The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1913-08-09
NUMBER [
LOYAL SENATORS LluDED.
Messrs. Thornton and Ransdell Com
nended for Their Courageous
Manly and American course'' iti
Behalf of the lmperiiied Indus
tries of the State.

l 4
Following is the full text of the
emphatic resolutions adopted by the
monster mass meeting at New iberia
| last Saturday:
We, the citizens Of Louisiana, in
| mass meeting assembled, declare:
The Democratic convention which
met at Baltimore, dealing with con-
ditions and not with theories, and
recognizing the fact that many OF
the great industries OF this country
| mad been, in part or in whole, built
upon the policy of protection, de-
| ciared that such revision should be
accomplished in such manner as not
to injure or destroy any legitimate
industry.
We believe this declaration was
placed in the Democratic platform
in good faith, and meant what it
said. 1t was no cunningly devised
expression to deceive the people or
the public. The high-minded and pa
trlotlc members of that great body
Were dealing seriously with the great
economic problems and were formu-
lating a platform Or declaration OF
principles upon which they were to
appeal to the intelligence and pa
triotism Of the country for support.
we believe the great public ia
yored a revision of the tariff down
ward, but expected that in the ae-
complishment Of that purpose due
regard would be shown to the busi-
ness interests of the country, and
that no legitimate industry would be
injured or ruthlessly destroyed; and
the people of our state, so inter-
preting and understanding this dec-
laration and being assured that such
was the general Interpretation and
understanding of this declaration,
and knowing that sugar, rice and
other interests of this state were
legitimate industries, felt that when
this declaration was placed In this
platform its meaning could never be
misunderstood.
TO seek to distort that solemn
declaration of the platform, to give
it different meaning from what It's
plain language imports, to exempt
the great sugar industry of our state
from It's beneficial terms because 1t
is maintained that industry is not
economically legitimate, is mere
transparent subterfuge to excuse an
objectionable injury to one OF the
great agricultural industries of our
country
II the sugar industry be not eco
nomically legitimate because 1t can
not successfully compete with the
cheap sugars OF the tropics and the
pauper labor OF Europe, then the
same rule, applied to the cotton and
Woolen mills and other great manu-
featuring Industries OF the country,
would destroy those great industries.
Il the same rule OF Interpretation OF
that platform was applied to those
great industries-Which, be it dis
tinctly understood, we do not advo-
cate-as Is sought to be applied To
sugar, then such application would
result in the complete paralysis Of
the trade conditions Of our country
and universal bankruptcy.
"our great agricultural Industries
are as dear and as necessary to
the welfare and happiness and pros
perity of our people as are the fac
tories OF the south and north to
the welfare and prosperity of their
people. To discriminate against
this great agricultural interest OF
this great commonwealth is q grave
wrong and injustice, not only to the
state of Louisiana, but to the people
engaged in the industry throughout
the nation.
The treatment OF sugar in the
tariff bill means sure and certain
destruction OF an industry in which
hundreds of thousands of our people
have been engaged for many gener-
ations. To destroy at least one
third of the agricultural wealth Of
a state of this Union and bankrupt
and impoverish its people and throw
out Of employment over 100000 Of
its Inhabitants, and to destroy the
capital honestly invested In this
great industry, is appalling to con-
template. Yet such will be the eff
feet of this legislation upon our
state.
Sugar Is now notoriously the
cheapest article OF food upon the
American market. While the cost
of other food products has increased
in many instances over one hundred
per cent within the last ten years,
the price of sugar has steadily gone
| downward; and in the efforts of the
| party to reduce the tariff in order
to cheaper the cost of living. 1t la
! manifestly unjust that the chief in
| dustry OF our state should be segre.
gated for destruction by scheduling
lit for the free list, when that article
is the cheapest article OF food now
/ in the American market, and the
duty on the same has always been
recognized by all the leaders OF the
party to come within the Democratic
doctrine of tariff for revenue.
Our senators are elected, as II
were, ambassadors for d sovereign
state, not only to protect and care
4 for the interests of the whole pee
pie OF the Union, but to watch oyea
and protect the interests OF the peo
4 pie of their own states. They can
not delegate the great trust confid
ed to them to another. In chs
: performance Of their high duties II
J, the people of their own state and ot
J their country they must exerciss
/ their own independent judgment ant
t be guided by their own conscienc.
and not by the action Of any politica
Il caucus. They cannot transfer tha
judgment, nor can they commit thei
| conscience to the keeping of oLhe