The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1871-10-07
Why the Situation of st, Landry is
Better than that Of her N%e;ghbOrs.

Whilst wehave to chronicle d par
tial failure of the cotton crop in tht
parish of st. Landry, we sec from
the reports of other parishes that oul
situations infinitely bettertllan that
of many OF our neighbors.
We will take one of the nearest
Rapides for instance. With a fertile
and ineXhaustible soil, a population
characterized by energy and intel
ligence she looks to the failure OF
this years crops as bringing total
ruin. From all the other specially
agricultural parishes comes the same
cry.
In st. Landry at least we have a
few industries-they should be IN
creased tenfOld-upon which we can
fall back i'll event of partial or entire
failure Of large crops. Cotton and
cane arc not our only produce. There
are more small farms than large
plantations in theparish, which have
always been self supporting even in
the ante bellum' times. On them
are raised a variety of produce which
stocks the market-cOrn, potatoes,
peas, large quantities of poultry, etc.
The extensive prairies furnish i'm
mense herds of fat cattle which are
sufficient i'll themselvesto keep starry
alton from the door. Our sparse
mortuary report shows the saIubrity
Of the climate.
Even the freedmen, that antago-
nistic element in other communities.
give lis no trouble. They seem quiet,
Industrious, willing to identify them
selves with the interest of the coln-
munity, always ready to lend a
helping hand in any emergency, and
among the first to put down any OK
or crime among their own
people.
Certain it is that the relations be-
tween the white and colered popuIa-
ton of St. Landry are amicable. and
bid fair to remain so if not disturbed
by the political demagogues.
We have reason to congratulate
ourselves that Our situation is no
worse than it is. In fact we are ex-
c%eptionally fortunate that we have
long ago realized the value of little
things, and made ourselves to a Ger
tain extent independent of large
planting operations.
All southern communities by dint
OF hard experience will have to learn
this lesson. The high priced and in
efficient labor system has had it's day
and it's day has ended in ruin. Our
planters looking at large and flour
crops could not learn ever by
experience that the expense of the
present system overtopped the mar
ket prices. We hear of such things
as color blindness, where a person
mistakes green for red, and vice
versa. We think there is such a
thing as "crop blindness" where
neglecting the commonest rule of
the planter seeks to sub
tract a high-priced labor from a low
production. We see the re-
suits before us, and they do not
to a continuance of a ruinous
Next year will have to in-1
augurate different action on the part
IF the large planting community.
We would advise them to come to
st. Landry and take a few lessons
rom the thrifty Industrious small
sarmers ofthe parish, men who raise
very thing needful for subsistence
themselves. If Louisiana evpr
becomes prosperous againit will not
)e by exclusive attention to her
but by developing the thou
;and minor industries which lie at
land. We have fallen upon the day
# "little things" and the sooner we
the fact the better for us.
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Miscellaneous News.
KNOXVILLE Sant 9 7 90 n