The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1866-02-24

/ Is''s" A.r'' {
The Farmers Mass Convcnizon
\ at Ottawa. - -.
I Tie adjourned meeting of The Farmers OF
La Sale and adjoining counties at Ottawa
on Tuesday was well attended, both BY pro-
fessionaf men and leading farmers OF La
Sale, Grundy, Kendall. and other counties
The proceedings were deeply interesting
throughout, aud the discussions much mora
\ than ordinarily able. Our only regret is that
our limited space preclldes the possibility of
giving, las we were able to do at the former
meeting.) a report Of the substance of the
speeches. The speakers were such men as
Col. I. l.. Diekev, Judge Champlin, John
Hise, Gen. Birney, W. Perkins, Judge Allen
of Henry Co, Capt. Cogswell, A. Campbell.
1c..-men who would occupy prominent
place in any deliberative body. We have
notes of some Of The speeches, and Gay pub
l.sh them hereafter ,-- e-a.
The resolutions adopted by the meeting.
though somewhat voluminous, were prepared
with great care, and undoubtedly express
the sentiments. with trifing exception, Of the
people OF the Northwest. They embody an
earnest protest against the expressions and
exorbitant charges of railroad monopolists,
and against the villainous warehouse and
shipping system at Chicago; they express
plainly and pointedly the opinion OF the
farmers Of the Chicago Board of Trade !;
they denounce TIE present unjust tariff, by
which the West is robbed to enrich New
EuSlan and they favor such an improves
ment of the navigation Of the ST. Lawrenc
river, and such reciprocity regulations with
Canada, as shall tend 10 give the West new
and rival r-utes OF transportation to tide
water. And, in reference to improvements
III our own state, such as the navigation of
! the Illinois. Fox and Rock rivers, they em>
body the idea, that whenever the people on
these, or any like streams, are willing to
bear large proportion Of the expense of
making such Improvements, the State should
extend TO them liberal Pecuniary aid
The following is the text of the resolutions
them in body, and ia the order in which
they were reported by the committee, though
they were taken up and adopted one 1T !;
time, and in that way their order censdera.
bly, changed: tA1
itesotCc9, hat frst>class facilities for trav
FL, transportation aud trade for the people of
a republic like ours are as essential to it's
prosperity as is the circulation of the blood
to the health, yigor and longevity of the
human system.
Resoiced, That the improvement of the
Limos river by means of dams and locks to
a capacity suited to hrss>ciass vessels, is
feasible and practicable. and would give us
a cheap outlet to the markets of the world. |
and unless the general government will make
the same. we are IN favor of the construction |
OF the work by the State of Hines, without |
delay, as We believe its revenues woull anDly |
reward the investment .... -,
ReSoired. That we favor the Improvement
of the Mississippi River and Rock River, by !
means OF dams and locks, and the cons.ruc, |
tioh ot canal connecting the Rock River /
navigation With that OF the Illinois River and |
the Illinois and Michigan canal; and we be- t
lieve the State should encourage said works. |
and graft facilities for their accomplish-
mcnt.
Resotced. That the great northern lakes,
flowing down the St. Lawrence 10 the ocean.
offer US an outlet for our prpd;:cts to those
parts Of The world where they command the
best price, and that the improvement of this
great natural highway would greatly cheape,
'i'@-i.--.'s's OF vuT Prai0e. 80 narKet: and
tnat congress and the President should AT
once take eihcieht measures to bring about
the result, and leave its use TO the producer,
9s the Northeast; and the recent abr;Int
termination of negotiation between the Ca.
nadian de!eg ition and the Committee of
ways and Means touching reciprocity Of
trade and transit IS cause Of d;sfrns. and
hIssatis!: ction-e specially so if, as is stated.
Inc Canadian Representatives offered to
guarantee the enlargement of their canal 70
tha capacity required fer iirst,class vessels
On the lakes ana the St. Lawrence. and the
ifee navigation or the same upon the mere ,
condition that we should not restrain bv lea>
iS!asion lie commerce Q! the West from seek
inG that channel.
!fs'slrea, That while all legislation ought +.
u ne iOr Inc good OF the many. we are forced 8
% recognise and depore the fact, tha, from
| course of liberal legislation in rran,;ng
,harters for public improvements aud enter,
Uses supposed to be IN the interest of the a
'ueic 1t has come TO pass that The few are
n rahy cases enriched to the prejudice.
oppression and poverty of the many: tina: we
u" iorced to regard the present rates for
aver am transportation on railroads runs =
ing westward from Chicago as exorb:tant l
ina oppressive; that the present arrange )
nent, which allows the shipper from the west o
10 choice as to the place OF delivery of his S
'Toince in Chicago, is unjust and wrong: Ia
nd that, IN the ladymen. of this convention.
he expense and difficulty of getting produce y
Foia The west to aad through Chicago wlth>
NJ improper loss are unnecessarily onerous.
We, therefore, hereby declare our determ,na,
on to vote hereafter for such Legislators.
nj Tor such only, as give assurance that J.
ney VIII curb, By legislation. all corpora> :,
ons into fair and reasonable rules and II
Factices in all their transactions with the Ia
lhlic. .sss1T II,
Reso'-ed, That corporations are regarded
I law rs artificial persons. but have no d
igher qualities or more sacred rights than / u
,tionai persons; and while they should. tc
X" r.ti9nai persons, be protected in their B
Rhts Do the law. they. ut th" same time. -
he RATIONAL persons, must be subject to the
W, and may like rational persons, be re-
faiEed ~ Law from cxtortion I'd wrong.
Is asia, IN all civilized countries. to be
'nPeten, for the law making power TO fix -,
Iaximum rate Of interes, on loaned money, %
maximum rate Of terr'age. and maximum &C
lie OF toll for grinding breadstutfs. and this n
pom the principle that ext2riion, where one CO
lrt7 mas The advantage of the other. may q
e prohibited by statute. Upon this princi-
lie we assert the right of the public TO have Or
aX.num rates of travel and transportation 81.
= RAILWAYS fixed by legislation and the Ike
resent arbitrary iscrimination between -,
herent points on the same line prohibited. =
Resofred. That we cannot concur with the ca
Gard OF Trade OF Chicago in their conclu- IS
ons-th"t the prodaeer, have not suffered