New Orleans Republican., 1873-07-20
1NDusTRIAL UNIFICAT1ON.

unanlmlty reVOheu sno PA'
gently conferred upon the plenipotentiarles
Of unidcation. Some Republicans Of the
most decided color have pronounced the
movement mere "whitewash." while the
fre,nen have fired up in the most unequiv-
ocal manner. One of their bands, as
heretofore given in the REPUBLICAN,, has
sung "Unifcation all the Rage, and adds:
Fling ont your banners to the breeze.
We're bound to brave the storm
To test us in united strength,
Just smell US while we're warm.
OF this we can only say we sincerely
trust that there is to be no such conflict
as may be implied from the last line.
ANY way, the unifcation of the concert
room and the sleeping cars. by consent,
seems for the present postponed.
There is another unifcation, however,
in which all may unite without the disap-
proval of either race. It is the unifca-
ton of capital ana industry. There is a
large amount of capital and credit that
can command capital inactive in LOUIS
lana. There is large amount OF labor
unemployed. There is but one acre out
of every twelve arabic acres in Louisiana
under cultivation. Hence the low price
of our lands. Hence the inability of our
landholders to pay the heavy taxes
which rest on real estate. Hence the
necessity of conciliating existing labor
and attracting labor from abroad. Any
increase of the productive force of this
land increases the ability to pay taxes, and
so in effect alleviates their burden. There
is, however, another mode of unification
to which we have heretofore alluded. We
have few mechanics in Louisiana. The
white people do not take to the mechanic
arts. The colored people on the contrary
learn trades with avidity. 1t increases
their wages, even if it does not elevate
their status. The compulsory CIV
ization of two centuries has made
a great advance in the knowledge
of the colored people; from savages
they have become intelligent and
industrious Christians. Emancipation was
progressive state in this education.
They have become soldiers and scholars
in the schools. There is third phase.
These people are to become skilled
mechanics 1t may require trade schools.
1t may be necessary that skilled instruc-
tors must be imported to prepare these
people for this duty. Their capacity,
their ambition will enable them to take
this further step in industrial progress.
They will become the spinners and
weavers of the cotton, the forgers OF iron
and the machinists and mechanics of all
fabrics entering into Southern consump-
ton. They may be employed to conduct
the navigation of the sea as they now do
that of the river.
The Southern people now pay more
than S2OO,OO0,OOO annually for fabrics
manufactured elsewhere. They have
never been able to induce the white peo-
pie to take up these manufactures. Let
them try to instruct and employ the COL
ored people. Perhaps the white people
can not work as cheap as their foreign
competitors. They have certain station
in society to maintain and certain ex-
penses to incur which require higher
wages perhaps that the value Of the fab
ric created here will justify. Tie colored
man incurs fewer expenses; his rents.
food, clothing and pleasures are cheaper
than those Of the whites. Every member
of his family is more apt to be so en-
ployed as to maintain himself
Hence the colored operatives can. perhaps,
underworld even a foreign competitor
There can be, however, no rivalry between
the white and colored mechanics. because
there is a greater demand for the fabric
produced than both can supply. There
is no more rivalry than between two
gold diggers of California. To the whole
public of the South this mode of mechan-
ical labor brings advantage. in the
money kept at home that would other
wise 60 away. Can not, therefore. our
capitalists and landlords. utilize this oper-
ative labor otherwise unemployed? Can
they not educate and employ the colored
people as well as the white III the mechanic
arts? Perhaps the colored population
may do for the South what has never yet
been effected: establish a mechanical and
a nautical interest. II is such a policy
that recognizes and improves the pro-
ductive capacity OF the colored race. and
adds thereto his instruction and capital.
which will make All individual unity.
The reciprocal usefulness of these two
interests will draw item together. and
Will promote social consideration and
mutual respect that will harmonic both
interests. Let our public men adopt
these ideas. and let us have the industrial
of Louisiana.