Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1913-08-08
THE NEW IBERIA MEETING.

A big meeting for the purpose of
endorsing the action of Senators
Ransdell and Thornton in opposing
the Underwood tariff bill was held
this week at New Iberia. There
was large attendance, numbers of
speeches were made and strong res
solutions adopted commencing the
Senators for their course.
As the bill is still pending in the
Senate, it cannot now be said what
the Senators will do when they
come to vote on its final passage.
But, we presume it was taken for
granted by the New Iberia meeting
that their votes will be cast against
the measure.
Thus arises sharp division of
opinion between South Louisiana
and North Louisiana, division to
be deplored but the existence of
which cannot be ignored.
We take it that the electorate of
North Louisiana, with pratical
unanimity, will condemn and de-
plore the course of our Senators, if
their votes shall be cast against the
tariff bill, when it comes up for
final passage. We are sure that here
in Tensas where Senator Ransdell
received in the primary all but six
votes when he defeated Senator Fos-
ter, and where he has always had
devoted friends, that his vote against
the Underwood bill would not be
approved by ten per cent of the
voters.
Their attitude, we believe, is sub
stantially as follows: While they,
as matter of course, regret ex-
tremely that Congress has seen fit
to place sugar on the free list and
believe that the Democratic party
in so doing, has departed from its
former policy of giving incidental
protection to that industry for reve-
nue. purposes, still we regard this
question not as one involving a
principle, nor admitting of compro-
mise, but purely as one of fiscal pol
icy, and, for that reason, we do not
see how our Senators are justified in
voting against bill to reduce tariff
taxation and lessen the burdens OF
the people merely because the lead
ers of the party, which they claim
allegiance to, have, in their wisdom,
seen fit to take the tax off of sugar
The Underwood bill places on the
free list many articles of necessity
to farmers like bagging and ties,
binding Irvine, etc.; it reduces the
duty on clothing, blankets and hun
dreds of other articles; it provides
for an income tax which will make
the rich pay some just share of the
expenses OF the government; it car.
ries out measurably, at least, the
great reform which the American
people have voted for at three pre-.
ceilings elections. In our opinion il
is the entering wedge which shall
eventually wipe out entirely the
whole vicious system of protection
which was fast making slaves of the
masses in this country. 1t is en-
dorsed by a Democratic President
and Democratic Congress and we
believe that our Senators, elected as
Democrats, are in duty bound to
support it. We entirely approve OF
their course in fighting the proposed
free sugar feature of the bill, in
committee, in caucus and on the
floor of the Senate, but we cannot
support them if they go so far as
to vote against the bill as a whole.
Ii every Democratic Senator who
thought that some provision in the
bill would iniure a particular indus
try OF the State he represents, then
we could have no revision of the
odious tariff law under which we
are living. Such course would be
intolerable. Ours is a government of
political parties, or of associations
OF men bound together and acting
together to attain common ends.
Individual judgment, except on
questions involving moral principles,
must yield to the judgment of the
party, as a whole, or the very OBJ
ject for which parties exist will
necessarily be defeated.
As Democrats, Senators Ransdell
and Thornton are in duty bound to
vote for the Underwood bill.
THE PROpOSFD LAW A0AINCT