The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-02-01
AGRICULTURE AND IMMIGRATION.

Some objection has been made to Senator
Walton's bill providing for a Bureau OF Agri
culture and Immigration In the State. Thu
objections are to the effect that, under the bill
as It stands. the Commissioners hereafter K
be appointed ls left too much to his discretion
as regards the amount and quality OF ths
work he will do In the NJ, st Important func
ton Of his ONCE. Sect ~ says:
SEQ 2. BE il further enacted ofe That the
Coma, isaiuner II Agriculture and Immigration
| tion aud distribution all statistics and facts
rs'atinG 70 the chnrsctar ana iesourc'a OF his
State. 70 hs Issued tn pamphIat circular or other
| forma, ss he mby judge beat and necessary to
| further the cbects of this act etc.
/ II Ia here that, according to tho opinion ol
many who feel profound interest IN the mat
tor OF immigration. the phraseology should
be more Distinct. In al other respects. the
bill Ia conceded to be an admirable one. cover
,ng eRectualy every part Of tho ground: but.
rs regards the preparation Of the statistics
! Il la claimed there should be clearer and
more explicit definition OF tho duties Of the
| Commissioner.
| For our part. we recognizes the force OF the
| proposition without quite seeing how Mr.
Walt0ns bill Ia to be modified. Nothing Is
more obvious than the Imperative necessity
Of giving to these compilations every possible
attribute OF accuracy. OF completeness and
Of lueidity. They should not only give all
the facts. trnthfully and conscIentlously. but
they should give them In an entirely intelli
gible shape. Everybody knows that lmmt-
grafton Is frat attracted to any section by the
showing that is made of It's advantages
Hence the statement emannting from dis
trct desiring immigrants should be OF q ma
ture to act forth In tho clearest and most
comprehensive manner every fact bearing
upon It's character. climate, productlveness,
facilities Of transportation, terms offered to
purchasers. tenants or laborers, and every
other point Of interest or Significance.
This Is the way TO turn tho tide of mmi
grafton In any given direction. TO keep 1t
flowing IN that direction. however, there Ia
an Indispensable condition to b. observed.
1t must never happen that Immigrants who
are attracted to Louisiana by representa-
tIons made on the authority of the State
shall find that there Is any discrepancy be-
tween the statements and tho facts-they
must never discover that they have been mis-
led or deceived in any respect whatever.
What our govern mont declares must be liter
ally true, what It promises must be scrupu-
lousy fulfilled. This done we shall retain
the advantages secured by our efforts and
enjoy lasting aud increasing prosperity.
Az we understand the question, therefore.
there h u feslng that section Ut Mr.. Wal
tou's bill should be- 50 amended as to abso-
Iutely guarantee three results:
First Ehattha COMM ssIoner shall possess
the industry to coate tho statistics per-
soEally.
Secondly That he shall possess tho intelli-
geDce to set forth tho results Of his labors In
clear. concise and comprehensive fashion.
Thirdly That he shall exercise these quail
tics to their fullest extent In the adnlnistra-
ton of his office. .5= --..=.=
Mr.. Waton's bill evidently contemplates
all this but it Ia claimed lat the law Is for
the future MS we'll as for the present and that
nothing should be left to elrcum stance. That
Gov Witt will make q suitable appointment,
there can be no doubt. bone Is more enth,l-
siastic and earnest In the matter than he Is.
no one will labor more consclentlouslv In the
good cause. This. however, Is a la which must
take Its place upon the statute books and 1t
should 60 there completed In all It's parts-~a law
unto ITSELF and needing no interpreter
Whether the phraseology OF the law admits
OF any stipulations more minute than those
which Senator Walton has already employed,
remains to be eCan.