The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-07-02
CATHOLIC EMIGRATION TO THE SOUTH.
Philadelphia Catholic STANDARD, June l7th.l


We are glad to see that our remarks
few weeks ago, advocating the establish
ment Of Catholic Colonies in the Southern
States are receiving some attention. In
response to them Thomas G.. Rspier, Esq
General Manager of the New Orleans
MORNING STAR, sent Us a number of letters,
which we published last week, setting
forth the advantages of the Attakapas par
ishes of Louisiana. Those who read those
letters will remember that in the region re-
ferred to the population is mainly Catholic
and that Catholics moving there from the
North will find themselves within easy
reach of Catholic churches and schools.
We publish below an article from The South,
in which the present condition and pros
poets of the Northern and Southern States
are contrasted. There are statements IN
this article we'll worthy OF consideration
by those who find themselves out OF work
in our Northern States, or who are engaged
in precarious and Improbable employ ment.
We believe, with the writer of the article
referred to-, that there are thousands in our
Northern and Middle States who could
greatly better their condition, in pecun-
iary point OF view, If they would emigrate
to the Southern States
The want of Catholic churches there ls
now the great objection, and it is very
serious one. But this difficulty, az we
pointed out, may be overcome by Catholics
emigrating in colonies. We are of opinion,
too, that if the Bishops of the Southern
Dioceses would take action in the matter,
and express their willingness and desire to
CO operate with Catholic colonies propos-
ing to establish themselves in the South,
movement might be iDaugarated which, IN
course of time, would resultin largely aug
menting the Catholic population OF our
Southern States.
THE RELATIVE CONDITION OF THE NORTH
| AND SOUTH.
1,a1f 90
regard the South as poverty -stricken
| country, while the North was wealthy and
! prosperous, that, to say that to. day the
South is really better OFF than the North,
sounds like an ahsusd statement. Prob
ably, toos the people who would be most
incTedulous of the truth of such an asser-
ton are the Soutberners themselves. True
it is that it would appear to merely sup
erficial observer that the Northern people
we're revealing in luxury while the South
ern people were decayiug in poverty. ira
yelers from the South are apt to misjudge
the state of affairs from their limited scope
of observation. They come North to buy, not
to sell. 1t is the reverse with the Northern
commercial travellers going South. Their
objective plans require strict investigation
into the present resources and future pros
poets of the South. The Southern buyer sim
DIV selects what he wants and takes them
home. 1t is of no special consequence to
him whether the merchants who have filled
! his orders or the manufacturers who have
supplied them are making money or are on
the of verge bankruptcy. To know the true
f condition of the North one must see more
f than the always bustling throng in the
a streets of New York, Go to their homes
, and see the unpaid bills for rent, food, and
r gas that nightly haunt the tylish New 4orl
q business man as he enters his browstons
! residence on fashionable street, on which
g is heavy mortgage that Is tormentlnG IL
a.
a England, the great beehive. of the world
Il and see the idle machinery and idle peopl
: looking to the future with dark forebodlng
@ of distress, suffering and starvation. Go t
i the West and one finds every one In deo
# but nothing to pay them with. The farmer
. are oyerburdened with provisions that tn
h warehouses want bat have no money {
y buy, and yet are dreRding the sheriff wit
J. the foreclosures on their homes for whlc
n they owe some one who must nave h
3, money. Such, in brief, is the harroWin
"a picture at the North that ls presented o
70 going behind the scenes. The worst fet
- tnre ia that the end is not yet. From yet
q to wear times have been going from bad
A. worse. Each year have the people hope
NJ that next year would bring better time
of but their hopes have been disappointe
More depression of trade, more failures, ar
. more thrown out employment have follow
-, led, There seems nothing in the immedia
at future to arrest their progress toward rui
The next succeeding years are hkely TO q
he the same scenes re-. enacted.
~ The South, on the contrary, has be
in growing better off. Few people there ca
at not but say that they have more of the 4
ali cessaries Of life now than they had six yes
on ago. Their ruin came suddenly. Th
not started from tha position to retrive the
lie. selves. They could be no worse; Tn
ad mieht become better; they have beeo
the better, although the Improvement, !
! of come so gradually as to be imperceptible
ian them. They are hardly ready to believe
ary SO long have they been accustomed to
an themselves q ruined people that any oil
he condition seemed Impossible. co the pres
life generation at least. Though the people at
for, South do not have the appearance of wea