The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-09-26
The Entering Wedge.

Eight hundred delegates, represent
ing the planters of Louisiana, met in
convention in New Orleans, September
II, formally and decisively severed
their connection with the democratic
party and carried the planters bodily
over to the republican party. The
delegates represented at least two thirds
of the sugar industry of Louisiana, in
Guiding planters, manufacturers of
sugar and sugar-making machinery.
This movement is formidable one.
1t looks like the entering wedge that is
destined to split the solid South. 1t
separates from democracy and attaches
to repubicanism in the South an ele-
ment which has been the life and
strength of the former and which the
latter has always needed to give it force
and assure success. The committee
which called the meeting of last week
and had charge of it was composed of
men who have been lifelong demo-
Gratis, who have been the party's lead
ers and have held its high offices in
state and municipality. Among them
are General w. j. Behan, a state sena-
tor, commander of the militia and ex-
mayor of New Orleans; H. 2. Kerno-
chan, former naval officer for the
port of New Orleans; 1. A. Wilkinson,
an ex.district attorney and brother of
the collector of customs of New Or
leans; w. S. Parkerson, leader of the
Young Mems Democratic Association
which carried New Orleans by ma
jority of $4,000 in 1888; with state
senators and members of the legisla-
ture, well known merchants and extern
sive sugar planters, leaders in politics
as we'll as in sugar production in the
parishes from which they hail. These
men show the strength and character
of the movement. All are representa-
tive southern men, are strong politi-
cally, actively interested in the in
dustries of the South, and have been
democrats from birth.
The speakers strongly favored the
protective system for the sugar indus
try of Louisiana, and declared that pro-
lection could be found only in the sue
cess of the republican policy of protec.
ton to American industry. With a
single exception, the speakers specific
ally declared themselves henceforth to
be republicans, and their declarations
were heartily applauded by the dele
gates.
Resolutions were adopted in favor of
the republican party and proposing the
organization of state committee to
manage the political interests of the
new party. The resolutions proclaim
the belief of the convention in the pro-
lection of American industry. They
recite the circumstances Hnder which
the bounty on sugar was granted. Re-
lying on the good faith of the United
States government, they set forth that
the planters expended enormous sums
of money and mortgaged their property
for immense loans in order to increase
the sugar production in accordance with
the purpose and expectation of the act of
1890. In three years the production of
sugar was dou bled under the Mckinley
law. The repeal of this law and the
enactment of the new law finds this
Indebtedness unpaid, and bankruptcy
stares the planters in the face. This
resolution concludes with the declara-
ton that "no honest government can
afford to break it's faith with its own
people or ruin its own citizens" The
resolutions protest against the continu-
ance of the treaty with Hawaii, giving
the producers of sugar in those islands,
under the recently-enacted tariff law,
an imm nse advantage over home pre-
ducers. This organization of clubs,
with the view of electing members of
congress pledged to stand by the ma
tional republican party, is recommended
The fifth resolution is as follows:
"ResolUed, That we hereby declare the
causes which led to the Inauguration Of this
movement are OF financial and industrial
nature and that the character and standing
of its leaders are sufficient guarantee tina
they will ever advocate good government
to the people of this state. We therefore
demand fair election and an honest coun
and the return OF the votes as cast, and w
expect at the hands of the chief executiv