The Opelousas courier., 1894-09-22
The Mistake of the Sugar Planters of
Louisiana.

"A considerable number of the suya
planters In this state have declared ir
convention assembled that, because the
National Democratic Party has abolish.
gu the un.Amerlcan. un-Democratit
and unjust bounty on sugar which the
Mckinney tariff law provided, and sub.
stltuted therefor a duty of 40 per cen
ad Valorem with a d%itferential duty OF
one'elghth cent per pound additional or
the refined article, they are no Ion re,
Democrats but Republicans with all the
doctrines and theories advocated by
that party. They do not argue the
question as to whether this is or is not
d proper or wise course, but have lei
anger, not reason govern their action,
ana anger Is always the worst of guides
we are panied to learn of the aanp-
tlon 10y. them OF such a policy, for we
caonot believe hat it will result in any
eood TO them or to the industry they
represent. They know that the party
LOT which they have forsaken their old
political friends cannot possibly control
legislation until March, 1897 that even
IT the Republicans should hat. il ma
Jority 10 the Mex House of Representa-
tiVes they could not pass a bounty law
1or sugar because the Democrats are
ana will still be in possession Of the
Presidency and even il the Repnbli-
cans control both branches of the
National Legislature and elect the
President in 1896, it is not probable that
they will re-enact the bounty law
because it is unpopular throughout the
entire country. and was only enacted
into law in 1890 in order to give to the
eastern and northern manufacturers the
benefit of the protection which the
$5O,OOO,OOO of revenue derived until
tlas time from sugar afforded, and
which was by the same act transferred
for their benefit in the shape of larger
duties on all imports coming in com
petition with their products. In other
words, the duty was taken off sugar in
order to give it to these manufacturers !;
and IN order to let the sugar planters
down easy, a bounty of two cents per
pound was placed on their sugar, II
measure which the very men who are
now clamoring for its re-enactment
fought, aud believed at the time would
never be maintained. They prefer the
free sugar policy of the Republicans
now to the very reasonable duty sub
stltuted on their product by the Demo-
Gratis, and, abandoning the good will
OF the only party which car render
them any assistance for the next thu ee
years, fly to that party which cannot
help them if it would. and will uot if it
ever can.
It seems surprising that good men
will fOrsake their political principles
when they have beeD treated as kindly
by the new law as almost auy other
industry on the dutiable list that they
will abandon all hopes of recovering
that portion of the bounty of 1894
which they believe they are entitled to,
and forget the blessings which the new
taiItf law will give them in the shape
Of greatly reduced taxes, for the for
lorn and improbable hope that the
Republican party, if it should come
into power, will enact u law which will
give their industry a little more pro-
lection than that afforded by the
present law.
But this detection Of the sugar plant
ers will not cause the loss of Louislana's
electoral vote to the Democrats in
1895, no, not Vel Il congressman in
November.