The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1903-10-24
Blancl,ar.l's Senatorial Record.

Blancharll'x Senatorial Record.
Daily States.
We invite the attention Of readers of the
States to the powerful address delivered by
Judge Blanchard yesterday to the Demo
Gratis of Assumption. Ever since Judge
Blanchard began to loom up a gubernatO
rial candidate it has been asserted by those
opposed to him that there something in
his Senatorial record which would ALLEVIATE
from him unalterably the support of the
sugar section of the State and would, per
haps, jeopardize the success Of the Demo
cratic party in Louisiana.
1t was proclaimed from the housetops
that he was enemy of the sugar industry
of the State and by his vote in the Senate
had helped to wreck that important indus
try; and that charge had more to do with
arousing whatever opposition may exist to
Judge Blanchard to-day than any Other
single thing. In hrs address to the AS
sumption Democrats Judge blanchard vir-
tuslly throws down the gauntlet to his oppo-
nents and lays bare the records and history
of that momentous struggle. Evil days had
then fallen upon louisiana BY an ndroit
move in placing sugar upon the free list and
paying a bount, to the sugar grower, the
American people had been educated up to
cheap sugar. and ''frce breakfast table,
which was the slogan of the preceding Re-
publican national campaign. The placing
of a bounty upon sugar production was an
act OF treachery upon the part Of the Re-
publican party, for that party we'll knew
that 1t was un a erican in principle and
would never be tolerated by the people.
Therefore, when Congress met the cry of
a .'free breakfast table, was still ringing in
the ears of the people, and appealed with
much force to persons residing outside the
sugar belt, which meant almost the entire
American population. The repeal of the
bounty was newt able and it was done with
the full approval of the vast majority of the
American people, but in repeating the
bounty the House. as it appears to us, lost
sight of the principle that had controlled in
the formation of all previous Democratic
tariffs and left off sugar. the ideal revenue
producer, from the dutiable list. Judge
Blanchard and the Louisiana delegation
generally s,rove to have sugar placed upon
the dutiable list but wit bout avail, and the
bill, as finally passed in the House, was
voted for by Judge Blanchard with the dis
tinct and previously announced understand
ing that he would direct his efforts TO having
the bill amended i'm the Senate.
In the meantime he became a member OF
the Senate, and ~ the efforts of himself
and friends he succeeded in securing a tariff
! of over forty per cent. sugar, and was
largely instrumental in assisting in recover
ing the appropriation for the bounty tina,
had been earned prior to the repeal of the
measure. These are the salient facts pre-
fetal records. They demonstrate conclu-
sively that Judge Blanchard worked faith
fully and intelligently in behalf of the suga,
interests of Louisiana, and that the charge
absolutely without foundation. AS M at
ter of fact he, together with his colleagues
in both houses, rendered valuable services
to these interests and when consider the
difficulties they had to contend with it will
we believe, be the deliberate judgment OF
the Democrats of Louisiana that he deserves
praise rather than censure for what he and
they accomplished. He old all that
Democrat could do, and when we consider
that the country had teen educated up tc
free sugar, it will strike the average intelli
gence that the equivalen. of IS per cent
duty was pretty good to start with, We dc
| not conceive that any issue can be success
fully made against Mr.. Blanchard among
| the Democrats of Louisiana with that as
| basis.