The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1882-02-18
pEsr1rurIos IN NORTH LOUISIANA.

Ouachita are suffering for meat and
bread, and aid Is asked of the general
government IN the Issuance of rations
to prevent starvation. Is this true ?
The Executive, without an imperative
necessity, is unwilling to ask aims of
the general government. Answer to-
day."
A dispatch was aent at once stating
that wenefther knew, nor had we heard
of such cases as starvation.
The report was a matter Of surprise
to us, and It was not until the New Or
leans dailies had reached us, after the
tedious delays occasioned by the over
flow of the Vicksburg railroad, that we
ascertained that public meeting of
the citizens of portion of Caldwell
parish had been held, at which Judge
Bridger presided and Representative
Faulkner and several parish officials
were present and actively participat-
Ing, and had made the representations
to Gov. McEnery upon which no had
acted. We had not before heard of the
starving condition of the people of
Caldwell, as we were in no way in.
formed, nor are we yet, of similar
condition of scarcity of provisions in
the parish of Ouachita.
There was partial future of the
crops, last year, throughout all of
North Louisiana. AS fact, we do
not recall the year in which what is
called I" a full crop" was made. In the
early spring, there was scarcity of
rain, followed by frequent showers later
On, but In the fall and winter there was
hardly an interruption to fair, pleasant
weather. The corn crop proved short,
but mainly because the farmers at
tempted to make too much cotton. But
there was grass in abundance-of which
useful forage we understand the Cald-
we'll meeting to assert positively
there was none. The writer saw
hundreds Of acres of an unusu-
ally luxuriant quality of this for
age growing, aud urged repeatedly
that 1t be gathered and cured. In the
matter of a failure of the oak mast the
statement given at the Caldwell meet
Ing Is undeniably correct, but this does
not bring about such a state of affairs
as calls for government aid.
We do not consider, even after read
Ing the proceedings of the meeting held |
at Columbia and after consulting with |
citizens from the country surrounding, |
that the necessity exists for asking aims |
nom the general government. Nor do |
we fiud that the distress amounts to !
anything more than what usually fol-
lows improvidence and lack of indus
try. 1t Is not case OF beggary GER
tain}y, and no worse than that OF the
people OF Mississippi, Alabama, Geor-
gia or any State of the South where
agriculture forms the main support of
the people.
We regret this astounding ADVERTISE
ment Of the misery and poverty of the
people Of North louisiana, and must |
respectfully decline to copy the resolu-
lions of the Caldwell meeting. There
has been great suffering in the State for
years, but this has been due mainly to
Republican mtsrule. The TELEGRAPH
mas been no silent friend of the suffer-
ers In all of their visitations, but while
we have fought and suffered as one of
them, and have often detailed their
grievances, we have uniformly insist
cd that North Louisiana was a home
Tor the industrious, where they could
live In abundance. Just now, this Sec
tion of the State appears to offer great
Inducements for the Investment of can.
itaf. Railroads are either being sur.
veyed, projected or built, and this
comes from capitalists seeing the great
natural advantages of the upper section
OF Louisiana. Our people have good
reason to expect large Immigration
OF people tired of the worn out lands
east OF us and of those living in the
west and North. This country should
% populated thickly with industrious
farmers and artisans, and not with a
people who solemnly say they must be
supported at the public expense
We learn from the Congressional,
RECORD that Congressman King, repre.