New Orleans Republican., 1873-02-25
A WORD ABOUT IMMIGRANTS.

A WORD ABOUT IMMIGRANTS.
The Times touches up the immigration
fever, which threatens to break out in this
city, thus Sarcastically
New Orleans is embarrassed with riches
about the only wealth she can boast OF
at present-in the shape of elegant idieness.
The social tum0rs that flourish in this cat
egOry are disgusted with negro labor, be-
cause it has fancy for politics; and they
propose to revive the prosperity OF the
State by bringing in honest, hard working
foreigners. who will care nothing for poll.
tics, but will devote themselves to toll
mainly from love of its tatigues.
The elegant idleness," of which we
have such an abundance. is as incompe-
tent to take care of the immigrants it is
inviting to the State as it is to justify its
oversight of its own unemployed abilities.
There are two conditions needful to be
fulfilled before louisiana can enjoy the
greatness which her possessions in land
and climate entitle her to. namely: She
must have population. and in the mean
time she must create Inducements that
will attract this population. 1t is all well
enough to send word to the people of
Europe that we desire their presence. and
they can secure homes.eads in Louisiana
on the same terms that homesteads can be
secured elsewhere, but this does not fill the
bill. The conditions are not satisfactory, as
Ia Spiri icYc Gov bo fhof tho
foreigner wants something besides land
when he lands from his ocean trip. He
wants sympathy, and then if he is poor
he wants work. We are not prepared to
furnish either of these requisites, and that
is why the Germans who do land in New
Orleans Immediately take passage to
should enter into the city tomorrow from
abroad the immigration agents in the city
would not be able to place ten Of them
where they should be placed. We have
no business inviting men into the State
with this prospect before them Emf
grants that land at New York at once de-
part for localities where they are not Sc
cure of obtaining work, but where they
are sure to meet with people Of their own
country who will sympathize with them.
If the ELEGANT idlers" who prevail in
New Orleans will go to work themselves
they will create a demand for labor that
will attract immigrants seeking the State.
Industry creates demand for men.
Twenty men working plantation will ne
cesaitate ten or dozen assistants during
the course Of the year, and when We have
this surplus labor we may honestly invite
to our home the corresponding increase Of
Iaborers. But until we have prepared the
way for the immigrants by providing
something for them to do when they come,
we shall see the old practice continue in
force. that our immigrants will depart to
the further West because the conditions
are not satisfactory in Louisiana.
1t is very easy to arrange the demand
for immigrants with the plan of holding
on to them after they have answered our
appeal. The people who have this de-
partment or subject in charge must in
form themselves as to where the immi-
grants can find work if they are not
prepared to settle down upon homesteads.
And they must labor to send men into
communities where they will not be entire
strangers to the people and the language.
Germans should be sent to German settle
ments. and other nationalitieS to their ap-
propriate friends. BY this means all of
the immigrants will be retained in the
State, and those who desire TO settle
apart can do so as we'll as if they had
been sent to another locality at the out
set. In the West, where the European is
so fond OF settling, he is not only sure
Of work. but he is sure Of an
agreeable association and of proper treat
ment. In fact he is. absorbed into the
community, SO to speak. and becomes one
Of the people, Here the elegant idlers'
merely want the immigrants as laborers,
tI1u ~ ID AZ lLIcbk OClhCCh ANlICIltSS ttIlNl
industry there is a great difference that
lifts the drone above the producer. The
foreigner refuses to be estimated in that
way, and this adds TO his disgust at the
State that has done so much to abuse her
natural advantages.
1t must be understood that the imni-
grant excitement can not be created
in this State until We have satisfied
the wants Of the case. A few men may
be seduced into settling in Louisiana
under the pressure Of erroneous informa-
ton. but we shall suffer in the long run by
being represented abroad as an unprofita-
bic home by those who have failed 10 find
here the means of earning livelihood
that was not considered degrading.
AFTER THE GREAT OFFENDERS.
OuE darling and daring friend OF the