The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-06-22
The FLOOD IN LOUISIANA.
The People undisaayed by Damage
in Parts OF the State.
Especial Correspondence Manu-
facturers Record.
New Orleans Ia Tn

pressIons are obtained from readine
sensational newspapers, may have
concluded that all Louisiana is il
dire distress on account Of high wa.
Ger; that the inhabitants of New Or
leans have been in terror Of engulf-
ment by the floods, and that most
aalamitous condition generally pre-.
walls.
It may be worth while for the Man.
dfacturers Record to convey mes
sage of optimism and courage from
The flooded state to the country at
large, for down here the pessimist
IS nowhere to be found. Everybody
is busy, doing the best with the con
ad1tions at hand, and absolutely GER
lain that sunshine, seed time and
harvest will bring wealth from these
fertile lands this year and every. year
TIL time shall be no more.
e There has been much damage IN
many sections along the Mississippi
and one or two other streams that
flow through the low lands of the
state. Nobody denies or attempts to
minimize the devastation that has
come, because of-much the highest
river that the floods from &c tribu-
#eary states above Louisiana have ever
caused. Individuals have suffered
enormously, and vast areas have been
desolated. But the entire territory
affected at all is only a. small per-
eentage of the state as a whole. and
already the water is rapidly running
off, In the northern part of the
state, along the river bottoms, farm
ers are already beginning to plant
on lands that were first to be over
flowed, and it will be only a few
weeks now till all the flood waters
nave subsided and the work of plant
ing and rehabilitating will be IN full
swing.
There never can be found greater
courage and optimism than these peo-
pie possess, for they have fought the
encroacbments Of the floods with
never a thought OF lying down, even
when torrential transforms, for days
and days at a time, seemed to lay
burdens on them too great to bear.
In every case the never -say-die',
spirit is to be found Those who
nave come in from the outside are,
ything the. pa mic Of the
loE, and aEestta fIa Us IieIIae
as d seAofoling II flfell ilI 8 ariaBIa
them to more eTfectual1y guard
against disaster should any future
floods in the Mississippi reach the
uEheard*of stage that they have this
year.
Furthermore, it ii confidently be-
tieved that this years floods have
made an impression on the nation
such as could have been made IN no
other way, and that the Justice of the
national government taking over the
leyees systems of nayigab1e streams
which they control in other respects,
and spending national money in
their Improvement and maintenance,
now appeals to the national CON
science as it never has before. The
people Of Louisiana feel that the pub
lie at large is now better prepared to-
adopt their own point of VieW-that
it is not a favor. but a matter of
bear the cost of relieving and pro-
tecting the 1oWlands from the waters
that come, not from this state, but
from the drainage of nearly three
fiTths Of all the states Of the Union.
But whatever the government does,
or however long. it may be before
Louisiana gets what she regards as
ner rightfuI aid from the nation, Lou
isiana is going right ahead to develop
ii the certainty that here will be-
one of the garden spots Of the world.
The richness of the Louisiana soil Is
needed right now to raise foodstuffs
for the peoples all about, and every
loot of her alluvial lands must be
put in cultivation in an ever expand
ing ratio of increase, until all Lou
isiana becomes Well-nigh one vast
fruit and vegetable garden.
There are no bargains TO be had in
lands or city real estate, on account
Of recent experiences. The banks
and others, as well as the
owners of land, all are inspired with
4 like confidence in the. future OF
he state. They realize that the re-
sources Of Louisiana are toe great
sor any serious setbacks, nov. or ever,
md already they are looking forward
with confidence to an active fail
,Tade.
This confidence Is shared by out
siders who take the pains to investi-
gate for themselves. There is much |
significance along this line in the
act that only within recent days has |