New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-06-02
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DUB RESERVED FORCE.

DUB RESERVED FORCE.
It requires something more than writer
or spoken defamation to redeem Louis
lana from the degraded position to which
politics and politicians have helped to re-
duce her during the period that hal
elapsed since Mr.. Lincoln's first election
to the Office of President. Lengthy edi.
torials and speeches denouncing the fed
eral government and firing the minds Of
the people in favor of war, with its conse.
quent destruction Of wealth and prosperity,
were found far more effective for those
purposes than they are now for leading
the people back to the paths Of peace,
good will, prosperity and good govern
ment. It was found far easier to teach
the people to turn their plowshares and
pruning hooks into warike implements
than to change the cannon and the sword
back into farming utensils; far easier to
instruct them how to overturn good gov
eminent and beget bad; to become de-
! moralized and poverty stricken than to
become again orderly, industrious and
fruitful of good in all that appertains to
selfgovernment. The people of the South
have tasted the bitter fruits of lengthy
editorials and speeches intoxicating rebel
lion, disintegration and destruction; but
they have yet to obtain faith in the
power of written OF oral defamation
fervid or frothy-to lead them back to the
only path that leads to true glory. 1t re-
CURES something more than common con-
tentions, talk, spun out by the yard, to
do this. The people have to be reminded
in short and earnest appeals that as work
is essential for the reproduction of wealth
in Louisiana as well as the restoration of
good government and morals, they must 60
to work. God has blessed Louisiana with
rich lands and genial climate, and here
man is given field for labor that
will prove abundantly productive if he but
exerts his energies in that direction.
A young man can have no surer field for
health, wealth and happiness than is
offered the farmer in Louisiana. He may
have to encounter some difficulties, but
none that he can not overcome if he so
determines; and among them we will in
clude the chances of overflow, confined
to our rich bottom lands.
The way to redeem Louisiana is to en-
courage the cultivation of her soil, and
this can best be done by discussing the
advantages of such labor. Our news
papers should, therefore, give less of their
attention to the discussion of politics
and more to the forwarding of the great
leading interest of our State-agriculture.
Louisiana, like Texas, Mississippi, Ala
bama and most of the Southern States, is
rich in agricultural resources. When
they are fully developed her people will
be numbered among the most prosperous
and wealthy communities in the Ameri-
can Union, and with this development
will grow up other great interests, subor-
dinate thereto, in the shape of commerce,
manufactures and the mechanic arts. Ag-
riculture-the production Of cotton, sugar,
rice, corn, potatoes, ETC., together with the
raising of stock-is the sure basis upon
which the wealth and future greatness
of our State is made to depend.
1t therefore becomes the duty of those
who make it their business to discuss and
direct public affairs to give more attention
to the solid groundwork Of society in
Louisiana than to the dissemination of
political views, that are of little conse-
quence compared with the great material
interest that must predominant before
there can be any sure and extended pros
perity. Increase the number of we'll
tiled farms in Louisiana and the bust |
ness Of New Orleans will increase. Her
and property holders will find
this much more certain way of regain
ing prosperity than by seeking it through |
political agencies alone. The members |
Of our Cotton Exchange and Chamber of |
Commerce and members Of the press
should bend their energies to an encour-
.gement of agricultural interests, and,
aext to this, should foster the growth of |
and the mechanic arts.
These branches of business would give
our young men and women employment,
many of whom, in this city, are
low compelled to suffer for the
want of something to do as a
means of support. The want Of bust
less is what drives so many into very
Questionable kind Of politics. 1t is no.
,orious fact that many of the youth of
his city who are anxious to work can not
ind it to do. We know of parents who
ire constantly on the lookout tor occupa-
ion for their sons who have almost grown
@ manhood, and are yet eating the bread
# idleness Our attention was attracted
% case short time since, where white
mother was piteously asking the influence
If a colored man employed by the city
government to obtain employment for her
ION. Her wan and care worn face showed
he misery that was gnawing at her heart.
Her boy, verging on to manhood, was
Ible and anxious to work for his poor
there was no work to be had
lere, and they were too poor to leave.
And We have reason to know that there
ire many, many others that are similarly
situated. If the Chamber of Commerce