The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-04-21
Troubles of the
Louisiana Delegation

New Orleans and the Louisiana del
egation are always in trouble. When
republican administration is in pow
er, the delegation has no influence be-
cause 1T is. in name at least, demo-
cratic. When a democratic admins
tration il in power. the delegation
loses out because it refuses to sup
port democratic policies.
The New Orleans States discusses
the subject and tells some very plain
facts in connection Herewith, a part
OF which we reproduce as follows:
1t is unfortunately a fact that the
Louisiana delegation is the least in
fluential of any which goes up from
the south. This is not due to any in
feriority of ability or lack of effi-
cheney among its members, who. in
divfdually and collectively, measure
well up to the average of either
house. The reason is to be found in
egation, destroy it's teamwork and
make it the object of the distrust of
both national parties.
North louisiana. has steadfastly adj
hered to the party policy on thu tariff.
But In South Louisiana the dGaM@E7d
for the protection of sugar and @her
industries has made it impossible for
any man from this section to do so
and hold his seat in Washington.
Senator McEnery isolated himself
from his party in the senate to serve
the sugar. rice and lumber interests.
Senator Blanchard lost his seat be-
cause he failed to do SO. When Sen
ator Thornton was candidate he
was threatened with defeat until he
promised to vote against the party pol
icy. Senator Ransdell could not nave
been elected if he had not made a
similar pledge.
The result has been that for years
the Louisiana delegation has been
and we have on the one hand the
taunts of republicans for falling to
send republicans to ask favors of re-
publican administrations and on the
other the contempt of democrats for
our apparent willingness to subordi-
nate our party principles to our sell
fish interests.
The question OF canal tolls furnishes
an apt illustration OF the conflict in
home thought with which the Louis
lana delegation is confronted. Here is
a case in which the head of the ma
ton. of the same political faith as the
Louisiana delegation, makes an earn
est appeal to the members of
his own party to join him in
an effort to keep the national
But because part of one-haf of the
state feels that to do SO may injure
it's pocketbook. the Louisiana delega-
ton divides exactly in two-5 to q
completely neutraliZes it's strength
and furnishes one-third of the total
Southern vote. Is, which is cast
against the presidents appeal
Is il any wonder that Louisiana is
SO often left out in the cold when the
pie Is distributed? Is 1t any won
der that her delegation finds itself
hopelessly handicapped in fighting for
her interests when it is thus so fire.
auently compelled to pull apart when
it ought to be pulling together?
And there you are. The truth is that
a large part OF Louisiana is democratic
in name only. When 1t comes to prin-
ciple, great majority OF the lower
Louisiana democrats are really repub-
licans. What they ought to do 81 to
either be democrats in fact as well as
I'm name or express their real convic-
tions by voting the republican ticket.
As the matter stands now, the term
Louisiana democrat has come to be
a byword and a reproach among hon.
est men OF all parties.