Pointe Coupee Democrat. [volume] (False River [i.e. New Roads], Parish of Pointe Coupee [La.]) 1858-1862, 1859-02-19
The Great Wealth of louisiana.

In the present. confused and incom-
/ pietc state Of our census returns, we
have no reliable data by which to cstim-
ate the proportionate productions and
wealth Of this State: but we think
enough is asccrtaincd to Justify the as
scrtion that Louisiana, regarding it po-
pulation, is the richest agricultural State
in the Union.
Taking our total population at &c.
600, and subtracting one hundred and
thirty thousand for the population of
New Orleans, which is exclusively en-
gagged in mechanical and commercial
pursuits, we have, as a very high cs-
innate, the number Of 500, 900 engaged
in agriculture, which may be equally
divided into free and slave. Consider
ing the latter as capital, and dividing
the amount Of surplus products of the
State by the number Of whites, some
very extraordinary results will follow.
They will demonstrate Il proposition ,
that Louisiana is the wealtFliest State in
the Union. The surplus in exportable
production Of the agriculture of this
State may be thus stated, rather under
the real figures:
Sugar. lElds. 100000 valued at Sd, 100000
Molasses :. .bllS. $4,000 100000
Cotton -. bales. $4,000 22.500,0 200
All other products. ...,........... 100000
s53,oO0.oo0
Dividing this sum by the white popu-
%lation, would give wei 5000 to each
man, woman and child, or n thousand
dollars to each adult male. This is a
result that few communities, if any, in
the world can present.
We are not considering the total pro-
duction or wealth of the State, but only
its surplus, the profits of it's industry,
that which remains after lie consump-
ton by our whole populate ion. It is a
common fallacy of some of the NORTH
ern politicians and statists, i'll order to
cxaggeratc the wealth and Importance
Of the Northern States, to include in
their estimates Of the production of their
States, everything that is raised or that
grows. Thus a great deal is said of
the value Of the hay crop, which is all
consumed by their W people; Of their
lumber, their cattle, their cordwood,
and even their poultry, which arc all in
like manner consumed.
Of these various articles louisiana
produces quite as much as any other
State i'll the Union The article Of wood
alone, as fuel for the hundreds of steam
boats that ply our rivers, is one Of great
value, and would, if we could ascer-I.
tain the figures, tend greatly to swell
the sum Of our wealth. Of corn,
too, there is raised il the State quite as
much, if not more, than is consumed;
and as for hay, our prairics ychrly pro-
duec crops which we are not required,
on account Of the gcniality Of d ur cline,
to gather, quite equal to the boosted
production Of Northern States.
And this enormous productioho Of Loui-
siana still leaves one-Ilalf of tile crca of
our State uncultivatcd, undisturbed, ull-
occupied. The best Of our lands have
yet to be drained and developed. Others
have not been brought into ca Itivation
on account Of their inaceessib5lity aud
the scarcity Of labor. What are now
cultivated, arc, beyond all qted lion, the
most productive and valuable ii the
United -tatea.-Iruc DcLJa.