Louisiana capitolian., 1880-03-06
WHITE LABOR FOR THE SOUTH.

Country visitor, Thibodaux Sentinel,
Sabine Index, Farmerville Gazette,
jackson Clarion, and many others in
their conclusions coincide with mine.
Now, sir, there never was . time
when white emigrants could be more
easily secured than at this moment.
In Ireland, according to statistics BY
the New York Herald, there are some
$4,000 souls in want of food and
clothing, depending on charity for a
living. Many die daily from starva-
ton and sickness. Now that we are
called upon to contribute for their re-
lief, and subscriptions are flowing In
for this cause, cannot we, in this State,
form an immigration aid society, aud
bring some Of these people to work on
our plantations. l will guarantee
they will refund the party employing
them their passage money by Install
ments, give more satisfaction and
work more faithfully for the same
wages as paid our present labor.
These men would work all the week,
from Monday morning till Saturday
night. They would know no holidays
but work all the time.
The passage per steamship tn New
Orleans would he about thirty dollars
each. This is cheaper than labor can
BIZ brought from Virginia or any of the
Eastern Southern States. Then why
not bring men who will become good
citizens under our government and
the United States 'statutes-will in
time acquire property Of their own,
thus helping to build up our State !
The great drawback to white labor is
the miserable cabins that nearly allof
our plantations have for their accom-
modation. White men are not nor
have been accustomed to these de-
scription Of dwellings. They require
clean, comfortable cabin Of two
apartments, with sufficient garden lot
to grow vegetables on, etc. They
have this where they come from, and
were they comfortably provided form
this country, they will become perma-
nent residents, and do honor to our
State; but white men will not locate
on our plantations where the cabins
provided for them in many instances
are little better than hog pens.
Planters improve your cabins offer
inducements to white labor, and in a
short time you will have an abundance
of it, which will largely tend to in
crease your yield both of sugar and
cotton, as white men on the Teche
and Lafourche have demonstrated this
fully by the results of their labor.
The Irish want to be land owners !;
where in tho world does such an Op-
portunity offer as in the South. The
United States owns millions of acres
which can be homesteaded at q cost
of about thirty dollars for every 100
acres. The State also has large guam
titles of land which can he bought
cheap, as also private parties. Vacant
lands can be purchased from fifty cents
per acre up. Would not this tempt
emigration to our midst. We have
had emancipation for over sixteen
years. How many of these have ac-
quired any property during that time,
or how many are as well off as they
were at the close of the war I l think
very few. But with white men in
their place, ut least, one-half of them
would, in that time have become land
owners and tax payers, thus contrib
uting to the wealth and revenues of
our State.
Every able bodied man coming
amongst us is estimated to contribute
about one thousand dollars to our
prosperity as the results of his yearly
labor. The resources and productive
ness of our State would require to he
explained to the people who would
come by a reliable party-not poll
tician; one endorsed by the governor,
clergy, merchants and planters Of oul
community. One in whom they
would have every confidence in his
statements and representations. Many
who now emigrate to Texas, who are
in possession Of means, could be in
duced to remain here, were our prop.
erty owners more liberal in their de,
mands in selling their lands on which
they are paying taxes, without receiv
ing any remuneration from same by
giving longer time for payment-sa!
from five to ten years, with notes &c
cured by mortgage on the propeit!
sold, which iscOnsidered the very bes
, security that can be had by any one
Many emigrants would purchas
, say one hundred acres of vacant land
''not now worth more than three dol
, lars per acre." on ten years. time,
!, owners would sell to them on tel
,, years. time at say ten dollars per acre
! giving ten notes, payable annually
first note twelve months after pur
chase. On this land the purchase
would be required to erect a dwellin
and office, houses, fences, and drai
!: same; so that in any event the forme
owner would lose nothing in case Q
7 default-all improvements would re
: vert back to him. A plan on some
8 thing of this basis would soon brin
), prosperity to our State with a larg
q increase to our population of strong
y hardy working people.
g Our legislators have an emigratiO
K bill under consideration. | am ne
e properly conversant with It's prov
q SONS, but it should be as liberal q
possible in it's enactments and prov
sions, as every dollar spent in th
:, way will return one hundred fold
!" our benefit. Respectfully,
d FRESHMAN.
9 New Orleans, February 10, 1880.