St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1911-02-18
THE GENUINE DEMOCRAT
New Orleans States.

New Orleans States.
AS a Democratic journal tina
has tried always to be faithful t
Democratic tradition and princi
pie, The States would be wanting
in appreciation if it neglected tn,
opportunity to commend the re
solute party fidelity which Con
gresham Dupre has displayed il
his brief career in the upper
House.
With Louisiana Democrats Wor.
Shipping at the shrine of protec,
ton and asking to be absolveC
from the obligations of the Demo.
cratic caucus, it is inspiring tc
find at least one of them coura.
geous enough to remain true tt
the faith and with foresight tc
realize that thereby he can best
serve the interests of his people
even to the extent of gaining
for them the protection they
deem essential to the welfare OF
their industries.
Before the ship subsidy bill
was passed Mr.. Dupre was urged
in kilograms from a number OF
local exchanges to vote for the
measure on the ground that it
would inure to the commercial
advantage of New Orleans. It
is very much to his credit, how
ever, that, Notwithstanding the
fact that a considerable element
of the business community has
been persuaded to indorse this
undemocratic raid on the national
treasury in the interest of a spe-
cial class, he declined as a Demo-
cratic representative to stultify
himself and refused to give it his
support.
He has kept his record equally
straight In the matter Of the
Canadian reciprocity. While the
treaty was negotiated by a Re
publican President, it invoices a
recognition Of Democratic prin-
ciples and it will mean an inevi-
table cheapening of the cost of
living and thereby benefit the
great consuming masses Of the
country. American Special Priv
ilege is, of course, opposed to it,
but the Democratic thought Of
the country is for it because it
means a boon to the Common
People. When the Democratic
caucus met the other evening in
Washington, the sentiment was
practically unanimous in favor of
the passage through the House,;
but three Of the Louisiana Con-
gressmen, because they fear it.
may be directly injurious to some
and indirectly injurious to other
local industries which demand
protection, invoked the caucus
rule which permits them to re-
fuse to be bound where the in
terests of their constituents are
affected, while two others, while
agreeing to be bound by the
caucus action, voted against the
treaty.
Mr.. Dupre was not of either
group. On the contrary he de-
clared himself ready to follow
the action of the party represen-
tatives, and he ought to have the
respect of every Democrat in
for having had the
courage to assert his convictions
and the prescience to see that If
interests are to be
saved from injury it is only to
be accomplished by a sturdy
to Democratic principles.
The next Congress will be over
w~helmingly Democratic. The
next Senate will be controlled by
4 coalition of Democrats and
progressive Republicans. IF the
is to be revised it will not
be revised by the standpat Re
0uDllcanS with whom the pro-
interests of Louisiana have
in the past had humbly to plead
for a precarious tariff.
The attitude of the Democra-
tic majority toward the Demo-
Gratis of Louisiana who have
heretofore allied themselves with
The Republican party has been
dearly shown in the elimination
If MIR. Broussard from the Ways I
and Means Committee. tits evil /
lent, therefore, that Mr.. Brous- /
;ard and those who acted with
lim can have little influence in
obtaining from the next Congress
protection for Louisiana interests. |
VT. Dupre, however, has placed (
himself In aposition where. with i
nut committing himself to the
principle OF protection, he will be
shle to demand that Louisiana 8
not be unjustIy treated 9
md there is every reason to be- t