The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-08-14
LABOR SAYING.
Democrat:

Editor Democrat
Awaiting myself Of the use of your
columns, in bringing before the plan
ters and merchants of Rapides, my
project for steam agricultural ma
chinery, combined with steam trans
portation over the common roads OF
the country, will not abuse the
granted favor, by going at length into
the entire merits, (for that would
Gil any ordinary issue of your paper
and can only be done, if necessary, to
meeting assembled for the pur-
pose, but will confine this strictly
to few points, touching the feast.
bility, possibility and the need Of it.
The pillow has been for twenty cen.
turtles and will continue to be, the
right bower Of agriculture; from the
first plowman aad his crotch of a
tree to the present, it has passed
many notifications, been the subject
of much thought and some improve.
ments, and remains unchanged only
through all it's changes in the use Of
animal power alone, that being the
easiest acquired, perhaps, and requi-
ring his skill to manage and control;
now at this point leaves the tangent
toward a new departure, to which ]
wish to draw the attention of think
ing and reasonable men, as to
whether the laws of cultivation are
so arbitrary as to preclude the use OF
every power but the OK OF the mule.
Does not reason teach that if there
is power enough, what matters it
whether it be the OK. mule, winds,
water or the mechanical powers? A
moments thought will establish the
fact that it is not altogether so i'm.
portant as to compel its use perpetu-
ally-also, the manner of its applica-
ton. So it is applied in way best
suited to the nature Of the power
used, whether before it, behind it,
over, under, or beside it; and what
should it matter how it is held so it
is held, or how guided. Adopt the
contrivance to apply power enough
of whatever order, and cultivation
becomes easy, scientific and certain.
In propelling vessels, the first power
used, possibly, was man power, or
the galley slave, subsequently the
winds, but now the old oak palaces
move on their course like things of
life, before the irresistible plunge Of
steam, each having different con-
trivance to accomplish the same re-
suit. The galley slave with all their
numbers and their might, could not
turn wheel; the winds are power
less to move an oar, or hold the
crank of an engine, and steam would
exhaust useless energy to fill the
sails. There have been some efforts
made at steam blowing, enough to
show the possibility, and why not?
Steam is the most gigantic motive
power of all the powers; whatever
men, mules, or winds can do, SO can
steam, further, surer and without ia
tigue with always balance of pow
er to its credit. So does the builder,
machinist, weaver, lumbermen and
the shoe maker. Why not these
the class that feeds and clothes them
all, butof course, this thing as yet,
is among the things classed "impos-
sible" till it is accomplished, then it
will be easy to see how easy it is
Why impossible2 the combinations
Of the twenty-six letters Of the alpha
bet is practically infinite. So the
combinations of the 507 mechanical
movements may be the infinite mul
tiplied by infinity, each being differ
ent between the two extremes, the
results are sufficient to cover all the
needs of southern plantation, and
the western farms.
The time is ripe for it; the need
of it can be seen, and we know that
it is felt. A soil rich enough to pro
duce the staple products for all the
world, left untitled. Railroads that
are prayed and waited for, failure
and delusion, climate genial and
inviting-yet, with it all, every effor,
is failure to induce the surplus la
Dor of other regions to aid US with
production; our soil tiller's arm is
too weak to do it all alone, the task
is too great; he may yet be disheart
ened and go into other industries, te
swell the ranks of the non-producers
unless he can put wrists Of iron
sinews Of steel, and the uutiripg mus
Gle of steam to work.
During the old Te0i11le. If I or an,