The Donaldsonville chief., 1914-03-28
LOUIsIANA's ILLS.
People of State Are Calamity Howl
ers, Declares Gov. HaII-saouId
Cease WaiIing, Overcome Pessi-
n1ism and Work Together. a-

Cease WaiIng, Overcome Pessi-
n,ism and Work Together.
| Governor Hall, in d speech at ST.
| Patrlck's S day banquet in New Orle-
ans, propounded the query, What's
wrong with Louisiana?'', and then
, proceeded to set forth in no uncer-
tain terms the principal reasons for
| the obstacles encountered by the
| pelican state in reaching her fullest
| measure of development. He sum-
| married. them as follows: Calamity
bowling, pessimism, lack Of cooper
alton, agricultural decay, dependency
upon outside aid, dissatisfaction with
existing conditions and unwilling
ness to work for their elimination.
The address Of the governor was
remarkable in its candor, says the
| New Orleans Item. He responded to
the toast, louisiana and took ad-
vantage OF the occasion to show not
| only the greatness Of the state but
| it's smallness-its ills, as we'll.
I'VE are a part of a wonderful
state-a remarkable state" he be-
gan. 'sWe are bounded on the north
| by statewide prohibition; on the
south by water; on the west by jack
rabbits and prairie grass, and on
the east by political squabbIe.
And so there may be in this some
reason for conditions in Louisiana
But of these reasons l do not in
tend to speak. We must be salts
fled that certain conditions exist
and must set ourselves to the work
of correcting those which need cor
rection.
Louisiana never can become
truly great state until many things
are eradicated, First, of course, we
must work together. We need to
put aside our petty differences and
our disputes. Then we can take up
the stern duties we have to do-the
work We surely must undertake to
purge our state and to make it what
it has the right to be-the bright
est star in all the galaxy of the star
dom Of states. %
AS the governor diagnosed it's all
ments, Louisiana chiefly needs the
reform of her citizens.
"We Louisianians are the worst
calamity hoWlers in the country"
he insisted. when our cotton crop
shows signs Of poverty, the cry we
raise can be heard from the Atlantic
to the Pacific. To hear our piteous
weeping, one would think all the
state was approaching fast to starVa-
ton. Now we are acclaiming to the
world the injury that is being done
US by the sugar tariff proposition.
Let's stop our complaining to the
take us. Let's present a smiling
face to our neighbors of tie north
The governor then took up an
other phase Of Louisiana's ills. He
pointed out that the state was too
expectant of development by means
Of outside capital and influence.
I'VE constantly are speaking of
our possibilities of development, he
said, but with the breath by which
we speak Of them We tell of the
Chicago or New York capitalist who
Is going to do the developing. Let
us begin to depend upon ourselves.
Don't let us expect outside help.
Again, when settlers and visitors
from the north come to our state,
what do they find? They go into
the farming district and see farms
not developed, fences in a state of
dilapidation and owners who show
their encouragement and admit
they are anxious to sell. Before
Louisiana can become truly a great
state its people must overcome their
pessimfsm and their lack of en-
thusiasm.'
The governor spoke Of many 9TH
er things. He referred to the need
for flood protection, but pointed out
that this is one problem that is not
to be solved by the state. It is
a problem for the federal government
alone,'' he said
Commenting upon the governors
address, the Lake Charles American
Press says editorially:
Better advice to Louisianians
could not have been formulated if
the governor had written book
about the topic. Louisiana has
every advantage of soil and climate
to make it the greatest wealth pro-
ducing state in the union. It's peo-
pie can enjoy more of 1ife's COM
forts with less expenditure of money,
and can earn all the necessaries of
life with less expenditure of effort
than those of any other community
on earth.
stIt is a curious fact that the pee-
pie who are the best off do the most
grumbling, and it holds good in the
case of Louisiana. By utilizing the
time and effort we spend trying to
induce others to come to Louisiana
to do our development work, we
could do it ourselves and obtain all
the financial returns. All Louls1-
ana needs is cheaper Interest rates,
and we can get that by showing what
Louisiana land will produce if prop
erly cultivated. When we begin do
ing what we can do ourselves along
that line, outside capital and out
side investors will come without
any coaxing."
The locks in Bayou Lafourche at
lDonaldsonville is not dead issue
| by a long ways. The question will
+ be kept alive until the IeVee boards
are made to get out Of the way and
the national government permit