Richland beacon., 1877-03-31
WHY IS PLANTING IN LOUISIANA
nor PROSPEROUS,

the want Of agricultural prosperity in ou
State could not be attributable wholly to the
soil, climate, overfows and droughts all
combined; and we think if we had time
and space to devote to this subject we could
prove the correctness Of this assumption to
the satisfaction Of every reader. In fact, We
do not think it would require many words to
convince any reasonable person of this fact
because it is generally conceded that our soil
is unsurpassed for produc,iveness, while our
climate is adapted to the development of an
infinite variety Of products such as corn, rye,
barley, oats the grasses, peas, pumpkins,
melons, Irish and sweet potatoes, peanuts,
sugar, rice and cotton; VIC have an almost
inexhaustible cattle range, summer and
winter, with the most abundant hc xory oak
and pecan mast for hogs-whh the single
disadvantage to which other countries are not
subject, of the periodical overflows, which
we do not consider half 90 damaging as most
people seem to think, from the simple fact
that, Notwithstanding we had one of the mos,
extensive foundations last year, followed bv
an unprecedented drouth, we made better
crops in North Louisiana, as an average. than |
they did in any other Southern State, unless
it was Texas, perhaps
II is true our political condition has been
most dePlorable for several years, and that
our agricultural interests have suffered in
common with all other interests in couse.
quence thereof and that our people have been
greatly burthened with taxation; but we have
not had as great burden to bear a . grea,
many other States, whose people were not
i'sheartened and distracted from their pursuits
" the uncertainty Of unstable government,
IND harrsssins consequences Of political ex-
'tement as we were. But can our want of
prosperity be attributed even to this combined
With our other troubles, We think not.
Then we will have so look to some o,her
aoses, which with these, have resulted 50 !
isastrously to our interests
We are bound to conclude that i, !. the d
.sult Of our system Of farming mere than of :
u other causes combined. No man can .
'nduct 4 farm successfully on borrowed
'pisal, and pay twenty-five and thirty per !,
mt. for the use of that capital even under h
e most favorable circumstances, and especial. Il
when that borrowed money is expended
the very articles that should be the pro.
action Of the farm and source Of revenue
ereso. lis no less true that farming under
different system can be made very profi,a ~
in this country, asa proof Of which fact -
have numerous examples in our own ~
rst. The planters who are out of debt -
ID independent are those who raise their ~
'n horses, cows, hogs, sheep, potatoes, peas ~ =,
d corn at home, while those who are in :"
bt and dependent upon their merchants all W
time for the means of carrying on their '"'
ms are those who buy all their supplies 6"
plant cotton almost 70 the exclusion of all ~
'er products. This cannot be denied. for '"'
are fully prepared to prove it beyond the SUI
's'bilisy o: successful contradiction. Then
must be the principal reason why plant. ""
in Louisiana is not prosperous. en
Not single prosperous planter or farmer
our parish will deny these facts-in fact, ITO m
have never heard even a half dozen IN
Prosperous ones deny ii. And yet ,hev "V'
p up the ruinous system. Ask them wbv cor
do it, and the invariable reply is tina. they e'"
in debt and are bound to plant cotton to 'ne
their debts with, and ~ soon as they &c, "e
Of debt they are going 10 diversity their a''
% and 70 to raising their own stock and '""
to live independent Pray tell US how ~" !,
; you have been trying this means of get.
out o. debt, and how much nearer you '"''
nut Of debt than when you commenced, '~"
the answer always is, ,4Oh, ever since W.
war. and am worse in deb, now than .'"'
N | commenced" Can any one tell US '"~'
long 1t will take to get out Of debt a, this "'
Jf he can we will acknowledge that
'yssem is good one and that we are mis-.