St. Landry democrat., 1880-11-20
The Opinion OF "a Northern MAN
who Recently Visited this
Section.


The following is from communlca-
ton in the Morgan City Review, OF
Nov. 9Th:
AS OTHERS SEE Us.
Some DAYS ago, we met Il gentleman
from the North who stated that he had
visited Louisiana for the purpose OF
examining hGmesteads, aud learning
something about the moral and social
condition OF the people generally. He
said lie was from Massachusetts his
oycunation that of {. farmer, that there
we're many in his section and State who
intended to migrate. either to the
West or the South that the following
descriptions he had read of Louisiana
as an agricultural State, had induced
him to visit it with the intention If
suited, to emigrate here along with
others.
We asked him how he was pleased,
and what where his impression OF our
State and people; and herewith is Il
condemned statement OF what he SAID,
given as nearly as possible IN his own
words.
"On reaching New Orleans, ] visited
the immigration bureau presided over
VI l..
his representative gave me readily and
cheertully all the information he pos
sessed: which, to be candid, did not
amount to much, and he also showed
me some offers made by land owners Ill
different parts OF the State, to give Il
homestead to an actual settler / his
unpalalielled generosity struck me Il
little singular: and | concluded at once
that what was to be given away, was
either not worth having, lntended as a
decOy for obtaining some unfair adyant-
age over the immigrants; and decided
for these reasons nos to visit those
places.
went up and down the coast and up
Red River as far as Alexandria; then
travelled South by way of Washington,
Opelousas, NerlDilionmille and New
Iberia, [ saw in my Wanderlngs a beau
tiful country, rich lands highly produc-
tive, and a variety OF crops growing,
and some being harvested; but no land
owner | spoke to, although some OF
them possessed thousand of acres, was
willing to sell homestead to an eml-
grant on reasonable or living terms.
Many were willing, and apparently
anxious to lease their lands i'll any de-
sired quantity; but none were willing
to sell, unless at exhorbitant rates,
which no emigrant seeking a home for
his family would be willing to pay.
The public lands | saw are unsulted
to immigrants; for the simple reason
that these are but little better than
naked plains; having neither wood or
water, and some distance below Ope-
lousas, the settlers have to plant the
Pride af India trees for tirewood. We
can do better than this in any Western
State where the government owns land.
NV own observation tells me, that all
the valuable lands Of your State arc III
private hands. and the owners will not
sell bomesteads on reasonable terms to
immigrants; and until this is done,
or if never done, you need not
expect any immigration OF indus
trious, intelligent and energetic ag-
riculturists from the North or from
Europe. This class in emigrating are
seeking independence not dependence,
and they Will never come here and
cultivate your plantations as tenants
but make it an easy matter for them to
acquire hOmesteads ;-as easy as it is
in the West and you shall have them
by thousands. | was we'll treated by ali
classes of people; no i'll feeling ey-
pressed against the government Or the
Northern people. | found the condl-
ton of the negro not at all as it is re-
presented North but Oh the contrary it
appeared to me, that they had more
| rights and privileges, or took more than
your white people did, think the race
| an improyident and immoral one, and
| no amount of moral teaching or training 3
| will ever elevate them in the scale of
civilization. From what see of them
| as laborers, they would not suit us up
! North. as they are too unreasonable,
careless, slow, motioned; in fact too
lazy and good for nothing and if ever
| brought into competition with our
hardy, energetic agricultural population;
they must get out OF the way, or do
more work than | saw them do here.
| However, it occurred to me that your
people preferred the negro to the white
laborer, and if am correct in this, it is
most probably due to habit, or rather
to slavery. One marked feature forced
upon my notice in my travels, was the
almost total absence Of school houses
and churches and / cannot recollect
seeing one outside of the towns and
little villages. This is the worst thing
| saw in your State, aud without wish
ing to reflect disparagingly upon youl
people, must say that | saw Il great
deal OF ignorance ard immortality per-
vading the mass of the white people.
To conclude, | like the land and eli
mate of Louisiana, it is undoubtedly
one OF the finest sections Of our country
but for some time to come, it is not the
State an immigrant will seek for reasons
already given. | am now on my way
to Texas will look through some por.
tions Of it, and then take the train fol