Birmingham age-herald., 1894-09-08
THE LOUISIANA pOLT.

The action of the Louisiana sugar plan ters' convention on Thursday in declaring in favor of an alliance with the Repub iican party on national issues can hardly be dig nifed with the title of q coup de etat. It partakes more of the nature of an offer or sale of body and soul, and is q forcible re- hinder of some of the antics of the scala. wags of the early reconstruction days in the South.
 These Louisianians simply place price upon their votes. They want bounty and protection for pay, and are ready to fly into the arms of the party that will pay the price. They would kneel at the feet of the Republican party and beg for help. They would knock at the door of their erstwhile arch enemy and pray for crumbs from the table. They would turn their backs on the party that redeemed Louisiana from her political thraldom and revested her with the rights of tatehood--aHaaa~sktl their coffers at the expense of she people.
 These sugar planters have cried "wolf'' before this, and their Democracy has proven to be of the soft kind. They once threatened to vote for Blaine, but after ward yielded to sober second thought. MT. Cleveland heaped coals of fire on their heads in return for their proposed deser- tion, but let us hope he will do so no more forever.
 It is hard for some people to understand that this is government of, by and for the whole people; that the true Democratic policy is to favor particular section or class of people; that the sugar planter of Louisiana has no more right to the protect. ing hand of the government than the rice planter of South Carolina or the cotton planter of Alabama; that the natural laws pf trade, of demand aud supply, is the only proper basis of production and wealth. And the sooner this country is brought to know that McKinleyism in America is dead, and that the Democratic party has under full headwsy the grand work of crushing ont trusts, combines and class distinctions, the better it will be for all.
 But, after all, what does this movement amount to? The desertion from the ranks of Democracy is well understood by Re- publicans. They realize it's true inward- ness and will afford little comfort and questionable hospitality to these insincere recruits. The Chicago Inter Ocean, that ontspoken Republican organ. assumes very dubious attitude toward the new corners, and says in reference to the kick CTS that "'the Republican party has little to gain from the victory of the rebellious Democrats of Louisiana, nor has it just cause for sympathy with them," aud further remarks:
 If the Louisiana revolt be successful all that tt can accomplish will be the election of a Congressional delegation pledged to read justment of the sugar clauses; it will be as Democratic as the delegation from Arkansas on the question of organization of the House. II in way will be Republican ally.
 Yet what can it effect without Republican nid? The House Democrats are resolved on 'sfree sugar'-which is good thing--but without bounty 10 the American grower, which is not a good thing. The Republicans never will vote for higher duties on sugar than those which now are in force. They will vote for free sugar, which, if unaccompanied by bounty, above all things the Louisiana plant CTS most dread. But they will vote for resto- ration of the sugar bounty, which above all things is what the Louisiana sugar industry most needs. The question for consideration by the revolting Democrats of Louisiana is this: ''What pledge can we give to the Re- publican party that if it aids us in gaining a restoration of the sugar bounty our repre- sentatives will not be found in their old time opposition to protection to all Northern in- dustries?'' h word, it will be of no use that Louisiana return 'proteclionist Democrats'' 10 Congress unless they are protectionist" all round. The sugar grower needs protec- tion, but the wool grower also is man and brother
 The Inter Ocean speaks in 8 consistent lone, and affords cold comfort to Louis- lana's disgruntled sugar planters, whose former political creed disqualifies them for respectable or respected association with Republicans. They will have to come back.