The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1913-06-21
JUDGE LAWRAsoN PROTESTS.
The True Democrat:

reflect very seriously on Messrs Cod
ehaux and Dickinson, land other rep
resentatives of the sugar planters, %
charging them with an attempt to i'm
properly influence tariff legislation by
calling on the Secretaries of AgriCul-
ture and Labor, and consulting with
them as to what can best be substitute
ed for the cultivation of sugar in their
section Of the State, and as to the en-
ployment of labor when free sugar
goes into effect AS the gentlemen
named are friends-my relations with
Mr.. Dickinson being particularly close
Il cannot refrain requesting that you
publish a disclaimer from me of the
evil intentions you ascribe to them.
Their visit to the Secretaries was nat
ural under the circumstances, and was
not intended for effect as an influence
on tariff legislation. The fact that the
newsgathers gave publicity to the Incl
dent does not alter the situation
When the principal industry of this
parish was put out of business, and
our labor scattered, by the advent of
the boil weeVil, no one imputed SIMS
ter motives, or want of faith in Lou
isiana's resources, to the many who
sought the advice of the Governments
agricultural bureau, and of it's demon
strators
Why should the sugar planter not
have the same right without being
charged with bad faith?
The want of sympathy shown by
some of our people of North Louisiana
and of our neighboring States, to-
wards their brethren of South Louisi-
ana when the business of their lives
is about to be wiped out, with the
great losses, in many cases the ruin
that must follow the depreciation of
values in a section of the country built
up on the sugar industry, passes my
comprehension.
cannot take up your space with a
lengthy communication to demonstrate
it, but does anyone for moment i'm
agine that great industry employing
an army of people, and in which large
capital is invested, can be destroyed
without affecting the balance of the
State. We are one family, and loss
cannot come to one member without
affecting all. l doubt if there is sec
ton of the State, however small, that
does not, more or less directly, bene-
fit from the cultivation of sugar in
South Louisiana.
1t may be that some think the sugar
planters exaggerate the situation. Be-
fore the boil weevil came we thought
the situation exaggerated-w found
out better. And we will find that the
planters are right The chairman of
the Ways and Means Committee, him
self, is reported to have admitted on
the floor of the House that the effect
OF the change in the sugar tariff would
probably destroy the sugar industry in
Louisiana.
We are all believers in tariff for
revenue, with its consequent inciden-
tai protection, but it will never be fair
ly adjusted where the weak are at the
mercy of the strong-as in Congress.
The only chance for the South is in
tariff commission, which can report
a bill based on scientific economic Drin-
clples-a fair bill, Science knows no
South, no North, or East or West, and
plays no favorites-but Congress does.
The highly protective tariff which since
the civil war has built up the East I'M
til now its vast wealth makes it indie
pendent of the old tariff rates. has
been gradually reduced as that same
East could stand it, and each time Just
as the South was about to get home
some benefit from it. Now again the
strong East, with the large vote, under
this new tariff bill, gets the incidental
protection, and it is the free list for
the South.
A revision of the tariff was no doubt
necessary. But when it came to sacri-
ficing some interests-it was the old
story.
There were two shipwrecked sailors.
and boy, in an open boat on the At.
lantic ocean, once, and when their suf-
ferings from hunger and thirst were
no longer endurable-the weakest was
sacrificed.
S. Nee. LAWRAsON.
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