The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1865-12-30
Farmers. Convention.

E0rmCFS7 1OEVehlIOHs
Farmers conventions are at present the
fashion all over the Northwest, and we see
no reason against holding one at Ottawa.
Let the matter be started in The right way,
and = convention of the farmers and pro.
dueers of La Sale county could be assembled
at Ottawa, not only imposing in numbers,
but whose proceedings could be so shaped as
TO have telling influence. The producers
OF the Northwest are at present groaning
under many grievous burdens. These bur-
de.s are such rs judicious legislation can at
least partially remove. What on. legislators
need is to be plainly and distinctly told what
We want them to do, and in a way to show
them that their constituents are in earnest
about it. The, clearest indication of such
earnestness is the number, size and tone of
these meetings.
The meetings hitherto held, so far as We
have noted their proceedings, have INDUCED
in denunciatiOns of enormous railroad
freights and warehouse charges, and giving
strong expressions III favor of charging the
present and opening new lines of communi.
cation. to the east. These, undoubtedly.
touch the marrow OF the matter, but we fail
to see in them anything to meet our more
immediate and pressing wants.
Denunciation Of exorbitant railroad
charges will not reduce them. Railroads,
like all other business institutions, regulate
their prices by the law of supply and de
mand When their ireights are below their
capacity, they can increase their receipts bv
reducing their charges and augmenting the
supply of freight. When this supply is above
their capacity, as it unfortunately is at pres
ent on SO many roads, they reduce its bulk
by raising their charges. The same is the
case with warehousemen. Occasionally, it
is true, by combination. prices can be kept
up for a short time above Legitimate rates.
but in the end the monopolists are nearly
always the losers.
In reference to opening new routes OF
transportation TO the east, the fault with too
many of the meetings lately held is, that they
pronounce in favor of too many projects.
The most important should be selected first,
and all efforts concentrated on that The
convention at Morris resolved simply in
favor of the project of ship canal around
Niagara Falls. If that is deemed the inn
provement which will go farthest towards
relieving the great want of the West for
cheap transportation to the East, let US con-
centrate upon that, and agitate-agitate for
that alone, until We get it.
But it will take three years, at least, to
build such a canal, and with corn at % cts.
bushel in that time, not only half the farm
ers, but half the business men Of the West
will be ruined. Up to this time, most of our
farmers, who enjoyed prosperous season in
go, '63 and part Of ga, have been living on
surplus earnings of thai season. But the
surplus is exhausted, and the prospect ahead
is in the highest degree gloomy. Any of our
merchants can tell you how our farmers are
situated. They cannot afford to haul in corn
al present prices, and hundreds who we're
supposed to have plenty Of money, are beg
ging Of the merchants credit-credit, until
spring. They need many things now-wool-
len and cotton domestics for clothi.ag, boot5,
shoes, and groceries. Were the prices of
these reduced to honest rates. many of our
farmers would be materially relieved at once.
Good. substantial cashmere cloths at dollar
yard, and shifting at 100; l5c., would ena-
bic many 4 farmer TO get through the winter
comfortably with corn at IS cts bushel
Now the way to get this is to repeal the tariff
SO As to let i'll foreign goods. We only throw
cut the hint. But we are satisfied, if our
intelligent farmers nill give the subject their
thoughts, they will find that the present viii
iainous tariff, more than excessive freight
and warehouse charges, are at the bottom of
two>thirds of the evils that Cypress them.
Let us have the county meeting and talk
this r1sttcr over.
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