The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1910-03-03
From Shreveport Times.
JUDGE MURFF MAY MAKE RACE.
CONSIDERS CoNTEsTING SEAT OF JUDGE
WATKINS IN CONGREE.
ATTACKS HIS DEMOCRACY.
Declares that he did not Lire up to Mandate
of his Party and that ON Lumber
Tariff Question his Vote ras Re
corded against Masses Of
People an his District

corded against Masses Of
People an his District.
Judge A. j. Murff of the District Court
yesterday practically admitted that he
would make the race for Congress in the
Fourth District against Hon. John T.
Watkins. 1t has been known that Judge
Murff has been considering the matter for
some time and yesterday Times reporter
called upon him for a statement with refer
ence to the reports which have been rife
for some time. While he did not make a
definite announcement Jude Murff left the
inference that he would make the race un-
less : e people of this Congressional Dis
trict decided to select another candidate.
Judge Murff has been quietly canvassing
the district for some time and states that he
has been much encouraged. The Fourth
District is composed of Caddo, Bossier,
Webster, Bienville, VIM, Red River,
Natchitoches, DeSotoand Sabine Parishes.
Judge Murff is native of Mississippi and
was once District Attorney Of the Judicial
District which comprises Bossier and
Webster, Judge Watkins being native of
the latter parish.
Judge Murff made the following state
ment:
81 have been seriously considering the
matter for some time. There seems to be
feeling of great disappointment among
the people at the course taken by our
present congressman, Judge Watkins, and
have been solicited by great many Of
the leading Democrats as we'll as the masses
of the people to make the race. The COM
plant is that Congressman Watkins, not
withstanding he was elected on Demo-
cratic platform that declared, carte blanche,
for free lumber and an uncompromising
opposition to protective tariff, has wlfully
and knowingly repudiated the party plat
form by voting for a protective tariff on
lumber. Not only was this clear violation
of the party's platform, but it destroyed
his usefulness as an opponent to the pro-
lection tariff system, for he can not con-
sistently vote for protective tariff for his
lumber friends, and then oppose it on iron,
wool and the many other articles, the tariff
on which is sapping the very life blood of
the people. and making the cost of living
so exhorbitant that the poor can hardly
exist.
81 He can not excuse his vote by saying
that while he repudiated the party's plat
form he voted for the best interests of his
people, for he was bound to know that SO
per cent of his people are consumers of
lumber, while about two per cent are man.
ufacturers, and of that two per cent more
than half are Republicans. Our platform,
our party and our people believe in equal
rights to all and special privileges to none,
and when our party representative sees fit
not only to repudiate the mandates of the
party, but to sacrifice SO per cent of his
people in order that two per cent may grow
rich, it is no wonder the people are dissat-
isfed.
TARIFF FIGHT MEANT MUCH TO PEOPLE.
"The tariff fight at the last session of
Congress meant more to the American
people than any fight since the Dinghy tariff
bill. The Democrats are in the minority
in Congress-, and it is not often that they
have even fighting chance, but when, as
in the tariff fight, the Republicans were
divided and Democratic vote meant some-
thing, we find our Democratic representa-
tive repudiating the party's mandates and
voting in favor of Republican measures
and special interests.
$50 long as We are governed by parties
we must obey its mandates, and when we
are not willing to carry out it's policies We
are unfit to represent that party further,
and should go over to that party whose
policies we advocate.
SIS Judge Watkins Democrat? If so.
by what standard shall we measure him?
Has he lived up to the mandate of the
party? Does to be Democrat mean that
one can repudiate the party platform and
he people who sent him and 60 over and
vote for measures Numerically opposed s
o it? Was tariff on lumber Democratic {
Measure? 1t was not, for the party en- !
'hatically declared against it. Was it (
Republican measure? It was, for it was {
Introduced and supported by the Republi- t
AN party. With whom did Judge Watkins i
'ote? With the Democrats against it. or {
he Republicans for it? The Congressional \
tecord shows he voted with the Republic /
ans for tho for /,