The Chickasaw messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1880-1900, 1881-08-11
From The Nioksburg Mich Nouitor.l ]
East Mississippi.
10 ths Editor q ne Monitor /.

from tfe Nlcksburg Mieh.) Aouitorl
East Mississippi.
To the Editor Of the Monitor
Dear Sir-As / intend going to
East Mississippi next fall to make it
my future home, aud as one Richard
Downing, Of Mendon, has seen fit to
inveigh against the country and peo-
pie through the Mendoh Times, I feel
it a duty to give hepublic my views.
After spending about two months in
the South last spring came to the
conclusion that the climate is much
more desirable than in this State.
Stock Of all kinds can get a living
the entire year from grasses which
flourish all winter, and in the spring
they look better than our stock does
AFTER costing the oEAer half its value
to get it through the winter As TO
health, will say / did not End a
person who was complaining OF cold,
catarrh or rheumatism. The sum
mers are simply delightful, while the
weather 10 warm It is not hot, the
mercury ranging from 80 to 90 with a
breeze every evening. Flies and mos
quitoes are almost entirely unknown.
OF the soil, lean say believe it is as
good as any to be found 10 the uni
ted States. A COOK farmer can grow
successfully any crop that can be
raised herp, besides cotton, rice, jute,
iigs and peanuts. We find there heavy
prairie, light sandy loan, black loan
and clay soil Timber and water are
all that can be desired. And for the
people / will say they are the most
hospitable, great hearted people /
ever saw. They seem reliable and
truthful their word once given they
do not depart from. They doubtless
have their faults ike the rest of man
kind, but treat them with respect and
you will receive the same in return.
DoWnings personal attack upon
Colonies BleWett and Hillyard I be-
lieve to be entirely unfounded I am
personally acquainted with both OF
them and know them to be thorough
gentlemen. The land l have referred
to can be purchased from so TO SIS
per acre. Some may ask why, If this
| Is sueh g desirable country, do they
offer land SO oheapl There are plen-
| ty Of men in Mississippi who own
farms Of from two to six thousand
acres, who before the war lived like
nabobs, not knowing what It was to
want, but are now compelled to let
their lands lie in waste OF work them
selves. Much Of their land ls useless
to them, not more than one fourth OF
| it being cultivated, and that generally
very poorly. Thousaudsof acres have
lain withnut cultivation ever aimee
the war. Do you wonder they offer 9
part Of this land cheap for the pur-
pose of getting the country settled
by Northern farmers, and thus en-
hanoe the value ofthe rest from one
to three hundred per cent? ! think
we would be looking for some way
out Of the difficulty we're We in their
places. II is said by some that the
man who works is there esteemed no
better than a slave This cannot be
true, for the reason that many OF
these same planters sae nov superia-
tending and working their own farms
and arc ekucating their sons to be-
come farmers In my opinion q man
who wants cheap, pleasant and
profitable farm cannot de better than
make bis home in East Mississippi.
] would say to all, 60 South before
yeu take your chances 10 Kansas
Texas OF any Of the Western States
The drouth, the chintz bug, the grass
hopper aud the like in sumner, with
snow and cold in winter, which are
to be feared in the West, are mol
known there. Do not let prejudice
ovcrbalance your judgment In the
South you can talk your politics as
freely AZ IN Michigan. All they ask
Of you Is TO be q man among men
respect yourself and you will be
respected WM H STEVENS
MEEDOv MieH., July 20, 1881