The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1874-12-05
To our Land Owners,

NOW that OUR State has been re.
deemed from the thraldpm of Radi-
cal rule and our parish from taxation
worse than confiscation, we Nish to
call attention of those who are own
crs of, or interested in the soil, to that
fact, that a few months of Conserva-
tive rule cannot fail but to bring with
its benign legislation, the worthy i'm.
migrant to settle among us and help
till the vast numbers of acres of fine
lands now laying idle in Natclito-
ches parish. Let US not flatter our
selves that the tide Of immigration,
so long desired by our people, will
flow to us without encouragement.
No State in the West was settled up
by its inhabitants exhibiting supine-
ness, and not exerting themselves to
draw to their respective neighbor-
hoods the hardy tillers Of the soil,
who have given to them their present
greatness and prosperity.
We have great questions to solve,
and surely none greater than the
settling up and cultivating of our
present abandoned fields. Thousapds
upon thousands of acres Of rich a.
'luvial lands in this parish, are smi-
lingly inviting the pillow and the hoe.
The settlement of the whole material
prosperity Of this country rests upon
the solution Of the problem Of our la
bor. We can conceive none 50 fool
ish as to desire the suicidal plan fol-
lowed since tho war, of bringing ig-
norant laborers, either white or black,
to Louisiana, and for momentary ad
vantage; crop of cotton or sugar;
to place the State in the hands again
Of a beastial majority, owned and
controlled by political demagogues, he
they of ns or against US. What we
need is small farms and plenty of
white intelligent farmers-tl,e coun.
thy to be settled up by men in whom
there is mutual confidence-men who
will grow a diversity of crops-and
add not only to the material prospect e
t. Of our parish, but to it's honor and
pride. Some few people may say,
who have been reared to slave labor
or have only advanced one step from
that since the var, i.,c. to run large
plantations with large bodies Of ne
groes, chow can we do that, we can
not make it pay" Well, wc can only
say to them, that you live in an age
of advancement, and unless you keep
on with the tide, you will be crushed
beneath tho wheels of the car of
progress. You must learn to compete
with skilled labor I; you must learn
how to make corn at Is cents per
bushel, pay; you must learn how to
make cotton pay ut 10 cents per
pound-for If you do not, in ten years
the South will he settled by q race Of
men who will astonish you by show
ing you how it is done.
We have tho lands and require the
settlers. How to get them! should
be tue question asked by all our land
owners.
We must encourage the immigrant
to our parish by every means IN cur
power schools must be established,
churches built, the price of our lands
put down to easy figures and sold up
on easy terms. Combinations to af-
feet these ends must he made by in.
terested parties agents sent out with
full powers to act IN bringing heads
of families to look at the country, to
explain to those who do not come, its
natural advantages and what improve
ment it il susceptible of.
Elsewhere We publish a card calling