The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-06-24
IMMIGRATION.
Home Seekers Not Moved by the Faith
of the Crusaders.

Weekly. Total $500.
We believe in advertisement and in
advertising judiciously, but we here
question the advisability of these ap-
preparations to Harper's Weekly.
The gentleman representing Harper's
who addressed the police jury and the
council indulged in glittering generali-
ties, which could not be sustained by the
experience of the past. Indeed, what he
said was on the order of Refreshing old
straw. His picture of the old hills of
North Louisiana being peopled by a
thrifty set of home seekers, who in time
will substitute the negro, was to our
mind an efervescence of evanescence
when measured by the standard of prac-
tical results. Who of this present gen.
Grafton will live to see the old hills of
sCaddo with thrifty set sof white people
who will substitute the negro? If there
is one subject with which the editor of
the Caucasian is. somewhat familiar it is
immigration" 'write-ups" of North
Louisiana and SO on. In the summer of
1887 there was prepared for free dis
tribution pamphlet, the size of
monthly nlgazine, written ard compiled
by the Caucasian S editor. 1t was the
first attempt at an organized effort
among few citizens, to herald to the
world the advantages Of the parishes
of North Louisiana. The purpose was
to encourage and promote the inlmigra-
ton of agriculturists and to direct the
attention of manufacturers and capital
lists to the undeveloped and boundless
possibilities of a section that far sur
passes the West in all the elements that
go toward the promotion of the comfort
and happiness of man. In this enterprise
were H. H. Hargrove, RI. Cole, J. H.
Shepherd. w. c. Perrin, the editor
of the Caucasian and a few others
who subscribed about thousand dol
lars to defray the actual cost of the
publication. The pamphlet was complete
in all its details, with map in colors,
and embraced the most valuable infor-
nation compiled with patience and care.
Not only were the parishes of North
Louisiana treated separately, giving to-
each its varied soil and subsoil, its tim
Der, its acreage, productive and unculti-
waited, the advantages in raising stock
and fruit and grasses and tobacco, but
there was prepared by Prof. Ed Ender-
lee, M. E., a special article on the min
erals of North Louisiana. In this
pamphlet, of which fifty thousand were
printed and distributed intelIigently and
judiciously in the North and Northwest,
there was demonstrated that this is the
land of milk and honey where the
mock bird has no winter in his song,
no sorrow in his year. It is true the
gentlemen connected with this enter
prise had control and option on thous-
ands of acres upon which they desired
to install home seekers. but with all
their efforts they derived little profits.
Indeed, they were oa1t Of pocket but they
acquired some experience which was
fortified later Wfen the resources and
advantages were again hera1ded in spe-
.cial edition of ten and twenty thous-
ands, distributed where it was assumed
the best results would follow Many let
ters Of inquiry were received, but the
gentlemen concerned realized that the
Immigrants and home seekers were not
moved by the. faith of Crusaders, and
the tendency then as now was to go
West and settle on lands of the govern
.meflt subject to entry under the home
stead act. It may be noted that thous-
ands have gone to Texas from the hills
of Georgia, North and South Carolina
and Alabama, while few@in comparison
have stopped and settled in Louisiana.
1t must be evideat to any man who will
consider the subject practically that a
home seeker with a family will not set
tie on barren or old hill farm or in
wooden lands for which he must pay a
stipulated price when he may improve
his condition by going West and acquir.
ing land and a home which will be :
betterment over the home he ma,
have left in the old states or is Offered
| him IN this State. It is as well be can
did and say there will be no influx sot
home seekers in Louisiana until advan
tages which will attract and Sc
cure home seekers are offered prac
locally And Il is aslo as well te
say from our point of view that al
moneys which may be devoted to adver.
Itising schemes will resl1it in PRACTICAL,
little good II, however, a write-up il
devised now and then, the opportunit,
should be given to home talent and th,
home newspaper-fhe Times or Journa
for instance. In advertising in a publ
Ication the first consideration is what i
| the object sought and the end desired
| If it be the home seeker, then he sfo,1lt
be reached by the methods which vii