The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1879-12-27
The Exodus.

Editor Merchant. Mechanic and Farmer
To any one who has studied
carefully the labor question IN
The extreme South, 1t must be APP
parent that more than halt OF the
Cultivated fields in Louisiana.
must De eventually abandoned,
II, for their cultivation, RELIANCE
rs 10 be placed on the colored
man.
=. The latter becomes more and
more tired of field work. He wants
to be independent, and more than
all: he wants to See his money at
the end OF his days wo!k. lie Is
always ready to spend it as last
as ne a get it, sometimes faster,
aud toolishiy. He wants to 20
to meeting; to political gather
.ngs; to the nearest store or col
.lo-house. He does not wish to
he hirdered, bothered and
brought into the traces by that
regular and, to him, dismal soand
the, plantation bell or horn.
For these REASONS the negro
will chop wood, cut bitches and
canals; he will undertake amy
job work; he will do anything
which may require no strain Oh
his brains, and no regular hours
of work from sun to sun. AS to
the idea Of making of the colcred
ma, IL uultivator of the. soil, u
e il farmer, for his own account,
it is unreasonable, not tU say
mole. Any one who has tried
the negro dis a farmer, even for a
.ew months, land We speak with~
ont prejudice OR passion, because
during tue space: OF many years,
we have tried him in every posi-
Die way, botlr individually and
collectively, must be satisfied
aud convinced that, as Il general
thing, a few potat,"s, Il little
corn. IL creole pony and as much
~whiskey as he can get, even at
the expense Of substantial food
AMI dtcert clothing, are all that
the negro wants or cares Tor.
Want OF .seiucation and regular
training, as far rs I'VE can Judge,
IS the cause.
g There are exceptions to be sure
those exceptions, as to number,
may vary according to localities,
but j. has not been Onr lot III oul'
locality, to find out many.
- This we say without .letracting
tromthp merits of the negro as a
working man.. He can render
himself very useful, but the Want
Of proper qualifications TO become
a successful farmer will ever
leave him in the back ground, un
less much changed by ednca-
ti., and learning. Therefore the
sooner we realize the tac:., the bet
ter it shall be fer our ag' lcultu,
raj interest. Whether here or in
Kansas, tire Drgro is irretrieva-
bly, lost to our fields.
Louisiana's soil IS destined, at
no: distant;i day, to be snatched
irourihe hands of the charge plan
Ter, IN order to become the prop
er,y of the small farmer, and that
small farmer for, the present,
must be the white man.
;, The white man who entertalns
about independence, ideas far diff
fe,ent from those of the coloretl
man. relies Oh time to obtain
what he desires. lie wants land.
20 Get it he will work hard he
will save little by little. Ii he
has nothing, that white man will
work Oh theplantation for ii short
time, rather on shares than by
the day. if the thing is possible.
He is all the time looking ahead
to emancipation, and as soon as
he becomes possessed of a small
capital. he gases to be Il day la
Aoler in order to become d far
mer.
: 1t is our opinion that ill Louis
iana, any undertaking of any inns
portallce, aiming sat success III
agricultural pursuits, must be
based upon rational, equitable
and systematic division of landed
property. 8
Let the negro depart if he
chooses, and let the vacancy oc
caSioired thereby, be filed gradu-
ally, as it Twill be undoubtedly, 10y
4 class of laborers better calcnla-
ted to develop the boundless re-
sources of the country, and to
draw from the bosom. Of the earth
the millions which will one day
astonish the world. and cause
Louisiana to glitter like Il dia-
monG IN the Sunshine OF prosperi-
~. III. HARANa.
A certain young man brought