St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-03-09
What we Need to Give us Population
and Prosperity.

Recent improvements in our appliance
for sugar making are opening new ant
prosperous career for the planting com
munity. If, by the expenditure of a few
thousand dollars, we can double the yielc
per ton of cane land of this fact, doubts M
longer EXIST, we shall be in a position
much more secure, and our business, as 8
planting community, will be placed on g
more solid foundation.
These Improvements will bring immi.
grants from the West to help us in ou1
struggles for the maintenance of our DO.
Little Il rights, and at the same time add to
the prosperity in our State by the increased
cultivation of our waste lands.
They will still stimulate the erection of
central factories and the growth of cane
by small planters to supply them.
We need men who will come to US with
their families and become permanent resi-
dents. When the fact generally becomes
known that there is money to be made by
the establishment of central factories foz
sugar making, capital will come from
abroad, for, like water, it is always on the
alert to find lower place which it can
fill.
With the introduction of white farmers
into our section the erection of central
sugar factories will take place, and we
shall see majority of the large planta-
tions divided into small farms, on which
cane will be grown to supply the central
establishment. There are many neiehbor-
hoods in our parish which are admirably
suited for this change, which would Ger
tainly be greatly to the advantage of own
ers of both large and small tracts of land.
A narrow gauge railroad covering a
space of three or four miles above and be-
low large factory would give employ
ment to first-class machinery for three or
four months annually, and if refining
business were connected with it six months
could be proftably employed.
we 90 not wish to be understood as Ore
dieting that this beneficial change in our
business pursuits will taks place this year
Of next; but we sse very clearly that the
entering wedge has been fabricated which
: Destined to bring about his revolution in
,he planting interest.
The improved methods now being intro |
1uced in the manufacture of sugar will re-
move heavy weight from our industry |
which has heretofore operated greatly as
N obstacle to the employment Of capital.
The great advantage we shall derive
rom improved processes will be the in.
reduction of Western farmers to purchase
mall farms and raise cane to be sold by
he ton. The cultivation of cane and it's
manufacture into sugar are two separate
nd distinct employments, and should be
arried on by different parties. We will
Illustrate the absurdity of the present sys-
em by calling attention to those who cul-
waite cotton. Let us suppose that each
otton planter undertook to convert his
aw material into cloth every one would
xclaim at once: "What an absurd thing
1at would be" Yet the conversion Of
otton into cloth is not SO complicated
latter as converting cane into sugar, and
le only superior argument in favor of
'tton factories is that cotton is made on
ore extensive scale over broader area.
Id nothing short of extensive factories
'uld supply the demand for the various
lrposes for 6Rich it is used.
The only ~ to overcome the disadvan-
ges attending the low price of sugar is
reduce the cost of production, and this
,slrable result can be accomplished by
q establishment of central sugar fac &
RES, and let the cane be cultivated by 3
altitude OF farmers and manufactured !
capitalists, who will establish and carry
manufacturing business. /.
To build central sugar factory with
. necessary machinery involves the en-
oyment OF large sum of money. a
rger sum than can be raised by the Q
anters Of any one neighborhood, and a
re is the chance for an individual or
mpany with the means seeking profita- b
investment for their capital. {
The coming season will be noted for the
ection of the diffusion process for max !,
8 sugar by several planters, who are =
W ready to throw aside the old machin-
? and adopt the new The outlay BEING
great, the diffusion process must be Of J,
W growth, unless capitalists combine u
build central factories and buy cane by
> ton.
improvements in sugar machinery are d
, order of the day, and the inventive
MUS of the country being directed to this II
,ject, we may nationally expect many n
lnges for the better in the manufacture
sugar, and lower price for the ma d
merry now employed for that purpose - n
'aseer Of assumption.
,orn planting is the order of the day on b
tension sugar plantations, and all the : :
orts concerning the condition Of seed III
q which have 30 far reached the Chief