St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1890-11-29

ing victory of the Democratic party
was on account of the people desiring
free trade. If this is so, it shows that
the people are very tickle /; for only two
years ago Cleveland was defeated be
cause he favored free trade. And it is
altogether likely that if the Democrats
shout the free trade policy too loudly
that they will be defeated two years
hence.
The above clipped from an exchange,
does not state the case properly. The
Democratic party has no free trade
platform. 1t wants tariff for revenue
only, that the people may be taxed as
little-as possible, and that they may
not be taxed to their own impoyerish-
ment for the purpose of enriching the
monopolists. Cleveland Us defeated
by the electoral college, andNot by the
people for he received more vDtes at
the election than Mr.. Harrison did.
The Democratic memkrS of Congress,
though a minority in that body, re-
ceived at the election nearly 100000
more votes than the Republican ma
jority. Therefore Cleveland was not
defeated because he favored free trade,
but because he was not the candidate
of the party that was in favor OF an
excessively high protective tariff, as
exemplifed in the Mckinley bill and
even that he was in favor of
free trade, he was endorsed by ma
jority of the American people. Be-
tween free 4rade and McKinleyism,
the American people would unqueS,
chose free trade. Free trade
means prosperity to the farmers; a
high protective tariff or McKinleyism
tends to make paupers OF farmers
and millionaires of manufacturers and
other monopolists, it tends to make
the poor poorer and keep them so, and
the rich richer and enable them to re-
main rich. 1t would heap up burdens
opkbhe farmers and on the poor, and
kmove them from the rich and others
whose vocation is to prey on the labor
ing producer. A government that
rules by such laws as the Mckinley
bill, and the proposed force bill, could
have but two classes the millionaires
and their hangers-on and henchmen
who would govern, and the farmers
and poor who would labor and produce
and be .hewers of wood and drawers of
water" Except for revenue to sup
port the government, and the revenue
should be limited to the actual needs
.f q government economically admi-
nistered, there IS not the least excuse
for a protective tariff in a country like
the United States that has pressing
need of foreign market for its sur
plus manufactures and agricultural
products.
Capt. F. J. Montgomery, the largest
and most successful cotton planter in
this parish, died of pneumonia at his
home in Bellevue, last Tuesday, aged So
years He was born in Amite, Mis-
sissippi, and came to this parish twen-
ty-one years ago. He was captain of
a company in Mississippi regiment,
and served through the war in Virgil
MIA. After the war he and Mr.. Nc
Nulty, whose wife was his niece, came
to this parish and bought the Hudson
in Bellevue. They were
partners. Owing to the losses by the
war, they began with limited capital.
Mr.. McNulty soon died, and the part
nership was continued with his widow.
The accumulation of wealth by farm
ing is generally slow; but success in
this case has been phenomenal. The
original plantation has been enlarged
on all it's borders, until it has become
a small spot of the whole area and all
other property pertaining to the bust
ness has increased in proportion. The
cotton crop this year is about 500
bales. Capt. Montgomery has always
been considered the great cotton plant
er of ST. Landry.
In January, 1876, he married Miss
Mary Hollingsworth. Two sons were
born, and one of them and the mother
survive.
His great success in business was
owing to his sound judgment, great
energy and good management. He
was a good neighbor and a good friend.
Rich men are generally greedy and
often hard-hearted. One little circum-
stance will illustrate this side of Capt.
Montgomery character much better
than words expressing merely an opin-
ion. Capt. Montgomery always made
plenty of corn and had a surplus for
sale. Several years ago an individual,
who was on the most friendly terms
with him, applied to him to buy a
wagon load. He declined to let him
have it, in words as well as can be re-
collected, as follows: "Well, now, you
have money and can buy corn some