The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1889-06-01
THIB0DEAUX AND THE LAFOURCnE
{.E COUNTRY.

Close observation and facile pen |
eau alone do justice 10 the subject that |
heads this article, and yet no more
pleasing Topic could be assigned 10 the
newspaper writer.
st|Ths1 Lafouzche is q typical bayou,
literally an "ol-shoot OF river" fow-
ing feosn tho Mississippi at The town
'Of Donaldsonville, winding In gentle
curves, rather than the abrupt bends
familiar TO us, through seductively
lbsauttfuI alluvial country and finding
itS'way finally to the Gulf.
The lands along the bayou are pro-
teoted by substantial and we'll. pre-
seeved levees, the natural banks being
some feet lower than the water rises ct
its highest tide, but beyond q crevasse
now and then caused generally by
neglected or abandoned rice fumes,
the security OF the contiguous planters
may be said to be assured.
The culture of both rice aud cane
may ibe, and are largely prosecuted
probably here, but many OF the plant
ers ere beeinninR to abandon rice on
account OF the difficulties that at times
attend irri satlon. The bayou, at the
ttU9S VI VUk VSOty WUS sV"SA bh0u sSoss0A
for the season, the water line being far
ibeIow the canals or fumes used to con-
<auct the water through the farms, rem.
desing II necessary to employ steam
puDps for that purpose. On some
plantations this expensive method of
isrtgAtion IL being adopted, while on
Others the rice crop Is abandoned.
"a II 10 believed to be only question
of time when cane will be the princi>
pal II not only money crop grown by
the larger planters.
1T IL conceded that under fair condi-
ttons, cane Is much more pre- fltab!e
crop than rice.
Oar friends OF lower Louisiana i'm.
press one with the sincerity of theis
conviction that an equitably adjusted
tariff is necessary for the preservation
Of their industry.
But their views are undoubtedly
misunderstood In North Louisiana.
THEY are not clamoring for high
tariff.
They are urging no unreasonable
demands.
The tariff is with US, and we cannot
be rid OF 1t so long as We have large
national debt, and 30 long as tie
treasury is annually raided by the pen-
sion grsbbers.
Certainly no statesman will deny the
inexpediercy of turning, at this time,
from customs to direct taxation.
Would any man who loves Louis
lana, merely for IAe sake of cheap su
gar, have one of the chief industries
Of the State crippled, ii not destroyed,
whereas tt may be fostered and pro-
noted by according It the same pro-
lection enjoyed by iron, wool and
other Important industries Of the North
and West?
II sugar Is put on the free list, II
will be because louisiana is u South
ern aud Democratic S,ete, aud an In
tegral part OF the Solid South.
The foregoing is the argument, In
outline, of the sugar planters. What
the politicians of their section may
think and say on the subject, we shall
not undertake to state.
Can the soundness of the argument
be questioned?
II IL epjoined upon the people OF
Louisiana, of all sections, and engaged
in whatever industry, to bear In mind
that the tariff will, without sny sort Of
doubt, be gradually reduced to reve-
nue. basis, and adjusted with q more
particular reference to revenue; that
under this very proper and unassaiia-
bic theory of taxation, sugar must and
should receive protection, as an incl
dent to tho Federal system OF raising
revenue. But let il be remembered,
too, that sugar " i'll not always require
even this protection, and that the day
is not go far ahead OF us when diffusion
and other advanced processes of manu-
facture will place that industry above
its need.
The Telegraph is not yet prepared
TO tolerate the punishment Of our fet-
tow.citizeus of the sugar region for the
crime of Democracy.
Recent conversations with the plant
ers OF Lafourche and other paris Of the
State where cane is grown, furnish The
reason for injecting into this article,
which In it's original conception was
intended to be In tho main descriptive
and disturslve, the foregoing reflections
on the subject of the tariff aud the GU
gar Interest.
The parish OF iafourche is wholly
aftuviai, extending along the bayou Of
the same name for distance OF some
eighty miles, being from fifteen TO
twenty miles in breath, Its eastern
boundary bordering on Bayou des
Allemauds, = ravigable stream of ines