St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-02-21
Corporation.

In the Alexandria Times of february 4
q contributor proposes plan for CO oper
alive improvement While we do not
think this plan is altogether practical, yet
there are some good things, and we give
it to our readers. After few preliminary
remarks, the writer says:
Now to my plan Let US organize q CO.
operative improvement association, and
let every man, woman and chilli own
stock therein. Bar no one. Rich or poor,
mechanic, day laborer, merchant and pro-
fessional man, can all subscribe TO such
amount Of stock as may suit them. The
main object Is TO place the stock al such
low figures as to Justify the most humble,
and even those of the least moderate
means, to associate themseiv with Us,
thereby making it purely and strictly CO.
operative. Suppose, then, for instance,
that We make the capital stock 81, 0OO,O 600,
represented by 100, 600 shares OF stock at
80 each Let the payment Of this stock
be made on plan similar to that adopted
by building and loan associations. Say,
let the first payment be 81 per share, and
the II onthly payments thereafter % cents
per share. At that rate it would require
three yesrs to pay up the stock in full.
Now some might at first glance suppose
that it will take three years before any
thing could be done; but this is a mis-
take, as | will demonstrate directly. The
sole object in making the payments so 10"
is, as before stated, to enable every one to
participate 1t We should succeed in get
ting only one half of the stock subscribed
in the beginning, we would have $4,000
shares at 81 each, or $50, 900, very neat
sum W tn which to begin the building OF
either sugar refinery or a cotton factory.
The monthly collections would te ST. $40,
or another $50, 600 at the end of the first
four months aud the probability IS that
in twelve months both the sugar refinery
and cotton factory would be on fair road
to completion. AS fast, therefore, one
enterprise is completed another could be
comm 9nced, and at the end of the three
years we would have all the factories our
hearts desired. We could in turn es:ab-
lish wagon, furniture, canning and other
factories, ana we could also erect vii the
money OF this sa ne association system of
electric lights and water works; in fact,
all the improvements now necessary in our
town could be easily put in active opers-
ton by this association.
| have 20 doubt that many objections
will be ad 7anced to this plan. Some will
CIV, Owe can't do il " others will say,
I'VE will wait for foreign capital, and
various other kicks will uuquestlcnably be
made. But if we have any idea OF ever
developing this section, let us put our
shoulders to the wheel and push for our
selves, We must wait for no one. We
have waited too long already. Let such
gentlemen as Col. Wheelock, Messrs.
Grant, Wight, Day, Welsh, Bolton, Tur
ner and others, weigh this plan carefully
and am sure they will agre with me that
it is q very feasible one. Let the meeting
called for Wednesday be held; discuss the
plan thoroughly, and adopt it. Start at
the beginning, not at the end of the road
to progress. Build up the town until the
whistles of the factories shall be heard
from every quarter, and when the popula-
tion is 5000 instead of 5000, and when by
our own enterprise and push we have
forced strangers to come and cast their lot
with US, then talk about fair associations
and the like. am glad to see this meet
ing on WEDNESDAY, called, aud trust 1t
will be well attended. and that its oelber
atoms will tend to do something for the
town. Let us at that meeting adopt Tor
our motto the words of Bulwer Lytton
"In the whole lexicon of youth there
should be no such word as fail "
Respectfully, PROGRESS.