The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-12-23

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Lice o. DETERMINATIONS
In Loulsiana-Aa Entertaining Letter from
Col. Alex. Campbell,
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koHELANp PLANTATION
CoEc6RDA PARISH, La, Dec. II.
John Frew, Equ Wheeling, ", "a;
In October last, after reading the Phils
delphlS speech Of Mr., blaine, in which HI
r!diCuled the people Of the South and TIL
price paid for labor, and said the house,
occupied by the negroes "Cost on an aver
age nine dollars, not as good as the Penn
sylyaniR farmers pig sty," wrote an ur
gent invitation 10 Mr., A. w, Campbell II
come Immediately to my house and spenC
all the time he could during the fall In thi
neighborhood while we were in the mids
OF the cotton picking season; to visit aut
see the contents Of the houses and gardenl
OF the negroes, have full and free CONVEX
sations with them alone, witness the pa!
roll on each Saturday evening, and, Ii
short, see for himself the workings on thil
and other plantations In this Parish, feel
ing that were he to write his observation
and state all the facts, his reputation rs 81
honest and conscientious journalist woulC
have great weight with the people OF th(
north, He wrote me that his business en-
Vagements in Missouri prevented his com
Ing OF that time, but hoped to be here
later In the season. We feel sensitive al
all the slurs cast upon us by the people o
the North, when We know what has beer
accomplished by the people Of the South
within the last twenty years, especially al
this time when both northern and foreign
capitalists have an eye on the wonderful
productions OF country and people who
have shown such reCupeFatiYe qualities
under such disadvantages,
feel like writing you long letter this
morning, giving You in detail much per
sonal experience, but lear 1t might tire
you. Here Ia little sample q how
things work. The plantation adjoining
me is ona Of the finest IN the State, owned
by the Excelsior Planting and Manuiac.
turing Company, OF which Mr. A, G. ODER,
Of New Orleans, Is President, and Mr.. o.
N, Wildg, OF NatChCz, Is General Manager
and Vice President, This estate covers
many thousand acres Of cultivated and
wood land, has about 1000 acres In cult.
walton, all the modern improvements In
agricultural Implements and gin maChin-
cry, q well organized plantation with a
store and all necessary supplies for the
workmen. In the last few years they have
spent 100000 or $4,000 in well built
houses for lRborers, and now have to go
out and hunt laboIers, give them house
and garden lot, furnish mule worth
$3.50, all implements with which to work
and give the negro half the product he and
hia family can cultivate for his services
Besides this, they have to furnish his
family with q barrel OF pork, u barrel Of
meal, q barrel oil flour, cotee, sugar and
other supplies on credit, 10 be paid for out
OF his hal Of what he makes during the
year, in which he only works about eight
months. The remainder oil his time Is
spent gambling at dice and cards, drinking
whisky and at church. The last am
sorry to say, has very little restraining III.
AuenCe on bis character for honesty, truth,
or purity. There are exceptions, Of
course, but the above statements are not
exaggerationS.
HAVING been identified with the inter.
esa Of Louisiana for thirty.tour years, yet
claiming West Virginia asmy home, which
| shall ever do, believe abe has more ad.
vantages as an agricultural State than 10
embraced in the same amount OF territory
under the circle OF the sun-climate, soil
fruits, flowers and ash--with as noble and
honorable white population as inherit
The earth. There Is 8 great future for this
country, and have never for moment
lost faith in the ultimate outcome OF 80
fertile a valley, After the war ninety per-
cent OF the people were bankrup.-with
Everything gone-exGept the land. This
is not like West Virginia land, that will
stay and produce rent for pasture II not
cultivated, but will grow up In rank weeds
and trees, and cost more 70 subdue and
put In cultivation after an idleness Of I've
yearp, than the original forest. Having
no capital OF their own, the people had to
borrow from tho North through merchants
In New Orleans. And while money was at
4 low rate Of interest In the North, no
planter could borrow without the accept.
4nce OF commission merchant in the
city, with q pledge Of his crop, land, mules,
&C., as security to said commission mer.
chant. It would be safe to state that no
planter has borrowed money In the last
twenty years In the city Of New Orleans
with 4 pledge Of his crop, WHICH has not
cost him an interest OF from II To 80 per.
Cent. A change seems 10 be begin.
ding to work itReli out by an effort To
reduce prices in New Orleans connected
with the cotton trade. Now that the price
Of cotton is 10 depressed that 1t will
.carcely pay the laborer Tor picking 1t out
Of the field, l am sorry TO say there ip
great elimination and reCrimination going
on In New Orleans as to the cause oil
rade being driven from that city. First,
they blame the steamboats, Tor their
charges. They carry five hundred pound
bale Of cotton and put 1t on the levee in
New Orleans for seventy.hve cents from
way landings from VickSburg down, and
for a great deal less from points competing
with the railroads. This Is cheap enough
in all conscience. Then the draymen
samplers, pressmen, BCrewmen, steve
dores, weighmen and 'iongshoremen come
| In ior share OF the blame for driving
trade from the city. Now comes tho com
mission merchant with q long face and
says all these things must OhShge--vhile
ne has an interest In the insurance com
panies, banks, ETC., has q drawback or
rebate in everything from the compress Il
the drayman, and no planter, no mat
ter how much he may produce
to keep the machinery Of commerce
greased could borrow o dollar from any
bank in New Orleans without q Oity &C
ceptance, for which he would have to pay
l2bpercent for acceptance, then leave the
money in the commission merchants
nands TO pay for pork, meal and corn tc
feed tho negro and the mule; then pay 2!
percent out Of this money Tor the pur
chase OF supplies, which the merchant
will purchase In st, Louis on credit, and
will, In nine cases ont Of ten, add 8 or II
percent to the bill sent the planter, in adj
dition to the q percent for purchasing
In recent years new contract has been
devised, which binds the planter To ship
bale OF cotton for every ten dollerB ad
vanCed during the year, or pay commits,
sion Of one dollar and half for every
bale for which he had advanced ten dol
lars whether the bale has been produced
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