The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1916-11-04
AN OPEN LETTER
TO THE VOTERS
OF the Third Congressional
District of Louisiana.
TO THE VOTERS OF THE THIRD
CONGR ESSIONkL DISTRICT

| CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Next Tuesday the voters of tn
United states will again be callet
upon to choose President, as Che
Executive officer of the Nation, for tn
next four ensueing years.
This practice and experience ~
test of our capacity for self govern
ment and an exercise of public powe
which places the responsibility ant
the success of the administration o
our national affairs upon the shoulder
of the people.
A reasonable knowledge of and ia
miliarity with the history of the
| United States, it's economic conditions
tia aims and ideals, It's place and posi-
tion IN the international councils ot
the civilized world, will facilitate the
selection of properly qualified exec
utive and a fiscal policy in accord
with every interest aud activity that
enters into the development and
progress of the Nation.
Next to the President, or at eome
critical economic period, as important
IA the Presidency, IL the district rep
resentstive In the halls of Congress
Your Congressman should be the re.
Election of the sentiment and needs of
the constituency which he represents
at Washington. Great care should be
taken that the party that espouses his
political ambitions is the party res
ponsive to the necessities of the agri-
cultural, industrial and business life
OF the Congressional district. Close
scrutiny should be made, not of the
profession of the candidate or the or
ganization behind him, but of the rec
ord and history of the party which
claims his fealty and allegiance
Party platforms. and the contribution
of party leaders TO partisan legisIa
ton and the exploitation of untried,
revolutionary party doctrines, should
govern the voter in his choice of con.
gresham.
A free-trade platform historically
linked with the Democratic party, sy-
nonimous with ruin and stagnation,
at present dominating legislation at
the Capitol. and the National CONNER.
ciat life of the United States should be
a strong incentive IN this District to
support Judge Whit p. Martin, of
Thibodeaux and the Progressive
electors.
Unlike his Democratic opponent,
by National party pledged
to business-like, ruinous social re.
forms. and unlike the personal vaga-
ries and political heresies enunciated |
by him in printed letters and speeches |
and embodied In the campaign pro-
gram, Whip P. Martin, Progressive
for Congress. stands. as he
always proclaimed he stood, with that |
loyal principle Of protection of Ameri-
can industries, American labor, |
standard Of life, which has
always secured and maintained our
happiness and progress,
the history of Louisiana has written
into Ito proudest records.
The existence of the Progressive |
party 10 the expression of an indig- /
nant protest by the farmers of this
District against a ruthless attempt of
The Democratic President to slaugh.
ter the sugar industry with free su-
gar provision in his accepted demo-
cratic tariff policy. II is the crystalli-
sation of this organized instruction
Of our people against the betrayal, the
of Democratic President
and the calamity of Democratic
.ariff.
The year 1913 will always appear as
BUR black Friday. In that Hateful
rear, after the passage of the demo.
ratio tariff measure, the integrity,
he value, the usefulness of every SUI
gar estate and the collateral indus
ries stood not only tottering on the
rink of the abyss of bankruptcy, but
m the verge of actual collapse. We
eceived, not only no distant sympa-
nv. no benevolent encouragement
nut the cold arrogance, the naughty
isdain of a hostile triumphant, male.
client democracy. The Democratic Z
arty of the Third Congressional Dis.
riot has nothing to offer to offset the
ntsgonism embodied In the national
latform and the expressed attitude OF Z
ostility of the influential democratic
.aders of the House of Congress and z
ne United States Senate, 2
Democracy 10 the United States de- Z
lands the annihilation of the sugar z
ldustry, the destruction of our agri-
ilture, the impoverishment of the 4
ouisiana sugar planters.
Even at the expense of the repudia-
on and convenient Interpretation of
le sugar clause, written and incorpo. G
ted into the democratic platform ut a
altimore by United States Senator g
ebert +. Broussard, to obtain the it
,mplete vindication of the doctrine n
free-trade and justification of To
lse economic position, President Sc
tls0n was and 10 still willing to bear u
e stigma OF treacherv, or stultifica. Ia
On. al
The declaration Of the Democratic g
lrty of the Third Congressional Dis. x
let In favor of sugar production ia g
erely a confession of impotency, q "
cal recalcitrancy awaiting its con- 81 ..
gn punishment. C
As long AZ the Republican party or 4,
mated and moulded the tariff opini. W
OF the industrial nation and trans Of
ted IL into an active, successful, liv. a.
<, fiscal policy, the Democratic rep in
esentative Of this District was safe n,
voting for Republican tariff and a,
election. What could Democratic to
representing State NJ
oils system in most aggravated form, n,
under such handicaps? Is W.
9 present candidate, backed by the 70
~ Orleans ring and Its camp follow
:, equipped both by experience and 'e
ility to reverse the crushing wheels OF