The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1913-05-10
DEMOCRATIC LOUISIANA

Louisiana is Democratic always Democratic yet
her representatives cannot swallow the Underwood
bill Representative Lazaro from that state says
the Baltimore platform WAS pledge for revision
downward without the destruction OF single legit.
innate industry He makes 1t plain that the bill
is against the farmer and serves notice that he
will not vote for It, The closing paragraphs of his
speech follow
come from section that has politically
always been Democratic, and 1t Is the unoer-
standing Of my people that the Baltimore plat
form stood, and stands today, for a revision down
ward without injury or destruction to a single
legitimate industry. The party platform and
the campaign speeches of our standard bearers
lulled our folks into the belief that the radical
reductions and free list to be for those trust
controlled articles and products that are sold
cheaper abroad than to the consumer at home.
In all frankness my fellow Democrats, fail to
catch the drift of the logic in the proposition Of
placing everything that the farmer raises
practically free list and everything that he has
to buy remains practically protected list.
The cultivation of rice in this country un.
der the present duty has helped to develop the
section where It is raised; it has in my section
made good the hope and cry of back to the
farm it has developed and fostered prosperous
little communities where before nothing but cat.
tie grazed; 1t has brought to us newcomers set.
tiers from the East and the West, and now pros
porous villages and towns churches and schools
veritably dot the rice section of my State
industry has increased the value of our hereto
fore cheap prairie land from so 80 to $50 ana
s45 per acre; it has increased the production al
wdened the consumption of this staple food ana
brought about an actual reduction in the price
to the consumer.
Rice Is essentially small farmerss crop and
the industry is entirely in the hands of white
farmers. Its cultivation should be encouraged
and not discouraged, Its value food for the
human is beyond question, and there are
lands enough susceptible of its cultivation to
make this nation produce enough rice to supply
any possible home needs that may be developed.
But this reduction of 80 per cent is going to
prove the ruin and disaster of this growing IN.
dustry which is the mainstay and foundation
upon which rests the business interest OF my
section and upon which ii depends. And why
is this to be done? To benefit the consumer?
Why, my friends, when the rice produced by the
pauper labor OF the Orient has been dumped on
shores in sufficient quantities to drive out
and ruin the domestic industry, and when there
will be no home grown rice to compete with on
the American market, the imported rice of the
Orient will be controlled by trust and combina
lions, and the poor American consumer will pay
higher price for this staple food. This I
cal reduction will not benefit the laboring man,
the mechanic, or artisan Of the large cities, tor
the simple reason that the high prices paid by
them for the produce OF the farm is not occasion
ed by the price received by the farmer, but on
the contrary these high charges made by
the agents of transportation and the m. ddle men.
The farmer who furnishes the raw material to
feed and clothe the nation receives only 20 per
cent of the p ice pad by the consumer,
the transportation companies and tae middle men
receive the other 10 per cent You, my fellow
Democrats know this to be so; and If so, why
ale we undertaking TO pass measure wh!cA VI
.rUn C.. farming people of whole sec O.
our country?
As G mpromise, | endeavored to have the
rice schedules amended as TO make the re-
duction on the present duty 20 per cent instead
of 80 per cent as provided for in this BILL but
YOU my fellow Democrats, would not listen 10
any such suggestion and today in face OF the
fact that hail from state that is always found
in the Democratic column, | find myself placed
I'm tEa awkward position OF having, In obedience
10 the overwhelming sentiment of the Democrats
Of my district to announce that VIII nave 10
vote against this Underwood bill If it stays in
its present shape.