The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1906-10-13
.DusoN FOR CONGRESS.
Continued from First Page.

was called in and I was told OF the
conditions confronting the tariff bill
in the senate. They propounded TO
me thefollowing question: "Mr. Duson,
we are told that you know Senator
McEnery better than any man IN
W ashington. Do you believe he will
vote with the Republicans on the tariff
bill? He is classed that way by many
Louisianians, but we do not believe
he will be able to stand the political
pressure from his own party. They
have brought the strongest Demo-
cratic influences in this country TO
prevent him from voting with us. You
see the trouble we are in. If we
could rely upon Senator McEnery
we could dictate terms instead OF going
into a conference" | replied: He
will vote for the Dingley bill unless
sickness or death prevent his presence
id the senate chamber on that day.
The reply came: "That is all right,
Mr.. Dnson. He will vote for rice and
sugar, and may be for borax. Senator
White of California is voting for
borax, but against US on everything
else that affects the Republican party:
but can we depend upon Senator Nc
Emery upon the salient articles which
affect the western people so vitally!'
At this point, Speaker Reed, speak
ing for all, addressed me as follows:
MIR. Duson, you have appealed to me
to save the rice and sugar industries
of your state. You are on intimate
terms with Senator MeEnery. VIII
you see him tomorrow and ascertain
whether or not we can depend on his
vote for the bill? If you will do SO
and can meet us here and state that
he will vote with US, and he does SO,
Senator McEnery may write your rice
and sugar tariff in open senate without
it going to the conference committee. :
/ saw Senator McEnery that night
and explained to him the situation very
fully. remember the sparkle 10 the
old senator's eyes as he replied: Ibid
those men tell you that, Duson?n !
answered.: Eyes, senator" His reply
came quick as flash: II said I
would do so. I believe I am
right in doing this, and I will do
if I am alive and in my seat. re-
turned and found Secretary Wilson
and reported the information thus OBJ
tanned. We then went to Senators Al
lison and Hanna and Speaker Reed.
I remember Senator Hanna's pleased
but doubtful expression at my faith as
he said: 'sMr. Duson, this man is
human. Do you think he can do this?:h
My reply was: 'tSenator Hanna, II
he does not vote as he has told me he
intends to, you may place rice on the
free list. It will make paupers OF N.Y.
self and scores of my friends, but SO
great is my faith In the man | am will
ing to incur the risk When rice
was reached ia the call Of the schedule,
Senator Allison, who was handling
the bill, sent page for Senator Nc
Emery in open nate, and with his
own hand Senator McEnery wrote the
rice tariff under which our Industry
prospers today. And, as | stated in
the beginning, the rice planters and
sugar people can never repay him for
| this one act.
I have depressed, you may say, in
| writing this piece of history. Senator
| McEnery has been too modest to claim
credit; but I call attention to it now
to show you how narrowly these in
dustries escaped destruction and to
establish what one man can do with a
| single vote in the national House OF
Representatives. Many men who voted
to assist us upon that occasion had
never seen a grain Of rough rice il
their lives. They were assisting iE
the preserv alton of our industry while
our senator was assisting them te
save their own. A Democratic con
gresham who votes for q tariff OF
sugar and rice and against tariff OF
all other articles makes a laughing
stock of himself. Republicans laugh
at him and Democrats call him /
"straddler." He accomplishes moth
| ing while endeavoring to serve two
masters. No man can be Democra
and Republican at one and the same
time.
| a protective tariff is either right o.
it is wrong. If right, it applies tt
every industry needing protection ant
no man can single out an industry in hi
state and overlook or refuse to sup
port all those in the adjoining states
The question OF tariff for revenu
onlyn will be q vital question in on
next congress, and it is quite certain
that some reduction will be mace il
our tariff laws. Some concession
must be made to the demand Of tn
sstariff reyisionists A in both parties. /
isquite naturalthatthis should be done
| and these reductions will not be mad
upon the entire tariff, but upon certai
commodities. Have we any guarante
| rice will not be one Of the commoditie
to be reduced? Most emph atically not
i Neither can we make plea for rie
upon the grounds of being an infan
i industry needing governmental protec
4 4inr wac dnna hafnre henansa III