The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-05-03
A NEW QUESTION.

A NEW QUESTION.
The negro exodus from Louisiana and
Mississippi has brought into prominence
a question that is likely to excite even
greater interest and anxiety in the South
than the freeing and REIMBURSEMENT OF
the negroes The importation of Chinese
to take the place of the negroes is begin
ming to be agitated by few political Jour
mails, and the Labor Convention which
meets in Vicksburg next month may pos
sibly take action looking..to their eventual
importation. This movement, if 1t takes
formidable shape, should be met at the
Threshold by the most determined oPpo-
sition from the farmers and the working
men of the towns and cities, for the sue
cess of such movement means the utter
ruin and degradation of themselves and
their families.
The farmers and workingmen OF the
South cannot remain passive spectators
of any scheme looking to the importation
of the Chinese They should learn wis
dom from the ruin of their brethren of the
Pacific States, who are now almost IN
arms against this monster and are deter
mined to rid their States of it at any haz-
ard, and they must unite and organize in
time and be fully prepared for prompt and
vigorous action.
To show how the Chinese are regarded
by the people of the Pacific States, who
have had several years experience with
them, we publish the following despatch:
A despatch from Portland, Oregon, says
the Board of Trade of that city has unan-
imously adopted long memorial, ad-
dressed to Mr.. Hayes, condeminng in
strong terms Chinese immigration to that
State. Among other things, the memo
rial declares that
'The Chinese seriously interfere with
all free labor, as they are able to exist upon
a pittance that does not suffice for the
merest support of white laborer and his
family; that their crime and pauperism are
a continual source of expense to the State;
that they do not in any manner advance
the acquisition of real property, the pay
ment of taxes, or the development of any
of its resources; that every dollar they
earn that is not absolutely necessary for
their support is sent out of the country,
and that they have introduced diseases
and crimes in our midst entirely unknown
prior to their advent"
The classes in Louisiana and Mississip
pi that will favor the importation of Chi
nese laborers are the merchants and bank
ers of the large towns and cities ana the
large landholders. These classes want
cheap labor and large crops of cotton and
sugar, and of the handling and disposal of
the crops they want the exclusive control.
1t would suit them to control the entire
business of agriculture, restricting the
great mass of farmers to the simple en-
ployment OF producing the crops, and to
manage all business and political affairs
as they did before the farmers began to
organize and act for themselves. They
ruined Louisiana by the importation OF
immense numbers of negroes Immediately
after the war to run the large plantations
and the entire South is suffering to-day
from the evils of that infamous policy ir
the prolongation of Radical rule. The
true policy of Louisiana and Mississippi
at the close of the war, was to prevent any
increase OF their negro population by i'm
portation from the other States. Had the
small farmers and workingmen been able
to adopt this policy, and defeat that of th'
money rings which was adopted, the PEG
pie of that State would have saved hun
dreds of millions of dollars, and would to
day be comparatively prosperous and in
dependent.
The farmers and the workingmen o
these States know by sad experience wha
negro supremacy in political and labor af
fairs means. Let them be prepared to OPP
pose with a united front any and ever
attempt of the moneyed classes to bring
them under the heels of still more dan
gerous and obnoxious element.
"Opposition to Chinese Immigration!
should be inscribed in plain letters in ev
cry Grange hall and workshop in Louisi
ana and Mississippi, and every Grang
should at once take up and discuss thi
question, and publish to the world thei
determination to oppose any and ever
movement to bring among them class @
laborers SO dangerous to their interests
A leading Patron and influential farme
of West Mississippi writes, under date O
the 22nd ult: