The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1869-08-07
Home EsaG ssStTy.

y sclfsustaining community is always
Independent, wealthy and powerful
This assertion is based upon past exre
rience, what we see around us in ou,
small circle of town and parish labor
and of all the different industries being
now earnestly pursued by the honest
and b--awny armed workmen of or town,
We will notice as an instance, the carriage
manufactures in this our very modest
little burgh. Before the war, all rode
in cLaises' and none walked"-those
of different dimensions we're all invari-
ably purchased from Jersey or New
York manufacturers, and were dealt out
to us for our superauous cash, by we
must say, the worthy firm of Marsh,
Denman & Co. and others. After the
war, thu Stately coach, the gay barouche,
the sporting buggy had disappeared,
and still we knew, for such is human
nature, that there was still lingering a
taste of the good things lost, gone by
but not forgotten. Every Sunday now,
we nevertheless See the square in front
of our church, and during the week, our
streets thronged with gay looking vebi-
cles of fine proportions, and superior
finish and make of al these, not one
purchased or made beyond the limits of
our Parish, but all made, trimmed and
finished by Mcbride. Ledger, Billaud or
some other of our enterprising workmen.
This is home industry and that is what
we must support and encourage; it is
our duty to do SO, not only is it a mat
ter Of pride but one of great social and
pe-uniary improvement; social, in stim-
ulating all the members of the communi-
ty to depend upon their own resources
in the pursuit of their different avoeations,
ana pectiniary In keeping the almighty
dollar, the ruler Of the day. the earning
cf the tolls, Of the sweat Of our brows and
of those of our children, at home in our
own midst. These men whom we have
mentioned and many other cannot be
too much encouraged in their work.
Now what we see done 10 the line of
carriage manufactory. we can see no
reason, We can conceive no reasonable
apology why the same should not be
practised, why the same principle should
not be made to work, in every other
line of ofbusiness. There is now in exist
ence in our Parish an Agricultural Asso-
citation, with all the necessary commit
tees for work and to insure progress; a
proper and earnest cooperation Of all our
Planters, with the members OF that Asso-
citation, embracing in its as yet limited
sphere, some Of the most intelligent nen
of our Parish, would soon secure the
great result that we are aiming at. If
we can make our own carriages, We can
make cur own carts, our own spindle
wheels, our OWN leather, our own brooms,
we can pickle our own beef we can
pickle our own pork, all these things
and many others are being done by
our sister State Texas, and are we not
able to accomplish that which others
san let US not acknowledge the fact 3?
let us not sleep over our interests, which
have for guarantee but our stout hearts
and strong arms-lst US awake, from
The feeling Of supineness and Indifference,
which seems to have taken possession of
ind swaying our every feeling, let US
awake and to work, this is an age of
progress, we must no: be left ID the
rear. Ldf0yettc .ddrcyt,er, sse