New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-08-26
Trade Relations of 81. Louis With the
South.

If the merchants of New Orleans desire
to compete with St. Louis, they should keep
posted as 10 what ST. Louis is doing to di-
vert our trade. The st. Louis Democrat
has this editorial article:
The subject Of the extension of our trade
relations with the South, the endeavor TO
induce direct shipments of Southern pro-
ducts to us, and to effect direct sales of
merchandise to planters, is daily winning
broader and more direct attention, both
among our merchants and the people
toward whom these cordial commercial in
tentions are expressed. No good reason
has ever been advanced 10 show why st.
Louis might not freely enjoy large direct
trade with the cotton and sugar plantations
of the South, taking their products and fur.
nishing them with supplies. instead of per-
mitting New Orleans to stand as broker
between us and them. That the planters
are quite ready to meet us half way need
not be doubted. They have heard down in
the Attakapas district, what st. Louis pro-
poses, and subioined is the way the sugar
planters respond. The letter is addressed
to former resident of the Teche country,
now living here:
LINDEN, La, August "a, 1871.
Ny DEAR FRIEND: If all goes well, this
time forth, the State will make one hun
dred and sixty to one hundred and seventy
five thousand hogsheads, and | viii make
two hundred or two hundred and fifty of
them, doing all can to help. Now, what
are we going to do with our sugar if we
make iti Send it to New Orleans whe there
is no money! We are looking TO you, old
friend, and to your enterprising city, to
teach New Orleans lesson, by taking from
her this tan and winter every h0gshead of
sugar and every barrel of molasses which is
not absolutely pledged TO her sharpers
Even much produce so bound Tor implicitly
pledged) NAV, think, be diverted from her
TO the benefit of St. Louis, by small ad-
vances, made early this fall to planters who
have drawn but lightly late in the season.
However that may be, am satisfied that
proper energy and enterprise will discover
an abundance of unpledged produce for
the Inauguration this season of q big thing
to st. Louis
speak advisedly in saying that the enter
prise to which your presence N St. Louis
gave birth, does promise results of vast i'm
portance to the friends you left behind YOU.
have yet to meet the first man who has not
on his lips some eulogy for you. and some
expression of "hope revived" by your
scheme. Some of rs II for onel must wait
until after this crop, Which promises more
than our debts In New Orleans, consequently
the reduction OF debt elsewhere, il not free
dom. But this ] say, land you know it,,
am in a way to give good business, at no
distant day TO any live. responsible mer-
chant of ST. Louis, who can appreciate the
situation. In fact, stand ready 10 20 to see
or receive here any merchant OF your city
who may want some Teche business. Look
about for me, and use me as you please. On
one point / am fxed-no stinting of seed
next year. ! want TO raise a crop which
will do some good to somebody.
Respectfully yours, -.
We withhold the name of the writer for
obvious reasons, but if any sugar house in
the city ould like to know the man, it cam
be furnished with his address. He is one
of the heaviest planters OF Attekapas, and
is reported TO be as safe as bank. We see
no reason why some merchant of this city
should not invite him mp here and enter
into negotiations with him for the coming
crop of his plantation. Ii he owes money
to New Orleans factors, let him sell his
crop here and pay his debt in money.
Not only toward the Attakapas country
in Louisiana is ST. Louis invited to push
her commercial enterprises, but the people
along the Ouachita river and mp Bayou
Bartholomew are calling to us to come and
trade. We have already printed a few ar
ticles relative 10 this important section of
the South.
There is no mistaking the spiri5~of the
Southern planters and people outside of the
large cities They have turned their faces
fully upon St. Louis, and they expect
prompt and cordial recognition. We, there
fore, again urge our merchants 10 take such
steps as will insure a thorough canvassing
of the South for trade, Steamboat facil- |
ties viii not be lacking when it can be
proven that an active and paying trade can
be developed. Steamboatmen can not run
their boats light and pay expenses. They
must have some reasonable assurance that |
trade will follow their exertions and that |
they viii be fully sustained By our mer-
chants.