The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-07-27
Immigration.


that evil. One Of the schemes is to get a
sufficient white population to carry the
vote Of the State and take from the negroes
that controlling power which can not pos
sibly be diverted from an alliance with the
Carpet. bag robbers. They may come to
their right senses some Of these days, but it
is too wearisome to wait for that event, 30
people argue, and therefore the question
Of the day 10 white immigration. How
can We obtain white settlers
The great obstacle, according to many,
is our climate. But this we are. sGtisfied
is totally erroneous. New Orleans has
about the same climate as the rest of the
State, besides an exclusive title to epide-
mics, and there is NO difficulty whatever in
getting all the immigration we need here
IN the city and even more than we need. If
our levee, streets and improvements could
give Employment to one hundred thousand
would come without effort on our part. Aud
why Z Because they would be sure Of
earning good living and getting paid.
But as to farming the position is totally
different European farmers know that
when they buy or rent piece of ground
out West they are sure to make u good liv-
ing, because they perfectly understand the
crops cultivated there. They feel, however,
nothing of that confidence in coming to
Louisiana because they know nothing of
either sugar, cotton or rice culture. They
are not willing to risk all on a venture,
where certainty of success, at point
equally accessible, lies before them. -
1t is idle for rs to contest with the
Western States in the bid for European
farmers who are totally Ignorant of our
crops and culture. Onr planters might in
deed send to Europe and import paid la
borers by giving sufficient guarantees in
their contract, but that system is too ex-
pensive as we'll as very unsatisfactory in
its results.
How then shall we populate our rural
districts
1t seems to us that the only solid immi
grafton which such districts can expect
must 60 thither from our New Orleans
population. Let ten thousand people
leave our streets every Spring to settle on
farms, and in the Fall their places would
be supplied from abroad or from the North.
AS we have said above, laborers are not
afraid to try New Orleans because their
work is-the same here as in every other
city.
And we believe that, by proper arrange
ments, our resident laboring population
could be induced to seek the country, in
very considerable numbers, with every
| Df hat fhair
no matter how prosperous the season
might be in the City. The practicabillty
of farming, and it's proftableness, in Louis
lana, may be very correctly estimated from
the able report of Mr.. bennett recently
Published in the Picayune and partially
| republished by us to- day. No mechanic,
on ordinary wages, much less a mere day
laborer, could expect to net half as much
profit as in some of the instances of farm
other expenses of living. Besides which, the
independence of the farmer and the great
er immunity of his children from corrupt
ing influences have charms for many, still
more attractive than the prospect of ae-
cumulating a competency.
But the "prOper arrangements" That's
the question. Many of our city people
will say, 81 should like to try farming, but
know nothing about it and have no CAPT
tall" Suppose then some respectable col
ony says to them, Come on with your
families and work with US we will teach
you how to farm, and We know how, be-
cause we have already been successful.
Besides that, we will give you a share in
the crop resulting from our joint labor, and
in the meantime you and your families
will be supplied with necessary provisions
and habitations. If you should not like the
result, you can go back to the city a. the
end of the season no poorer than yOu came
and with years support made. But we
know You won't go back" This is no
fancy sketch, for there are planters who
say and do this now. After the par
ties have learned the business and proved |
themselves Industrious the same planters
will sell them land enough for farms of