The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-07-11
JUDGE J. 7. WATKINS
DEFINES HIS POSITION ON THE
TARIFF QUESTION.
o
A CANDID EXPLANATION
Did Not Vote for the Cannon Rules
Offers no Complaint to the Criticism
of Good Citizens-Kind Words for
His Colleague 81 the Fifth District.

The Caucasian has been requested to
give publicity to the self-explanatory
communication from Congressman Wat
kins as follows;
Washington, d. c., July I, 1900
Messrs. ]. F. Meadors, Chairman, and
Z. H. Fortson, Secretary, Mass Meet
ing, Homer, La: Gentlemen-Altiough
those who composed the mass meeting
which was held at Homer on June Goth
are not my constituents. many of them
are my personal friends, for whom |
have high regard, and | believe that
what / state will be duly considered by
them. No names were mentioned iii the
resolutions which were adopted; but the
inference is that the entire delegation
in Congress from Louisiana did those
things which are condemned by the
mass meeting Such is not the case.
the members of the House of Repre-
sentatives from the Fourth and Fifth
Congressional Districts of Louisiana
did not vote for the Cannon rules, nor
did they vote for the tariff bill. They
voted against both.
When the members from Louisiana
who did vote that way went home they
were welcomed with cordially and ban
quets were given in their honor. It is
not to be inferred that the resolutions
passed will affect them The members
from the Fourth and Fifth Districts OF
Louisiana have attended every Demo-
cratic caucus held in Washington and
have voted with the party on every
proposition submitted as party ques-
ton Lumber is the only item in the
tariff bill upon which they voted to
place tariff. and this vote on that item
was to reduce the present tariff rate on
lumber one-half. This rate takes all
protection off of lumber and puts it on
revenue basis, which is clearly shown
by the government statistics.
Twenty-seven Democratic members
of the United States Senate voted on
the proposition to put lumber on the
| free list. Of these, II voted against
putting it on the free list and only 10
voted to do so. These senator's, some
of them gave their blood for the South
and would surrender their lives for a
lust cause, did not believe that they
were violating their pledges to their
party when they voted this way.
The Democratic platform had one
plank declaring in favor of tariff
for revenue. Another clause contained
the statement that lumber should be
put on the free list.
One of these propositions was just as
binding as the other They selected the
one which would produce 100000 in
revenue for the government without
raising the place of lumber one cent,
and thus, to all intents and purposes,
leaving it on the free list, as announced
i'll the platform.
When Hon. w J. Bryan was mem
Der of Congress he voted against the
repeal of the tax on State banks. That
was June 6, 1902.
After this, the National Democratic
Convention was held and a plank was
inserted in the platform declaring in
/ favor of the repeal OF this tax on State
banks, which would place them on the
same basis as National banks. At the
j session of Congress which followed this
declaration in the Democratic platform,
! on June s, 1904, Mr.. Bryan voted again
against the repeal of this law, declaring
that he was not bound by the platform.
! Mr.. Bryan has three times since then
been made the standard-bearer of the
i Democratic party, and the good Demo-
I Gratis who composed the mass meeting
voted for him as the Democratic nomi-
nee for President of the United States,
without chastising him or questioning
his Democracy.
No pledge to the party was violated
in voting for revenue duty on lumber.
The Democratic platform contemplate
i ed Democratic tariff bill. Whether the
/ Democrats or the Republicans won, a
tariff bill was necessary. The Demo-
Gratis lost and had to take Republican
tariff bill and with it raise a revenue
and at the same time protect the inter
i ests of the people as best they could
! under the conditions which confronted
them.
i The Senate has raised the tariff or
} lumber so per cent from what it was
when it left the House of Representa-
J tives; but | trust that we will be able
to pass the income tax amendment anc
: tax corporations, and in this way BIZ
able to reduce many Of the tariff SEIZED