The patron of husbandry., 1879-07-26
WHITE COLONISTS.

We had the pleasure yesterday OF max
ing the acquaintance of Mr.. ID. M. Lyle,
of tbis CITY, who is the owner of large
tracts of land in the lower part of Rapides
parish, a goodly portion of which, Tor
some years after the war, he cultivated as
a plantation, using negro labor exclusively.
In 1872, he determined to try an exper-
iment. which during long residence IN
Texas, before the war, he had seen sue
ceed there This was to establish col
ony of white farmers on his lands. lie
went to Mississippi armed with proper
letters of introduction, and with maps OF
the lands, full descriptions the soil, TIM
ber water, climate, productions, means OF
transportation to market hygienic condl-
ton, etc From Copiah, and other coun-
ties in that section, he succeeded IN gath
ering twenty seven white families, people
bred up to country lite in the South, and
all with some means. He furnished them
with residences and houses, with ag-
ricultural implements, and whatever else
they absolutely needed to make start
AS his lands were cleared and fenced IN,
that was great advantage at the begin
ming. The colonists made different ar
rangements to remunerate him. Some
paid him a money rent per acre. Others
paid fourth of what they raised. His
cotton gin was at their service, for which
they paid moderate toll. What groce-
ries. provisions or other supplies they
needed were ordered through his mer-
chant here, duplicate account being in
variably sent each purchaser, but the set
Elements being made through Mr.. Lyle.
For this he charged his tenants or colo
nists nothing.
The colony grew steadily until it has
increased to several hundred persons, To-
Gated on the Bayou Clerc, Bayou Huff
bour and Bayou Lemorey, and in the par
ishes of Rapides, Avoye!les and ST Ian
dry. All are doing well, and Mr.. Lyle's
success has induced other large land own,
ers in the neighbo~hood to follow his ex-
ample
One of the first things Mr.. Lyle did
| was to erect a church and school house,
at his own expense, and he contributed
literally to support them, realizing that
in them are powerful ties to keep the col
onists together and attach them and their
families to their new homes.
| A few of the negroes who formerly
worked with Mr.. Lyle have remained,
and he has afforded them the same facili>
ties as the white farmers. His object was,
however, to establish a self-supporting
colony of white cultivators of the soil, and
he has fully succeeded d.-Ne7V Orleans
Pfcayune. ........ .... .
Had the planters in the alluvial lands
adopted plan like the above Immediately
after the war, instead of bringing in
hordes of negroes from the older States
they would have saved themselves from
bankruptcy, and their States from the
horrors of negro rule. Regions now fall
ing into decay, would be blossoming as
the rose; communities now retrograding
would be advancing in the arts and re
hnements Of higher civilization.
An ignorant, narrow, selfish spiri
blinded them to their true interests ant
the dictates of patriotism, and for year
they have been drinking the bitter cup
prepared by their own hands.
Even fools learn in the dear school o
experience, but it seems that Mississippi
Valley planters cannot. The same blind
narrow selfshness is now prompting then
to supply the place of the fleeing negroe
with Chinese coolies, They seem deter
mined that the rich alluvial region-th
: garden of the Continent-shall never b
the home of white men.
What Mississippi and Louisiana mos
need is, not serf laborers, black or yellow
but large increase of free, intelligen
white citizens.