St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-08-01

What is it all about some one may
inquire. and the inquiry would excite
no surprise, as only the most careful
reader and most painStaking investiga
tor could satisfactorily answer the
question The fact is that the order
originated ut the west Il secret society.
with certain avOwcd objects, has grad
uallv extended itself eastward. chang
ing its platform. SO to speak, as il NOV
ed, until it has found a local hahitation
and name in nearly. if not quite, every
agricultural state of the north. The
object and purpose of the organization
was declared. by its founders, to he the
protection of the farmers from 1.-The cx-
tortiOnatc cXactionS of railroad mouop-
olies." \ worthy object. to he sure.
but Just how 1t was to he accomplished
We were not told. In one state. Iowa.
it cndeavored to make its influence felt g.
and thereby work out its end. 10y con
trailing local and state politics. TO
this end, it ''cXtendcd its arcar" by
throwing open its doors to every one.
no matter what might he his trade. oc-
cupation or profession. This was right
and proper. because all consumers and
producers. suffered alike. and were
alike interested in obtaining remedy,
but. i'll this instance. was not eXpedient.
The order was ut once captured 10y pol
iticians, and their slate was carried ont
in nominations. The candidates Sc
lected 10y the honest farmers were
quietly Ehelvcd. and other modes of re-
lief must he sought.
In Illinois. they had the same profess
I nI nl,Ia,t lint hare nnlItI.1l trick
cry was too much for honesty of pIr-
pose 1t suited the purpose of the
Schemcrs and dcmagogucs to make an
attack upon the purity of the fountains
of Justice and the integrity and honesty
of its administration. The intelligent
farmer. as well as the intelligent trades
man or lawyer, knew that the welfare
of society and the safety of individuals
were dependent upon Il proper respect
for organic laws. They knew that if il
became necessary to change that law
i'll order to form Il more perfect union
establish Justice or promote the general
welfare. il rested with them to make
the change. The power is with the
/ farmer. alone. if he chouses to cXercis,
it, lie knows. however, as we al
| know. that his interests are our inter.
eSts and Our interests his. There was
no necessity for change of constitu-
tiOnal law to meet the difficulty. the
remedy was complete and ample with.
out. After their first disappointment
over Il proper decision of their court OF
last resort, they We're disposed to ac.
knowledge its justice and legality, anC
conduct their organization so that :
much needed remedy might be obtained
in Il legitimate way, but the wire pull
ers We're too much for them, or, rather
they stole the farmers livery with which
to work out their own ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The result was, that in the judicia
election, an hOnored, learned and up
right judge was superseded by a secOn,
rate lawyer and demagogue, who sale,
into office under false cOlOrs, he being ;
tool of the very monopoly which tn,
farmers were opposing. This wa
brought about by the disgust of tn,
honest men, who, seeing that they hat
been sold out, refrained, in large mum
beers, from voting, instead of following
the example of others who heartily sup
ported and voted for the defeated can
didate. In Minnesota, although the,
had their oranges the farmers seen
to have acted independently of them
asserted their power in their own party
as they can do in any and every state
smashed the slate of the monOpolist
and nominated a clean ticket for Gov
ernOr and other state officers, so far a
any ring or other improper influence
can control the candidates.
There seems to he fascination abOu
secret societies, and so the organization
spread. As it came eastward, however
its object and purpose, as we have said
appear to have been changed. 1T
planting and growth in Vermont wa
: entirely disconnected with any real o
supposed grievances on account of al
legged eXtOrtions from railroad monopO
lies. There was reason why it shout,
he so disconnected. With the excep
ton of a very short line of railroad
managed from outside of the state, w
: doubt if Vermont railroads have eve
been, in any true sense of the word, mo
nopolies, and we do not believe that ;
: fair minded man can he found who vii
say that he ever suffered or expects t,
suffer from their ''exaction" or ''extor