New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-05-24
POWER AND WEALTH.


The tide of emigration sets this way
from Europe quite as heavily as ever, and
thousands of people are filing into the
West, where there are dozens settling in
the South. There is no reason for this
that can not be overcome. Our lands. are
just as good as the lands in the West;
they are easier of access; they can be had
cheaper. Then why does the enriching
current that populates and invigorates the
West neglect the South? Because we do
not make the same effort to control and
direct it that other sections do. Large
bodies Of Western lands are held in the
North, and when an intimation is thrown
out in Europe that considerable body Of
people are preparing to emigrate to the
United States, the holders of these lands
at once dispatch faithful agent to can
vass with the leaders Of the emigrants for
sale of all the lands they are likely to
want. In fact, they maintain ranners in
Europe to watch for emigrant parties, and
these runners are authorized to negotiate
for such settlements as the emigrants may
desire. If there are three hundred heads
of families in the party, the plan is to sell
each one one hundred acres at from two
to five dollars per acre, say upon ten
years credit, payable in a cash INSTALL
ment Of ten per cent to secure the trans
action, and ten annual installments of
equal parts, each bearing interest indie
pendent of the other. The advance pay
ment covers expenses and secures the emil
grant upon the land, and who insures that
he will improve the homestead which he
has purchased. A nucleus being formed,
other emigrants naturally drift into the
same settlement, and thus the entire lands
are ultimately filled with thrifty settlers.
What was originally bought for one dol
lar at wholesale is disposed Of at hand
some. advance, and the whole country is
benefited by the effort.
This system has been tried successfully
in Florida A large tract of land, which
was bought for eight cents per acre, is
now being filled in with emigrants, who
pay from one to five dollars an acre for
lots averaging from fifty to two hundred
acres. Certain quarters are reserved from
sale, which will ultimately bring twenty
dollars per acre, and perhaps more. The
outlay in securing these settlers is very
trifing, consisting in the wages paid to a
competent man in going to Europe, with
small commission added for each emigrant
he may influence to settle in the colony
We have landed proprietors in Louis
lana who might make themselves i'm
mensely wealthy by this very plan. Let
ten of them unite their lands and combine
to secure a colony. A small tax upon
each would pay the expense of the agent,
another assessment would pay for laying |
off the proposed colony lands and setting |
in order the settlement, and then they |
might safely calculate upon seeing about
them in very short time such colony |
as would be monument to themselves
and blessing to the State. Then lands
would be worth ten times as much as they
will bring now, and all their neighbos
would feel the happy effects. Two or
three such colonies in Louisiana would |
serve as q magnet to attract others, and in
the course of time the current of emigra-
ton that now sets to the West through |
New York would be divided, and we should |
have a stream of it pouring into our own
section. Then the labor question would
be settled, the matter Of domestic manu-
would no longer be in doubt, and
the barrenness of the South would be at
an end What we want now is people,
and, these being had, all other things will
be added unto US. Steamships, canals,
and turnpikes only flourish where
there is live population to support them,
and the man who gives us citizens gives
Us power and wealth