Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1913-06-20
shreveport Journal.)

The two Louisiana senators, and es-
pecially Mr.. Ransdell, are getting great
deal of undesirable notoriety as a result
of their efforts to retain the tariff on
sugar. And the criticisms are not wholly
from abroad-their home papers are in
dulging in the same sort of thing. Two
instances haYe recently come to our no.
tice. Says the st. Louis Post Dispatch,
under the caption: ''The Candy Kids OF
the U. s. Senate"
In the United States Senate there is a
nominal democratic majority of six, but
the two well-sweetened representatives OF
Louisiana who wear the democratic label,
Dutch standard, do not count. Nobody
depends upon them. They are the Candy
Kids Of Politics who gain their election
as democrats and then vote the republic
can confectionery and bonbon ticket.
They are the gum drops of our political
life. Their party promises crumble like
fudge. Their response to political plat
forms is slow as molasses
They profess to be democrats upon
every issue except that of taxed sugar,
but being in favor of taxed sugar, they
are ready to tax everything else, If by
so doing they can gain their end. Like
all other high takers, they are log rollers
and traders.
Louisiana, however, is great state in
which the little group of sugar planters
Tor many years have smeared various re-
publican congresses with their tafiy, but
do not by any means control the people
of the commonwealth. Now that the
United States Senators are to be chosen
by popular vote the chances are that fu
ture representatives of the democratic
state will be so free from sugar that ne
monopoly tariff flies will ever stick TO then
The Missouri contemporary pairs thu
Louisiana Senators in its criticism, but
here's one regarding the course of Sena
Ransdell, taken from one of the paper
in his old congressional district, the Ten
sas Gazette:
1t was TO be expected that vigorou
fight would be made to retain tariff oil
sugar and other southern products
Louislana's senators and representative
were committed to this policy. Befor
the committee, in the party caucus, thi
fight was legitimate, but to carry it ;
the floor, to obstruct and retard and dis
credit all other measures as means {
an end, to make a rentless fight on dem
ocratic policies, on the democratic party
even to the extent of personal attac
on the democratic president, with tn
sole purpose of accomplishing an undem
ocratic measure, and this regardless {
all other consideration; was not do
manded Of senators and representative
chosen in a democratic primary an
elected by democratic voters, and such
course cannot be defended from a demo
cratic standpoint.
In the forefront of this fight, its mo-
prominent figure, most unrelenting, mo
resourceful, and, consequently most Ut
democratic stands our newly elected SCI
ator, Hon. Jos. +. Ransdell.
This paper has long been the champiC
E. of Mr.. Ransdell's political aspiration
the first TO indorse his candicy, the fir
to suggest his promotion, and the me
persistent in promoting his ambition
The Gazette knew and appreciated NJ
RansdelPs ability, his preparation al
\ his untiring application, and believ
i him to be a democTat-sfnust we nc
apologize TO those who differ? Has M
Ransdell forgotten that he represents Il
entire state OF Louisiana, not merely Il
sugar parishes; that north Louisian
with its loyal support, has made his p
htical prominence possibility? Do
he believe that his constituents in nor
Louisiana approve and indorse his rece
policy? Has he forgotten the Difficult
with which he explained his vote in fav
OF the tariff on lumber, and how nc
can he answer the criticism that his I
cent course will most certainly beget.
The people OF north Louisiana undout
ly feel, with the people of Mr. Ransdel
own Immediate section, that he has GO
too far in carrying his opposition to
democratic measure beyond the dem
cratic caucus-that he has over stepp
the line and that it is time for him
stop and consider the feelings of his co
stituents in this section of the state, whe
he had an especially large following
his race for the senate last year. tt
newspaper has felt all along that it W
wrong TO discriminate against sugar al
wool-that it was unfair to put the
articles on the free list while tariff W
maintained upon others, but when t
party policy has been determined in ca
cus-then, as democrat, it is the du
of every man taking part in that cauc
to abide by its decision. The fight shou
be carried no further. The first princiT
and the most important, of democrat
is the principle'of majority rule. In
fusing to be bound by the party cauc
and by the democratic doctrine, Senat
Ransdell has gone too far, undoubtedl
and, as the Tensas Gazette suggests,
will have hard time explaining his 8
ton to his constituents.