St. Landry democrat., 1879-12-20
Is Our Sugar Mart"
New Orleans Democrat.
E1iton .,f tho I)a,nncrat


New Orleans Den.ocratl
To the Editor Of the Democrat:
1t is both cheering and refreshing to
read your able editorial Of the thirtictl
of November ultimo, on the subject Of
"Our Sugar Mart.n
| think it is a clearly demonstrated
fact that no industry in this country
has had greater difficulties to encounter
since the war than has the sugar indus
try of Louisiana; and | think | can
truthfully say that the word does not
afford any more prominent illustration
of intelligent and tenacious business
effort than is to be found among those
who conduct this industry. | do not
mean that every planter is a wiseacre
or a model Of industry; but | do mean
to say that as q mass they are unsur-
passed in intelligence and patient effort.
When the war broke out the sugar
proportions, and while it was not so
urgent necessity then as it is now, the
spirit of improvement in machinery for
higher results in both quantity and
quality was aroused, and great changes
were indicated.
The crushing effects of tho war are
known to all, and it is only surprising
that the industry has reached 10 its
present proportions, for it has been
hampered by real and grossly factitons
obstacles that are well calculated to
repress human efforts.
| have often wondered that our news
papers Certainly aware of the inpor-
tance of sugar production to both State
and city, have not fully informed them
selves on this great subject, and, being
informed, have not lent their columns
| without stint to reformation Of wrongs.
An individual planter cannot success
fully light a combination of what may
but all informed, sagacious and indie
pendent journal can, by we'll directed
effort, break down any such combina-
ton, and, while not being the organ of
any man or Of any industry, confer un-
told benefit on a whole State.
This is u part of the legitimate mis-
sion of public journal, and ! IqongEatu-
late you, sir Oh the OCCASION OF your
exhibition of Il quality which, could it
be reduced to physical proportions,
might, under the privileges of the pen,
be pronounced y0ra ais IN terris.
The "Sugar Mart' of Louisiana is a
slur on the Intelligent and sagacity of
both our city and State governments.
| have watched it carefully for years,
and there is hardly a redeeming feature
in it.
1. Before the war, with crop reach
ing over 400, 900 hoghcads, with molasses
in proportion, the city appropriated all
the open ground now occupied, as we'll
as the extensive grounds absorbed by
the sugar shed monopoly. Then there
was not room enough for the proper
Ira af Nf rf1,l q Ciy nJy
the planters are restricted to d narrow
open area, unfit in every respect for the
purposes to which it is appropriated,
while the utterly illegal and outra geous
monopoly-the sugar slels-stand with
open mouth to swallow every hogshead
or barrel that the city ordinance drives
off the stinted area into NAV the
authorities have created without au-
thOrity in law, common sense or Justice.
AS a market, it is without parrellel in
commercial communities. A city that
aspires to be great and wealthy invites
the products of the soil to it's wharves,
gives them hardly room to be landed,
illegally ly'appropriates the public domain
to an extortiOnata corporation, and
strikes hands with the octopus Of its
creation by driving these products into
it's NAV, or forcing sales at a loss on
the producer! While [ write the subject
of the extension OF the shedding busi-
| ness is before the City Council, and the
attorney of the city tells them that they
cannot thus give away the public do
main and delegate the power to tax
than this. they have only to ask this
attorney for them, and he will readily
| furnish them decision on decision Of our
courts which will sustain the opinion he
gives. To some this may seem work of
supererogation =; but it is not so. There
| is no more wholesome mental food that
can be laid before high officials than
the we'll disested opinions of the judicial
| tribunals of the land n'h TIE n1ehest evil
that besets public officials is notorious
disregard of law. This, more than
everything else, has brought Louisiana
| and New Orleans to the condition Of
! Doverty that holds them down.
But look! The City Attorney says that
the law forbids the allegation to COR
porations or individuals Of the public
domain, or the bestowal on either Of
the power to tax; and the decisions Of
our courts stand there to sustain the
attorney. The Sugar Shed Company
holds the land formly appropriated to tie
| sugar. industry Of THIS State-0 public
| anding-Ghd at MTes sugar. dhd ntOMSSes
every hour for occupying that tand. 1t
does both these things, aid to The infinite
injury Of the State and city at large, to
say nothing Of the industry itself: Can
the Council, arho aciU not dare to gire
| Gudu ana more such property and rights,
hesitate to take proceedings for ,rrestjng
sueh as hare been illegally conferred, from
those aclo hold Heme
2. The State forces upon the producer
an official weigher Of sugar and an
official gauger Of molasses. Both are
supposed to be sworn officers. Sworn
to what To areigh and guage correctly.
Yet the weigher weighs. with a beam
scale with fre pound notches and q rising
beam. and the gauger measures acith q
slanting stick! care not how accurately
a producer weighs on the finest of plat
form scales, he loses an average Of five
| to eight pounds per hogshead and |
care not how closely the producer fills
his barrels with molasses, he losses one
to Ave gallons per barrel, If the pro-