Correspondence
A LETTER FROM NEW ORLEANS.; [Ta the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] ....
Sia,—The rest of the country is reporting. high winds, Knows, and freezing weather, while .in. New Orleans the visitor• is greeted by balmy breezes from the Gulf of Mexico: The scarlet poinsettia, holiday flower of Louisiana, is unfolding its most brilliant colouring, and in the high-walled gardens of-the old French Quarter, not a palm; a banana; or magnolia
tree has yet, been touched by frost. - _Flood control and a bitter political campaign are the two vital interests of Orleanians at the time of writing. . The declaration of the President of the :United States in his message. to..the _ American Congress to the effect - that the Mississippi Valley States should pay part of the flood control costs, ..a stupendous undertaking, has raised a storm. of protest from citizens who consider it a national and not a -sectional problem. The . State . of Louisiana - has already spent_ more than a hundred million dollars in the construction of levees which proved inadequate to stem the mighty floods of .April last, and an artificial crevasse was made below the city. Consequently, we do not relish the idea of contributing further to.such expenses.
Who will be the next Governor of the State ? - There are three candidates in the-field, and a- bitter fight is being: waged between the political parties.- Two of the • candidates are attacking each other's war. records—one because te- did not enter the Spanish-American War and the other the World War. The third candidate is a member of Congress. - The- Middle America Department of Tulane University is preparing an expedition to the -forests of Central Amerie* which is interesting scientists all over the -country.- • Half "a year is to be spent in research interritory hitherto unexplored: The expedition, headed by- Professor" Franz Blum, Associate Archaeologist of the • University, -"will probably result -in valuable records that will help' to uncover -the history of America's oldest known culture: The NatiOnal Geographical Society has- presented 'the .Explerers".: Flag to the- members of the expedition, who will-carry it through some two thousand miles of virgin -forests of Mexico and Guatemala:— New Oileaits is giving 'whble-hearted "Welcorlia this winter to one of its native sons, Mr: Sidney. Raynor; who hail ichieved triumph in musical' ircles in Italy, Wherehe has been studying for the past three years. With the opening of the race-thiekit and the Jai Alai games on the Outskirts of- the city came the Vanguard of tourists who spend- their winters in.Ahe South. Postibly the unusually early cold:cif the Middle West has been responsible for a larger influx of visitors than any previous. years. During the past season new hotels haVe 'Spiting Up; chain restaurants of the 'cafeteria or servelourself type—: an innovation in a city of -French and Creole cookery—and mammoth garages have been erected- to handle the auto- Mobiles. Down - in the picturesque Vieux Carte, a constant' stream- of sightseers walking in -and out the narrow, crooked streets shoW that the season has commenced. Guide-bOoks' in -hand, the tourists leave no' historic corner unexplored. They- take especial delight 'in the qUaint little tea or coffee shops nestling in pahniiiing courtyards, where belles of previous_ generations lOoked out from iron-grilled balconies.
—I am, Sir, &c., .
• • • - -- • •Youn NEW ORLEANS' CORRESPONDENT.
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