The Opelousas courier., 1893-02-04

result to the cane-gfOWer as a net
profit on his average production,
while with rice neither his gross sales
lnor his average profit would be quite
so large. The average yield of cane
per acre is about 90 tons, while that
of rice is about 12 barrels. Cane is
worth Sd per ton f, o. b., and rice
ranges in price from SO to "a per bar
rel, SO we may fairly estimate SO as
about the average price. Now basing
our estimate on the above figures,
which we consider about fair, it will
readily be seer that the profit from
cane.growing will exceed by ] that
which proceeds from rice-growing.
In the last six years the pro-
duction of rice in Southwestern
Louisiana has increased from 1890
to an estimated crop of 700, 900 barrels
of 161 lbs eachin 1892, and the pros
pect now is that the crop of 1899 will
nearly double that of 1891.
There are men in this section of the
country who have engaged in the cul-
tivation of rice and sugar within the
last S years, who when they began had
comparatively nothing and COM
menced their operations on the credit
system, but who are now independent,
having amassed a handsome compe-
teney, and who have invested it in
good homes, surrounded with all the
comforts and pleasures of rural life,
and who live there under their own
vine and fig tree, a life Of prosperous
peace and contented ease. They have
fought the wolf away from the door
and established themselves on a solid
basis.
Schools and Churches.
We are not blessed here with as
good a system of schools as is to be
found in the Northern, Western and
some of the Southern States, but we
have good school laws and a spirit to.
wards intellectual and moral advance
ment seems to be awakening, and as
new aeople flow in and the country
becomes more thickly settled, and its
better developed we may
look forward to marked progress in the
way of education and the more gene.
raj dissemination of knowledge.
Nearly all the Christian religions
sects are represented among us, and in
the town of Opelousas, the county site
of st. Landry parish, the Roman Cath
olics, Baptists, Methodists, Presbyte-
rians and Episcopalians have churches.
Politics.
Our State and local governments are
generally Democratic, owing to the
fact that a preponderance of the intel.
ligent people here are of that political
faith, but were it not for ohb's politi-
cal affiliations, necessarily @account
of the presence of the negro iii politics,
there would be more division in politi
cal sentiment among the whites, poll
teal contests would be better defined
and conducted on party issues, and pp
doubt, as the result of such II coarse, a
better condition of government would
exist. However, every one is free to
act as he pleases in most instances and
it makes no difference what ticket one
votes, if he possesses the proper ele
ments of manhood and character, he
is respected and has extended to
him the same social attention as
if he were a member of the dom
inant party. So to all who desire
to cast their lot among us we ex-
tend, regardless of creed or political
faith, a hearty welcome. Come to
Southwest Louisiana and help us
build mp and develop the country, as
sist us in retaining the waste places,
and invest your money where it pays
to make investments. AL questions
propounded will be promptly answered
and all information regarding this fa-
vored land and its opportunities will
be eheerfully impaired by addressing
The c. J. Thompson Real Estate
Agency, at Opelousas, La.