The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-12-27
THE DECATUR CONVENTION.

FREE TRADER as full an account as our limits
Ipermi, Of the proceedings of the Farmers
= Convention last week at Decatur. The mum
Der of delegates in attendance during part
of the session is said to have been nearly 600
while the regular attendance was some 400
Yet considering the size of the body and the
Heterogeneous material of which it was made
UP, it was one of the most quiet, orderly, well
conducted, harmonious bodies OF the kind
that ever met. Every thing was done
decently and in order. Resolutions without
number were presented and speeches made
and essays read, advocating the most conflict.
ing schemes and doctrines, and promulgating
ideas from sound and sensible to the most
absurd and ridiculous; yet ali were heard
with The same calm, thoughtful patience,
evinoing the deep earnestness of the body,
and thcir only purpose to get at the truth.
And the resolutions finally adopted attest
the aggregate sound, solid good sense of the
body They afford indeed a marvellous proof
of the practical Intelligence of our people and
the readiness with which, out of seemingly
chaotic confusion, they can eliminate the
true and valuable. Never was new party
in the first stages of its Formation so utterly at
loose ends as this anti-monopoly party The
mass of them felt and knew that there was a
great wrong somewhere: that from some
cause monopoly had got the upper hand of
them and was eating out their Substance; that
both the political parties IN some way were
cagued in with the blGodsucl<ing monopeljsts
and corruptionists and yet where to strike,
and how to compass the overthrow or
amelioratiOn of these evils, was u problem
few dared 10 tackle, Yet after less than Il
years desultory discussion, during which
hudreds of the most visionary and senseless
schemes and projects have been presented,
discussed and cast aside, body of men I'M
skilled in debate or the arts OF parliamentary
quietly meet and with sober,
dignified deliberation proceed to construct a
platform which is both Il model for lis general
soundncss q principle and the tersensss and
admirable cogexcy of its language, That
platform will be found on our secdld page.
While i; is such sn one as neither of the olheri
political parties will be inclinea to adopt for
1t is get one in which they will
find few points to assail. That platform
starts out with & distinct affirmation Of the
fact that the movement is political, and that
il can not 5e ENTRUSTED 10 either Of the old
political parties Then We have Succnct
of the doctrines Of the new
,rrtv. q denunciation of the salary grab; q |
Remand fs, the reduction Of salaries of public .
,fiicefs with q declaration that high salaries
.r~ contrary 70 Ike genius OF oCr institutions l
demand FOR Il reform of the administrative
ervicc ard royUdiation ofthe doctrine that
TO the yictors kelong the sp0ls,7 the i'm
rUvcment of uasgral wcter courses sf Irrational
ID Por;anoe is fsI ored, but no government job .
ing schemes o great canals and railroads /
distinct declaration Of hostility 1e q protect |
re tariff; also q the subsidy mode III robbing
Il favor u a rzSeal OF the national bank /
with blind hints at some currency
cheme, asd in favor of a rcvisiS1 Of the
atent Laws; me practice OF violating the
which provides fOT biennial
easions Of Tire state legislature, by holding
Ktra sessions is condo mned; and reduction
{ puolc expenditures is demanded
This, in anutshell is the platform Except
ssuint in favor d som ncusensical currency
rpansion scheme in the 9th resolution
which must have been so adroitly snuggled ,
as MOTTO have been perceived the platform t
thoroughly splnd ensible and reforms- q
ry. In short the convention has struck out l
the true direction, and if the road is fol =
wed with diligent determination, cannot c
ii 10 lead TO the goal all 80 earnestly desire t
rsach in relief from the expressions Of $
onopoly.