The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-12-28

THE IMMIGRATION CONVENTION.

It seems to us that the Immigration Asso
citation, under whose auspices and at who's
provocation the convention of the 18th Janu
nary is to assemble. has not given the matter
the notoriety through the medium OF The
press which 50 important an assemblage de
serves. The subiect this convention Is called
to discuss and advise about Is one OF immeas
urable and almost unparalleled Importance tc
Louisiana, involving, as 1t does, her every
material interest and the development Of the
boundless resources that only await the fos.
terlng hand of industry amp thrift to make
them yield the fruitage of untold wealth.
We do not know what the various commit
tees entrusted with cutting out the work
have DONE but we would suggest that the
people, In the country specially, feel q pro-
found interest in the matter and would like
to know all about it. There Is, we believe a
special committee entrusted with the task of
presenting the subject and discussing the
measures that are to be proposed, through
the press and we therefore feel at liberty to
call upon them to give the views of the asso-
citation upon this movement.
There Ia also another very important COM
mittee which has in hand the framing of
bill for the consideration of the convention,
from which IL Is to be referred to the Legisla-
ture. This bill will doubt less call for big
subsidy and will aise establish the immigra-
tion policy of the State. These are very mo-
mentous propositions, and they are not to be
disposed OF without mature consideration,
and we would, therefore, suggest a meeting
of this important committee, and in place
and under circumstances which would enable
the press to report It's proceedings. OF course,
what we say here Is merely by way of sug-
gestion, and in no spirit of caviling or fault
finding, because we have no knowledge what
ever Of what the committee has already done
or proposes to do.
We would only caution these gentlemen
that the subject of immigration has received
"A great deal of attention, and this of the
most practical kind, In North Louisiana par
ticularly. There was not long since very
large convention of the northern parishes at
Shreveport, and the result Of that meeting we
already read of In the country press. It was |
but the other day that Shreveport paper |
noticed the arrival Of large number Of fami- |
lies In Caddo from Illinois, and this is by no |
means the first evidence of the work that has |
been accomplished in that section. There |
seems to be already organized there an i'm
migration scheme, under private auspices, |
that is In successful operation.
We can readily understand how this should
be, knowing, as we do, the vast areas of coun-
try, owned by landholders, that can not be
disposed Of or rented and which are lying
fellow, and yet are heavily taxed These
people have been forced to this expedient as a
means of self-preservation, and are prepared
10 offer terms that strike trading Yankee as
most too good This idea was expressed ina
letter that was read by Mr.. Berry to the asso-
citation at it's last meeting. The gentleman
writing him from the North said that Wiley
Il Co., Of Shreveport, were giving lands to
people who would settle on them, and that this
struck the Yankees as too soft a thing If
the land was not utterly barren He
could trade them land but could not give it
to them. Yet the truth is that these people
can honestly afford to give alternate sections
10 people who will settle on the laIds, and
OF the very best and most productive lands at
that. This is the case all over the State-in
South as well as North Louisiana.
Our article is meant only as gentle re-
minder, and we trust we shall hear more of
immigration during the two weeks that inter-
vene between now and the date fixed for the
assemblage of the convention.