The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-09-25
THEY WANT PROTECTION.
LOUISIANA PLANTERS BECOME RE
PUBLIJANS.


NEW ORLEANS. Sept 6. - At the
meeting held at the Hotel Royal to-day
to consider the bounty question the |
sugar planters went over in a body t. |
the Republican party and declared they |
could no longer trust or support the
Democracy. This fall was a surprise
and apparently the result of extreme
excitement. The meeting was held for
purely business purposes, and it was in
tended that there should be no political
matters discussed by it. A mere refer
ence to the political situation, however,
produced an outbreak, and before the
meeting had adjourned the leading
planters present had declared themselves
Republicans on national, but Democrats
on state issues.
The meeting was called some time
ago to consider the bounty question.
The planters claim they have already
earned the bounty on this years crop
and propose to petition for 1t before
Congress and she for it in the courts
As the Wilson bill abolishes the bounty
bureau the planters proposed to estab-
lsh bureau OF their own, composed OF
sworn officials They will weigh all the
sugar, and upon the weights thus estab-
lished it is proposed to base the claim
against Congress.
This was the purpose which called the
meeting together and it was decided
not to talk politics 1t consisted of be-
tween 300 and 400 planters and others
interested in sugar.
THE MEETING GROWS EXCITED.
There were only two old-time Repub.
Leans present, ex-Congressman Darrell
and ex-United States Treasurer Hero.
The rest were Democrats and included
half a dozen State Senator's as many
Representatives and other men of
prominence in the Democratic party OF
Louisiana.
State Senator Mccall was Chosen
Chairman. In taking his seat he in
dulged IN some political remarks and
said he thought that protection Demo.
Gratis could be elected to Congress from
the sugar district. Some one in the
crowd shouted:
"No! Straight-out Republican," and
the next minute the greatest confusion
prevailed.
Nearly all the prominent men present
wanted to declare their sentiments, and
with one exception they all declared
themselves national Republicans.
State Senator EStopenal, elected as {
Democrat said the time for action haC
arrived and that he was not afraid to b,
called a Republican The negro ques
ton was dead i'll Louisiana and the issu,
now before the people was one of life o.
death They must ali join the nationa
Republican party.
A dozen speeches were made, all OF
the same line save one Mr.. Dymond
member of the Legislature from Plaque
mine, who declared himself still {
Democrat, but Protection Democrat
and laid all the blame for the sugar
legislation on Senators Vest, Jones anc
Mills.
CALL FOR A CONVENTION.
When the convention had cooled
down it went to work 1t was decided
to organize a bounty bureau, to be in
charge of the Sugar Exchange and
Sugar Planters Association.
A series of resolutions were then
adopted, strongly protectionist and Re
,,,,lIi,o,, i,,t I,f . a
cided to call mass meeting and con
vention in New Orleans for September
18th to arrange for the nomination OF
members of Congress, to organic,
politically and prepare for a vigorous
political campaign.
There are four districts in this State
wholly or largely given over to suga
culture, but the general sentiment o
the meeting to-day was to nominal,
protection Congress men in all the si1
districts of the State
The meeting of September 18th will
also decide whether those interested il
sugar shall all join the Republican
party or not, From the speeches made
llltlt Odl bt hO uouul tHdl ln'
next meeting will decide almost unani
mously for close alliance with the Re
publcans.
MAY HESITATE To ACT.
The movement is the most SINGER,
and threatening that has occurred il
Louisiana politics for years. II wa
sudden and unexpected, for while i
was known that there was great dea
of dissatisfaction among the planters nj
one imagined that they would propos,
to go over to the Republicans.
The politicians have been trying tC
surmise what the political effect of the
revolt will be. Judging from the Don
aldsonville, Franklin and New Orean,
meeting, fully nine out of ten of the
planters and their followers are disposed
to bolt the Democracy. The total mum.
Der of voters in Louisiana interested
more or less in sugar is about $4,000, a
majority of them white, and at least 81
per cent. of their vote has been Demo.
cratic.
1t is recognized that if these voters
go over to the Republican party it will
play havoc with the Democracy in
Southern Louisiana and perhaps in the