The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-03-03
AN OPEN LETTER
Congressman Watkins Takes Notice of
Judge Murff's Criticism.
February 2S, 1910.

February 28, 1910.
Editor Gibsland News, Gibsland, La.
Kind Frend-In your issue of the 18th
instant you state:
Judge Murff of Shreveport, is taking
advantage of Congressman Watkins abb
sence and is putting in some good time
i'll elcctioneering for his position, charg-
ing Judge Watkins with voting with the
Republicans. Voting with the Republi-
cans seems to be a grave charge, wheth-
er the measure is right or wrong"
The National Democratic platform,
adopted at Denver, Colo, announced the
fundamental principles of the Demo
cratic party. 1t also contained statements
of policies, which were not fundamental;
but which would have been carried out
if the exigencies would have permitted
One of the principles announced was
that there should be tariff for revenue.
Hon. Henry D. Clayton of Alabama
was the chairman of that convention. l
submitted the above clipping and one
from the Shreveport paper to him and
he replied
Washington, D. c., Feb 22, 1910
Hon. ]. T. Watkins, House of Represen-
tatives, Washington, D. c.: My Dear
Sir-I have yours of February FL en-
closing certain excerpts from newspa-
pers rejecting upon your party loyalty
Your note seems to call for some ex-
preston from me as chairman of the
Democratic CAUCUS of the House of Rep
resentatives. / have always tried to re-
frain from interfering in contests among
my Democratic brethren in congression- /
al districts, and do not intend now to |
depart from my rule However, it is
right and proper for me to say that ever
since you have been member of Con-
gress, you have been consistent and
devoted Democrat. Your votes and
speeches have always been in line with |
the principles of your party think you
have been attendant upon every Demo
cratic House caucus since | have been
its chairman, covering period of sew
eral years. While attendant upon the
different meetings of the caucus you
have frequently taken an active part in
the deliberations. You have always
stood by the caucus actions of your
party, as we'll as its principles.
"As TO the insinuation that you have
supported the Cannon rules and Can
nonism,' | have to say that you have
never done such, nor have you ever
given aid to the Republicans directly or
indirectly. Your services here have de-
monstrated you to be loyal Democrat,
a faithful, industrious and efficient rep
resentative of your people. Yours very
truly, HENRY D. CLAYTON"
Colonel Clayton states facts which it
is his business, as chairman of the Dem
ocratic caucus, to know, and he has no
personal interest i'll the matter.
The letter of Hon. Champ Clark, the
Democratic leader in the House of Rep
resentatives, which was published last
year, contained substantially the same
statements 1t was written after | voted
to reduce the tariff on rough lumber
from two dollars thousand to one dol
lar; which took off the protection on
lumber and put it on a revenue basis.
This vote is the sole cause of complaint
of those whose wrath was pent up
while | was at home last fall but whose
righteous indignation has broken loose
now while | am tied up in the discharge
of my official duties.
When the opportunity presents itself,
I win elaborate the statement which /
made of my position on the lumber tar
if in the House of Representatives on
the 24th instant, as shown on page 2365
of the Congressional Record, and give
the facts and figures which will show
my consistency all the way through
without reference to my candidacy for
reelection TO the office which now oc-
cupy l am, with greatest respect, yours
truly, J. T. WATKINS.