The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-04-22
THE KANSAS EXODUS.
.,.p REVIVAL OF THE EMIGRATION
rovEnEMr I'm MISSISSIPPI AND
NORTH LOUISIANA.
s.s;csdbye, Cotton: wen Never see rcu
Nh Mo-.

apparent prospect OF large exodus vi tne ia-
boring population from one OF the richest aefi-
cultural regions La the South.
me sueetace1f races Of Northern barbarlans
descending .fFbm their barren anu snowy last
assas nnen the fertile plains and valleys OF the
ua,,tb hoe beer witnessed more than once In
tho v,,,as history. The lnvasions Of the
Inna. Cloths apd yisiaeths from the sterile re-
..I,rs n the North into the civilized opulent
snd nroaparons provinces Of Italy. Greece and
r,,aiu have formed epoehs In the annals of
.,vItgatton These rugged barbarians Of the
Narth nfessed out from their own countries BY
~ overnrowded population, and iinpeled IN
rard ty not only thirst for conquest. but hum
rer for food. had apparently come urgent rea-
eop for availing themselves of the superior fer
t,tttv and produetiveness Of the grain fields and
vineyards of the South.
nut why the negroes of Louisiana and Missis-
eippi should reverse the race precept, leave the
fertile fields of the South and seek their suste-
THE NORTHWESTERN pRA1R1Es.
are questions which, vital though they be, have
been 90 far unanswered The plain, incontro
yertible sact. however, remains that thousands
OF negroes have recently left the aforementioned
states to seek their fortunes In the more inhos-
plteble cline OF Kansas. Thousands have gone
and other thousands are following, until now
there are reasons for a serious apprehension
Of a large decrease In the products annually
brought to New Orleans.
No certain approximate can be made ct the
extent pf this loss Of the laborinG population OF
Louisiana and Mississippi. Some estimates
have placed the number OF emlarants at Is 900
up to the end OF March. Other estimates have
gone over and still others under these figures.
The two States could, however, stand q loss Of
$4,000 or 10 900 negroes without any serious fall
Inc On in their annual productions. But the
emigration movement has not yet stopped In
faet. 1t seems recently TO have received
A FRESH IMPETUS,
and to be assuming larger proportions than
were ever expected. With the rontinuahce Of
the emigration excitement Ia its present state
Louisiana and Mississippi will lose more than
the forty or fifty thousand population they have
drawn ffck, the South Atlantic States since the
close OF tiN civil war.
A REPRESENTATIVE Of the DEMocRAT has recent
1y Visited the counties and parishes Of Mtssts
eippi and Louisiana most affected by the emil
grafton movement. ard has diligently endeav-
ored to discover the reasons for this strange
and unnatural exodus
III appears that une of its prime causes wRs
THE Low PRICE or COTTON
during the last year The negro laberer Ia the
river counties and parishes Of the two States
rarely produce more than two OF three bales Of
cotton each year Every laborer represents
two OF more unoctnpted 20 be SUPPORTED. ,lhle
of cotton. but lie has been working for himself.
performs Lees thar half work and last year vas
ast VIII his s Ct s Sas spessr y hs Sw
come out. In debt last year though they were
furnished With supplies q iair rates by ths
than they have been since the war.
Another cause Of the movement was undoubt-
eddy traetabe to polies..rather to negro poll
a.l... .,ffh .ttr Aaro In Inn
politics up to 1879, having found their oceupa.
tion gone du ing the last few ypafss, and not
caring o return to work haze caught ny ,he
fervor for followers to
COME AFTER THEM no KANSAS.
Some state. vaguely that they are going awar
driven of by, political persecution, but when
bound down % the est n definite sta.e thas
have been driven Off on account 81 their politi-
cal opinions or public acts The negro ex office
Imposed upon because they are not IA office,
where they feel that they ought 10 be with life
tenure and even heIea,er I th vent Inelf s ds
ana all resolve To Ro to Kansas together
All Incentive which Il actually driving thou
sands Of negroes to Kansas, your representative
was Informed by merchants In the two states,
was their debts contracted during the past two
years. In great numbers OF cases they got their
annual supplies and failed 70 produce even 9
to attempt 10 make crop, The majority Of
these debtors could be supplied again, but they
,refer rubbing of the score and going to new
country to get A fresh start. Others of the
debtors who cannot get supplies. as they are
hopelesely involved, leave the country to better
Tbe work III the Kansas agents has been won
derfully secret during the past month. During
the early winter
THEY CIRCULATED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY
and openly induced the negroes to leave the
cotton fields and farms. Now they are gen
orally denounced by planters and merchants
None OF them can be found IN either. state
They started the. emigration movement In the
winter aud now have only to watch the Lying
tide moving Northwestward. They worked by
direct persuasion. ueed seductive, pictures o.
game lands, cottages. level telds negroes
dn horseback, lib carriages, etc, and civil right
Lib full sway to induce the negroes away from
their homes.
excitement seemed to have lulled somewhat
Cool reflection seemed to be reasserting itee
among the maases who for awhile s apparer ,h
first of April the temporary calm has been FOL
lowed by
NEW AND MORE INTENSE EXCITEMENT
The movement liz going on with renewed ener
Lee at Grand Gulf on Saturday laet. There BE-
was Informed that more than three hundred
negroes we're waiting II vicksburg i2r We Are
ana side below Grand Gulf a few miles he cav
more than two hundred more on the levee walt
ing for the boats TO take them away. and at In,
were camping waiting for transportation tc
Kanaae Thoae OF these emigrants who were
interviewed would give no reason for their ex.
traordibary move. save that times were hare
and they could make
NO MONEY IN LOUISIANA
About the middle of the present month more
than three hundred boarded ": Louis boa
from landing ia Madison parish. Each one
as he stepped aboard off the stage plank. threw
q handful of cotton in the river and shouted
joining general chorus.
''Gooppr COTTON, WE'LL NEVER SEE You NO MOL
This emigration would be far greater un.
doubtedly, were IL not for the fact hat thousands
Of the would-be emigrants cannot procure
funds sufficient to pay their passage. Hun
dreds of those who have been able to get theil
passage money have done SO at great sacrifices
All over. Northeast leuie lana aud West Missis
sippi. they have sold their horses. mules
wagons and implements for ridiculous prices
They have parted with good mules for SIS
horses for SO and carts or wagons for $B.
This exodus Ia far more sudden than thai
which commenced Southwestward from the
South Atlantic States in 1867, In that move
mn vrit HIT Il Ia ~ N-ir