knox, secretary OF
state, who represented President Taft.
In one respect the affair took on a
military aspect there being so many
soldiers and sailors present. The fed
eral government had assigned ships
Of war TO New Orleans during the cele-
brati0n and the officers and men OF
the ships participated in the events.
The ceremonies of the day started
with a reception by the mayor at the
city hall. Speaking and the flag rails
ing ceremonies were held later on the
scene of the first flag raising in 1872.
The flag raising was a pretty feaure
Of the day, and as the beautiful flag,
representing the cOlOrs Of 1872, slow
~ arose there was a tremendous cheer
ing by the children and rush TO the
square. The flag was raised by Miss
Clarisse Claiborne, great granddaugh-
ter of the first governor Of the state.
Secretary Knox in his speech gave
a brief history of Louisiana.
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentle
men-When our forefathers in their
wisdom formed "a more perfect
union" the domain of the United
States was bound on the west by
vast empire belonging to the SOY
erignty of Spain, which was trans.
ferred by Spain to France in 1900,
Looking with far-sighted vision into
the future and with keen apprecia
ton of the Importance of having an
outlet to the sea for the settlers and
for the produce Of the Mississippi val
ley, Jefferson, not without a misgiv
ing as to its constitutionality, seized
the opportunity presented by the ex
| igencies of European politics to &C
uuire this immense territory by the
treaty of 1903 with France. Thus was
cOnsumated the cheapest real estate
transaction recorded in history, anC
one which in it's results has fulfilled
the prophecy of the French negotiatol
that the cessation of Louisiana lin
terests vast regions that will become
by their civilization and power the
rivals of Europe before another cen
fury passes" Well might Robert R
Livingston exclaim after the sigma
ture of the traety. I'VE have livet
long, but this is the noblest work o
our whole lives" At the time of thi:
cession the population of the United
States numbered less than 6,O0O,0O'
souls. Today more than 92,O00,OO'
find their homes within its confines
Out Of the wilderness acquired from
France have been formed thirteel
great states, having by our last cen
sus an estimated population of nearl
100000 against an estimated popu
lation of $4,000 at the time of the ces
sion. Not the least of these state
and the first to be admitted as stat
into the Union is the present state
Louisiana.
During the Spanish rule of Louisiana
immigration was restricted rather tha
encouraged. So it is not matter Q
wonder that at the time Of its acquis
ton by the United States the favor
ably situated city of New Orleans ha
but 5000 inhabitants. So soon as tn
annexation to the United States too
Mace there was a notable emigratlo
to Louisiana from other parts of tn
country. With an equable climate an
fertile and alluvial soil, nearly all
which was capable of cultivation, tn
state of Louisiana afforded unusual a
traction to the planter and the agr
culturist. Within it's borders coul
be raised not only sugar cane, cotton
tobacco and rice, but fruits and be
ries, wheat, corn and truck and forae
crops. It's forests, said to be toda
the best and finest of their kind r