St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1915-03-27
FARMER MISSIONARIES
TOUR THIS PARISH
Chappuis and Chevis Speak in
Interest of Bureau.
CAMPAIGN FOR MORE
MEMBERS LAUNCHED.
st. Landry Welcomes Visitors and
Southwest Louisiana Bureau Ex-
pected TO Flourish Here.

President Chappuis and Manager
Bill Chevis Of the Southwest Louis
lana Development Bureau, accom-
panied by Henry Mayo, Agricultu-
raj Commissioner of the Southern
Pacific Railroad, have been making
a tour of the parish for the past
several days, delivering speeches
in. all towns, interesting farmers
and business men in the Develop
ment Bureau.
An enthusiastic meeting was held
at Port Barre on Wednesday morn
ing, followed by meeting at Ar
naudville the same afternoon.
Farmers and business men in these
two towns promised their undi-
vided support to the worthy cause
and indication points to large
membership being secured in Ar
naudville and Port Barre.
AT Washington a fair and repre-
sentative audience listened to the
coterie of Southwest Louisiana
development Bureau speakers on
Thursday morning. Mr.. Chevis
cheered the people Of Washington
who felt blue over the failure Of
the Union Irrigation Company and
pointed out that the lands around
the Courtableau were far richer
than the gold mines of California.
Mayor Fred Martin was made
chairman of the meeting and before
introducing the visitors made
stirring appeal to his fellow-cit-
izens to give their undivided sup
port to the cause of the bureau and
to cooperate to the very limit with
Messrs Chappuis and Chevis. I'VE
have the finest land in all the
world" said Mr.. Martin; 'our sec
ton of the state is by far superior
10 any other, but unless We busi-
ness men and farmers, put our
shoulders to the wheel, stand as a
unit in an endeavor to promote bet
ter farming and marketing, we will
fail. Cooperation is what we need
and we can find that in the South
west Louisiana Development Bu-
reau.' After being given hearty
applause Mayor Martin introduced
Mr.. Chappuis, who spokealong lines
of organization and cooperation.
pointing out that without organ
izing into one body and co-operat-
ing with one another both the far
mer and business men were DOOM
ed. He brought statistics to show
what improvements were needed
in Southwest Louisiana, stating that
the Bureau, placed on a financial
basis, could accomplish worlds of
good the thirteen parishes which
comprise Southwes Louisiana.
Comparing the United States with
Great Britain and Ireland he show
ed that the popuation in this coun-
try per square mile is q against
over three hundred in
Britain and Ireland, while the
wealth in this country is only forty
one thousand dollars per square
mile against over seven hundred
thousand iii the other countries.
The purpose of the Bureau ac-
cording to Mr.. Chappuis, isthree-
fold, namely: better farming and
better marketing; highway, trans
portation and drainage; imnigra-
tion, publicity and Industrial de-
velopment
Henry Mayo of the Southern Pa
ciflc appealed to the audience to
interest the farmers or st. Landry
in diversification of crops, point
ing to the Northern States. which
abandoned the one crop system, af-
ter being broke for diversfication
and prosperity.
After Mr.. Chevis spoke on the
wonderful resources Of Southwest
Louisiana and the exceptional fer
tility of the soil in the thirteen
parishes in which he is vitality in
terested the party came back to
0pelousas in automobiles.
On Thursday evening the agri-
cultural missionaries visited Sun
set and Grand Goteau, where they
addressed the farmers and busi-
ness men Of that section. Friday
the speeches were made
in Melville and on Friday night the !,
party was received al 0pelousas.
An endeavor is being made to
secure two thousand members in
The Bureau, so that This organiza-
Jon can be placed on a sound A.
lancial basis. in order that expert
men can be secured TO show the
farmers of Southwest Louisiana
ust what can be expected of the !
'oii Of this section of the state. II