New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-14
THE FREE TRADE DEMOCRACY ATTACK
THE PROTECTIVE DUTY ON 1OU1SI-
ANA SUGAR.

THE FREE TRADE DEMOCRACY ATTACK
THE PROTECTIVE DUTY ON nOUISI-
ANA SUGAR.
The precipitate Bulletin says:
The Radical President and Cabinet en-
tered into treaty with the King OF the
Sandwich Islands, and now, mainly by
Radical votes and influence, the Senate
and House have ratified the treaty. under
which the following articles OF merchan-
disc, being the growth and manufacture or
produce Of the Hawaiian island. shall be
adAitted tO'the United States free OF duty:
among them rice, muscovado, brown and
all other refined sugar, cane, melado and
m0lasses.
The Bulletin seeks to draw from the in
stitution of the treaty the inference that
the Republican party is responsiblee for
its execution. The Bulletin has been too
anxious for party advantage to avow the
true state of the case. The treaty made
by the Radical President and Cabinet
would have failed without the passage of
an act by the Democratic Congress to
give effect to that treaty.
What will the Louisiana public think
when.told two facts?
L The Democratic House ratified the
treaty.
2. There was a majority of free trade
Democrats among those who passed the
bill.
We stated yesterday that out of the one
L., oe I, III
who voted to give effect to the treaty, and
thus to make free Hawaiian sugar, ma
jority were Democrats. Without the
Democratic vote, therefore, the admission
of Hawaiian sugar could not have been
effected. A perusal Of the vote will show
Southern Democrats voting for free sugar.
Why should they not have so voted? Are
they not, in theory, for free trade? When
Louisiana furnishes but one pound Of
sugar in every fifteen consumed in the
United States, and when she has but six
votes in something less than three hun
dred to defend this important interest.
why should the planter or laborer be- sur
prised that the free trade Democracy
should like free sugar Sin thurn?"
The Democrats have admitted foreign
sugar duty free. The Republicans might
have done the same thing at any time with
in the past ten years. They recognize the
principle of protection, and would not
disturb an industry conducted by colored
labor, small in itself, but standing on the
same platform of safety with iron or cotton
goods. Neither on principle nor in inter-
est would the Republicans have disturbed
the protected industry Of colored people
working for the first time for themselves.
So soon as the free trade Democracy got a
whack at this, they struck double blow
against protection and free labor. The
Republican Congress so far from having
impaired protection, enacted this very bill
at the instance of Louisiana planters.
This very law, obtained through the ef-
forts Of General Sheldon, Republican, has
been impugned gainst the Intellectual re-
monstrance OF his successor, Mr.. Gibson,
Democrat. Now as the Democratic Con-
gress seems to have awaited itself Of the
first opportunity to strike blow at pro-
tected sugar, the obvious reasoning would
be that the sooner Mr.. Gibson and the
sugar laborers can get Republican Con-
gress, the better both Tor the planter and
laborer
This Democratic legislation for free
sugar thus far affects but comparatively
small interest. The Hawaiian planters
are as yet numbered but by hundreds,
and their products to few thousand tons;
but the principle of admitting free sugar
would be applied by a Democratic free
trade administration and Congress to the
sugar Of Cuba, of Mexico, of all the West
India islands, and the whole of South and
Central Amer lea.
Reciprocity is free trade. This princi-
pie once int reduced, no special interest
can rely upon escaping the competition Of
foreign imports. Hon. N. P. Banks, whose
election is numbered among the Demo
cratic successes, made an able speech
upon this free sugar bill in the House. In
the course of that discussion he argued
with great ability the constitutional
power, and the policy Of commercial
treaties. He expressly said that the
Hawaiian reciprocity would constitute
precedent. He also sketched system of
free or reciprocal trade, especially proper
for application to all Asia and to our
whole Pacific trade. With this precedent
and Democratic government, free trade
in sugar will meet no further obstacle.
If then, we repeat, the planters and Ia
bo.ers OF Louisiana wish continued pro-
lection to their rice and sugar produc-
tons, they had better defeat the free trade
Democracy, who have let in one COMPETE
tor, and reinstate the protection Repub- |
licans, who in protecting themselves will |
also protect their fellow Republicans, the |
solored sugar planters and laborers. We
thought Louisiana would become sick of |
hat scriptural condition where she has
oeen denied.any share Of public appro-
oriations, and from her ''that had nothing
even that she had shall be taken away"
NOTHING SACRED FROM THE POLITI-
CLANS.
1t was the saying of French lady, when
. iolly soldier threw her poodle into the |