The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1882-08-05

New Orleans Picayune.

New Orleans Picayune,
Our French neighbor, L'Abeille de
la Nouvelle Orleans, published Friday
morning an elaborate editorial, a col
umn and half in length, entitled
La Necessit6 des Manufactures on
Louisiana" II notes the means BY
which the North has established her
vast industries--a protective, and in
some points almost prohibitive tariff.
It remarks on the poor agriculturists
of the South, who furnish the nation
large portion Of its revenue, that they
purchase an infnity of articles Of con-
sumption at two or three times the
price which they bear in foreign mar
kets. The fact that Southern planters
persist in relying on one staple article,
and buy nearly all their necessities Of
the North, has been fercely blazoned
during the past six months by nearly
the entire press Of Louisiana; and we
shall be glad if continual instruction
results in the regeneration of our agri-
cultural system. The Bee emphatically
points out how we are spoiled for the
benefit of the industries Of the North
aud of Europe, and puts in the mouth
of the South a proposition to turn the
tariff to her own benefit; "Et, nous
au88i, nous 8eToR8 i,s9ustriels, Ell 70 tarV
que Ton q iApsnte a notre detfimeBt,
nous le feroas touraer q motre profit I"
The Bee contends that Louisiana,
favored by her position, by the excep-
tional advantages of her port Of New
Orleans, by her situation on the most
magnificent system of waterways in
the world, by her soil and agricultural
productions, invites her people in all
her coasts to accumulate factories,
works, mills-but is nevertheless far
from occupying the first rank among
the industrial states of the South. We
have cottou-why do we not manufac7
ture it We have sugar-why do we
not refine it ? We have jute-why do
we not make 1T an important branch of
local industry 2 We have been so hap
py in the past we are always looking
back with regret toward that past and
meanwhile all the conditions Of human
life are irrevoeably changed, and we
have not willed to change with the
times, with the new conditions of So
ciety and industry.
The Bee is evidently desirous to
make New Orleans an industrial city,
truly worthy to bear that title. It secs
clearly the possibilties-we wish we
could say the destiny, but destiny is
the work and consequence OF human
effort and endeavor, and we shall have
that industrial city after we have
builded it, and not before,
We are glad to have the assistance
of the Bee, which reaches many peo-
pie who do not read English, in edu-
eating our city and state to proper
understanding of their duty and inter-
est. Interest never separates from du-
ty, and that which ought to be done
always brings the truest reward. There
is not one of our Florida parishes
which might not quadruple its pepula-
ton in less than ten years by manufac-
lures. There is not parish in tho
Attakapas country which would not
enter upon new life with the central
factory and refinery system in full
blast There is room for thousand
factories Of various SORTS in Orleans
parish alone, and every one of them
would pay. Every one Of them would
enrich its owners, support and cherish
its dependent population, and enlarge
and develop the city.