St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1914-04-11
Defends Louisiana Delegation.

To the Editor of the Item: I have reac
your editorial in your paper of this day. in
which you address the President and the
people. You suggest no remedy. You
charge that our Representatives are ineffi.
cient and that our people have slept upon
their arms
In so far as our Representatives are
concerned, they are doing the best they can
under the circumstances. Observe the
situation in which they find themselves.
Our people desired a duty on sugar. The
president and the nation desired Free
Sugar" This fight placed our two Senators
and several of our Representatives in oppo.
sition to the leader of their party. The
president desired the repeal Of free tolls.
Again our people principally those in New
Orleans) opposed this. The result is, one
Senator goes over to the President; the other
opposes him. Four Representatives line up
with him-four oppose his policy. This
division neutralizes on strength. Indeed, it
is so potent as to destroy our vote; four
vote for repeal, four against, this wiped
Louisiana from the roll call of the House.
But these facts do notdenote ineficiency.
They simply instance that man is a creature
of environment, and that most men in pub
lie life are selfish enough to look after their
material interests. This condition of af-
fairs has existed from the days of Julius
Caesar up to the present moment. Men in
high places desire to retain their hold upon
the Office they occupy; to do this, they al
most always follow in the wake of their con-
stituents. Here in Louisiana we have now,
and have had an impossible gulf which ex-
lists and has endured for years past. Sugar
has been the stream that divided North Lou
isiana from South Louisiana. This industry
has dominated and sought to dominate the
politics of the state for years past. No
Senator has been elected from the state as
far back as I ear recollect, unless he first
|swore allegiance to King Sugar. It defeat
ed Blanchard's nomination for this Office.
Maintained Senator McEnery in Office until
death, and only accepted Senator Thornton
after he had pledged himself to support it.
1t drove Broussard from out his
party into the Republican column. It has
rewarded him by sending him to the Senate.
But it destroyed his usefulness with the
leaders of his party. It has done this, and
more besides. It lined up a portion Of our
delegation against the Democratic tariff
bill-and in this way, placed its followers in
antagonism to the President. This latter is
h~uman--has hopes, aspirations the same as
you and [. He has policies to frame into
laws and he must of necessity stand by those
who assist him.
believe our representatives are doing
the best they know how. The impossible
gulf now dividing them, which has existed
for years past, creates a division in their
ranks, destroying their usefulness. This
does not denote inefhfiiciency. It
only emphizes the impossible gulf which we
have never been able to bridge.
South Louisiana has stood for protection
to sugar, lumber and rice. North Louisiana
Tor the reverse. The Representatives from
South Louisiana vote against the democratic
bill. Those from North Louisiana
yote for it. Both vote their convictions
induced so to do by the voices of their
respective constituents.
South Louisiana desires the maintain
nee of free tolls; North Louisiana opposes
his. President Wilson with pie on his
counter ~dispenses this to those who agree
With him. This is fair. The Representa-
i've who opposes the Presidents views, can
lot approach the official counter; those who
gree may, and partake in its distribution.
All Of this has been written in defence
{ our Representatives. The delegation is
ow and has often divided so as to destroy
IS usefulness, but this does not denote
Angels could do no more than
hey have done in following the wishes of a
ivided constituency.
We divide upon every proposition and in
MS way destroy our usefulness. The
representatives are not to blame, the people
re. If you will carefully consider our past
istory (of which you know little). our
resent state, concerning which you know
you viii revise your opinion as to-
lr Representatives and not charge them
18th ineficiency as you have done, but level
our guns at the people whom they represent
,1ys nnnnlo aIuy.x,c J;rY;Jod oob;ar,o ran