St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1893-04-01
ABOUT IMMIGRATION.

turning the tue OF hOme-Seekers IN
this direction. 1t is universally
conceded that we need a certain
class Of lmmigrants-not the scum
Of the Old World. paupers. GRIMM
ais and adventures but substan-
tial, intelligent and go-ahead men
from the older States, with money
and energy, to establish manufac-
tories, develop our resources. and
give steady and profitable employ
ment to the thousands of young
men growing up in our midst. Men
Of this class always meet with q
cordial welcome and are given every
encouragement to come and settle
here. There is also good opening
for stock raisers, truck and DIVERSE
fed farming, and vineyards, and
there would doubtless be money for
the small farmer in raising sugar
cane, If We had the central factories
to work it up, or in raising cotton,
IL we had the mile to make it into
cloth, or in raising rice. if We had
the mills to clean it. The kind Of
immigrants we stand mostly in need
of are men who have the money and
energy to build these factories and
mills, and this would infuse new
life into the country. and perhaps
justify the coming here Of more
raisers of cotton, cane and rice,
but at present it will scarcely be
claimed by any one that we need q
large influx Of immigrants to vastly
increase their production and still
further reduce the present low
prices Of these staples. A few hun
dred practical manufacturers would
be Of greater benefit to the State.
at present, than . few thousand
raisers OF rice and cotton. The
following remarks upon this sub
ject, from two Of our valued ex-
changes, express our views, and
will doubtless meet with general
approval:
The Baton Bouge Truth Of last
Saturday says:
IA strange and most unusual
sight in New Orleans this week was
the holding Of two conventions, one
to invite more cotton and rice grow
ers to this State, and the other to
curtail the acreage Of cotton. Now
while we give all due credit to the
gentlemen composing the former
body for patriotic sentiments and
intentions We are nevertheless firm
~ of the belief that capital to be
invested in manufacturing enter
prises is greatly more needed than
homeseekers to open up more land,
and add more bales of cotton and
sacks of rice to the markets Of the
world, which for the last few years
have been SO largely over stocked that
these staples sell at prices below
the cost Of production. Since read
ing over the lists of delegates the
idea has become more firmly estab-
lished in our minds that the masses
of the people, the horny handed
sons Of toll of farm and workshop,
rebel against the Introduction of
competitors, or they would certainly
have responded to the call Of the
Governor. The delegates to the
immigration convention, with few
exceptions, are those one can find
in any convention, be it political,
religious or educational-they are
always on hand, and while we rec
ognize the fact fully that these dele
gates are from among our best citi-
zens, most wide-awake representa-
tive men. yet they are not as . rule
Of the class who would be injured
by the incoming Of large numbers
Of strangers, but would be richly
for their efforts by MAX
ing sales Of unproductive lands.
The real farmer, mechanic, laborer,
was conspicuous only by his absence
from the immigration convention,
while the merchant-farmer, the poll
tician and the quasi-politician were
there in flocks, and this is sufficient
evidence to us that We need capital |
lists and not immigrants of the aver
age character and that we voice the |
sentiment Of . very large majority |
Of the people Of Louisiana.
On this same subject of immi-
grafton. the Down Town Herald, of
New Orleans, says:
1.-THE great Louisiana immigra-
ton convention convened in this
city last Tuesday, with delegates
from quite . number Of parishes.