The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1913-07-19
THE HUSTON RUCTION.

/ Fourth OF July at the classic town OF
| Ruston for the purpose Of hauling
| United States Senators Ransdeu and
/ tI'hornton over the hot Goals of pub
lie condemnation for their persistent
opposition to the UnderWood-Sim-
mons tariff bill
/ There is the usual variation in pub
/ lished reports OF the size Of the gath
ering, the estimates of the attend
ance ranging from 500 to 5000, but
all the accounts agree that a large
proportion Of the crowd were women
and children. According to the Mon
roe NeWs-Star's staff special, which
is manifestly a fair statement, s'nu-
merically speaking, the meeting was
not a brilliant success, nor was there
any great amount of enthusiasm dis
| played during the three hours of
/ speechmaking. The attendance be-
| fore noon was less than 500, women
and children predominating. In the
afternoon there were about 200 more
people.
Judge r. B. DaWkins raped the
assemblage to order, read the call
and outlined the objects in view.
Hon. S. D. Pearce Of Ruston was
designated chairman and expatiated
| further on the purposes of the meet
ing, saying that 'on the natal day of
the country's independence it was
right that citizens should protest
against the contemplated action of
| men who do not represent the wishes
of their constituency. He said the
Democracy triumphed in the last ma
tional election on the tariff issue,
and that if Senators Ransdell and
| Thornton would keep faith With the
! people of Louisiana they would vote
for the Underwood bill, first because
| it is a Democratic measure, and sec
ond because it reduces the burdens
of the masses
Speeches of more OF less torridity
were made by Hon. Robert Roberts,
| Jr, of Minden, who had his light
ming rod out for one of the United
| States senatorships in the last cam
paign but wasn't struck; Thos. H..
McGregor of Rayville, who opposed
| Congressman Ransdell in the 1910
primary campaign and was showed
under; Judge A. j. MIeff of Caddo,
Judge W. C. Barnette of, Bienville
and Judge ]. N. Sandlin of Webster.
| Messrs. Roberts and MeGregor appear
| to have been more caustic, not to
say rabid, than the other speakers.
The Minden statesman charged that
| the Louisiana senators were so
infatuated with the special interests
of Louisiana they ask to be exempt
from the caucus rule; they were
Democrats in everything except prin-
ciples, and Republican in everything
except name and constituency
The Richland patriot Illuminated
still more vigorously, declaring that
the two senatQeswere not represent
ing the Democrats of Louisiana, but
were bringing shame upon the loyal
party me1S that the best and high
est inteyfsts of Louisiana demanded
the retirement OF Messrs. Ransdell
and Thornton; that they were a men
ace to the party and state; that he
was in favor Of drawing the lines
tight, and Riding the Democratic
party Of the sugar teats. z
A committee composed of members
from Lincoln, Union, Bienville, Jack
son, Richland, Caddo, Webster and
LaSalle parishes presented a set of
resolutions indorsing the pending I'm
derWood bill as embodying the Dem
ocratic policy ofxtariff for revenue
only as opposed to The Republican pol
icy of protection; demanding that the
Louisiana senators give the measure
their support, disavoWing any desire
to make war on our neighbors of
south Louisiana engaged in sugar pro-
duction,' and heartily indorsing the
administration of President Wilson to
date. These resolutions were adopt
ed without dissent
Taken by and large, the demonstra-
ton cannot be regarded as particular
ly impressive Or important, and there
is absolutely no reason to suppose it
will swerve Senators Ransdell and
Thornton from their de8ense of the
imperilled industries of their stated
nor weaken their determination to
carry out the pledges they made |
both before and after their election
to pursue that course Their obi !
cation in this regard is recognized
and respected at Washington and
throughout the whole country, and
their position is not to be successful |
ly assailed by this little fire in the
rear, kindled and famed for the |
most part by men whose motives are
at. least not immune from the suspi-
cion. of self-interest and disingenu-
BUSINESS.