The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1869-07-31
Chinese Immigration.

Farmers who prOphecied untold
snancial prosperity for the South,
nnder q system of free labor, the |
srperiences OF the past four years |
have clearly shown that few Of
tbose most loud in their denuncia- |
lions Of slavery understood either
.he necessities of the Southern
ststes. the nature of the "peculiar
institution" or the character and
sanacity of the negro, whether en-
sIaved or free. 1t is not necessa-
~ for us to review the history of
he blacks since the the war-a
history with which most of our
readers are already familiar-to
show that, as a philanthropic or
an economic measure, abolition is,
IN every sense, a total and com
nlete failure. Instead of improv-
mo the social condition of the
hacks, or elevating them, men
tally or morally, to the standard
set up for them by the crazy ell
thnsiastS whose accused mission
twas to breed discord and dis
seusion between sections and
races. it has wrought the ruin of
the negro, and sunk him far below
the level to which, as a slave, he
had risen. Relieved from the ne
cessity of labor, both by his eman-
eipstion from a state of servitude,
and by the mistaken policy of the
Government in supporting hun
dreds of thousands in voluntary
idleness in the South, who might
have found permanent and profit
able employment there or else
where, had they been disposed to
seek it, the blacks, as a race. have
proved themselves to be practical
" useless for purposes other than
those of reconstruction" and the
maintenance of carpet-bag gov
ernment throughout the South.
Entertaining only hatred and
prejudice against the whites, and
unwilling, even under the most
favorable circumstances, to per
form any continued labor beyond
that which is necessary to supply
their few physical necessities, they
have shown that if the South de-
uends ON them for the develop
ment of her reseurtes, she will
stprogress backward" with ra-
pidity unequaled in the history
of nations. Since the realization
of this important truth, the 'la-
Dor problem as it is fifty called,
has been question of serious i'm
pOrtance to the South, and it is
only now that we begin to see
how the question can be satisfac-
torily answered, A
The rapidity with which the
people of the Southern States
have conceived and practically
applied the idea of supplying the
existing deficiency of labor by the
encouragement of Chinese immi
grafton, is characteristic of the
American mind. It is little more
than month since the suggestion
was first advanced, and already
we hear ola company of five hun
dred Chinese immigrants having
passed down the Mississippi river
to New Orleans. This is the be
ginning of an influx to which the
statistics of immigration in past
years will show no parallel. o.
the many excellent qualities Of
these MongOlians as laborers in
nearly all departments of prOduc
tive industry, the public have
been made familiar by the favora
bic reports of many intelligent cor
respondents of the press, wh'
have given us accounts of the ma
ture and extent Of the work per
formed by them in many parts o
California, and on both branche
of the Pacific Railroad. Unde
proper management they have
been found docile and tractable
and, if fairly dealt with, will prov
tar more valuable as laborers thai
tie negroes will ever become
This fact is fully appreciated a
the. South, and a Convention ha
heen called to meet at Memphi
- the 18th of the present month
spr the purpose of inviting an
encouraging Chinese immigratio
tpahe Soathern States, nearly a
OF which axill be represented b
delegates. 1t is also expected tina
Koopmanshatf, the principal Oh
nese contractor of the Pacifi
coast, Eill be present, with detail
ed plans for the organization of
vast scheme OF Chinese immigr;
ton to the South and Southwes