The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-04-24
Mr.. Gallery cannot be Forced.


leans, in answer to one sent him re-
quesiing that he support tie Ding
ley bill, Is a powerful arrangement of
that measure. Senator Gallery may
have boon off on the money question.
bu. we believe that he was conscien-
tious--iust as he is on this Republican
robbing tariff measure.
UNITED STATES SENATE,
Washington, April 9, 1897.
Baeeilove Smith, President Boad OF
Trade. New Orleans:
Dear Sir-Yours of the goth ultimo
at hand. You say that AT a special
meeting of the Board of Trade of New
Orleans. held this day to consider the
tariff bill now before Congress, known
as the Dingley bill. it was held to be a
commercial question, and il was unani-
mously resolved that it be heartily in
dorsed By this board, aud the Senators
and Representatives, in Congress from
Louisiana be requested to cooperate in
it its passage.
Further you say that Il hope you
will not find it inconsistent with your
ideas to give said bill the weight OF
your influence.
Coming from body of your stand
ing and Importance the communication
deserves an answer.
Your board has, from its standpoint,
defined the character and kind of meas
ure the Dingley bill is. BY unanimous
resolution of the board it is held to be
a commercial question, by which
infer you to mean that the principle
underlying the bill is commercial
question:
Commerce being traffic in its larg-
est sense. you are undoubtedly correct
in so defining the question as it is
currently reported and generally be-
lieved-that the Dingley bill is the re-
suit of a traffic or barter. whereby the
support of powerful corporations and
protected interests was obtained for il
in consideration of being taken care OF
in its schedules.
The compact has been kept. Every
man, woman and child in the United
States Is placed under the tribute &c
corporate greed and private rapacity
by the provisions of the bill.
"You must pardon me if, from the
standpoint of political economy, l de-
cline to accept your definition of the
question as commercial one. Ii
has always been held by the two great
political parties who have fought and
alternately triumphed in many con-
test under the respective banners OF
protection or tariff for revenue to be
political question of the highest
moment.
Il am enrolled under the banner OF
tariff for revenue only and shall fol-
low my standard. have settled views
on the tariff question. They are the
result of the best study and reflection
can give to the subject.
"When my political views change SC
as to conyice me that this great coun-
try, with its vast resoursces, its free,
publishing. enterprlsing inventive
population, needs protection against
countries with not half its resources.
with population oppressed with debt,
crushed by class distictions or tyran-
nous government, without the skill
and inventive genius of our own peo-
pie, will hand in my resignation as
being out of touch with Democratic
principles. l take it that Louisiana is
Democratic yet, Notwithstanding the
temporary split IN the Democracy
about finances, and the detection of the
sugar planters to Republicanism oil
rather to bounty
Il have received from no Democratic
source any request to support bill at
war with the cardinal principles OF
Democracy. / do not consider that a
commercial organization has any
authority or weight in suggesting the
conduct and vote of Democratic rep
resentative of Democratic constitu-
eney. Nor do believe that your
board has taken the proper view of the
bill, considered from the narrow stand
point of local interest.
.'In the vlcissitudes of political war
fare the tariff for revenue party some
time or other will triumph. l conf
IDENTIFY look for its triumph in the near
future. If Louisiana pins it fortunes
to the party of protection for protec-
tion's sake, triumphant Democracy
can easily ignore the claims of sugar as
q revenue producer.
''You have fair tariff under the
Wilson bill. Under the bill sugar
fourishes as well as any other agricul-
tural interest in the United States that
l know of. If the Republican party,
dropping the financial question, on the
strength of which it went into power,
think to evade that question by plling
up more revenue, sugar presents good
article to get it from But neither you
nor our people have any right to de-
mand more tariff to build up your and
their individual prosperity when you
already enjoy reasonable amount.
ut is a mistaken policy to drop the
party which recognized your product
as revenue product and JOIN party
which placed it on the free list. 1t is
worse than mistaken policy to elamor
for more on sugar because wool, wood
and chemicals are getting zoo much.
1.-The Dingley bill carries rates be-
tween and 10 per cent higher than
the Mckinley bill. 1t is. in my opin-