St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1909-08-07
CONSTITUENTS,

G1RN4 Al4 IA
%-@D@s
HOUB CONSTITUENCIES
In a recent issue of the Commoner,
Mr.. Bryan suggests that Mr.. Dooley
might find ample material in the
speeches that have been made at
Washington out Of which to CON
struct . play entitled Our Constitu-
ents.' Continuing, the Nebraskan
says:
THE manufacturers insist upon
protection but they are a small per
cent Of any community. A Senator
can secure protection for a few man
u~faeturers in his State. but what
about the rest Of his constituents?
They have to pay the tax.
Some Of the Democrats voted
for a tariff on lumber-that will help
Mr.. Weyerhauser and a few timber
owners but what about the people
who pay the taxi Are they not con
stituents also?
''Wha percentage of the constit-
uents in any district own iron ore?
What percentage Of the constit-
uents in any district raise wool or
profit BY the duty on hides?
Is it not about time some
body represented that large major
ity-the constituents who get no
benefit out of protection, but bear
the burden Of all tariff taxes
Indeed the constituents" argu-
ment in defense Of voting wrong has
been made to do duty overtime in
connection with the work Of tariff
making during the present session.
That New England crowd" says
one member, have put a duty on
everything produced in New England,
and then they expect me to vote for
free lumber" and Immediately he
votes TO protect his constituents"
the lumber manufacturers, who for
the most part live and spend their
earnings q thousand miles away from
the district he represents.
They shan't put a high duty on
leather and shoes for the benefit Of
the Eastern manufacturers, and then
put hides upon the free list says
another, and straightway be casts
his vote for a duty on hides; where
by the beef trusts is handed out a
big bonus. And so it goes down all
the line, the benefit Of tariff duties
going to the favored few, the prin-
cipal effect of the tariff being to in
crease their profits, and to greatly
enhance to the poor man the price
he has to pay for everything be buys.
In point Of fact, the greedy tariff
corporations have for many
years disseminated SO peraistently
The fallacy that the most effective
way to help the masses is to fatten
The classes, that a great many in
5elligent persons have been persuaded
that It is correct. When one objects
10 the vicious heresy that a privil-
edged class was created for the pur-
pose Of plundering the masses under
,he ingenious device Of d protective
;ariff, he is hidden to think of the
opportunities created to give en-
,loyment to labor
And on that theory many good
arif-for-revenue Democrats voted
or a duty on coal, for instance.
he exact figures are not ii hand,
,ut it would Be interesting to be in
ormed in this connection with re-
ard to the character of labor, the J
wages paid and the nationality of
he great bulk Of the laborers en- {
in the production Of coal and
ron. As a matter of fact, il IS the !
heapest sort Of labor, the larger /;
roportion being ignorant foreigners,
rought here because they are igno-
ant and helpless, and the conditions t
4 many Of the mining camps are J
rorse than those that were sup J
osed to prevail among the lower !
lass Of negro slaves during the time