The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-03-29
:. noN,T, YOU'LL HURT THE PARTY y


That shining tallow-dip of political ccono
my, the editor of the Ottawa R,pRjltcoh per,
sists in his absurd charge that the FREE IRA
DER is unfriendly to the cause OF the agrlcuI'
.urlists in their warfare against the new NIay'
cry of statutory monopoly, because we nave
insisted that there are other mon0poIics that
are grinding the farmers rs heavily as INC
railroads. and that they ought to be included
in the fight The editor Of the RpuJltco0, on
the other hand, would have the farmers waste
their force in fighting a single outlying
Ipiquct of the great predatory army OF monop-
olsts, lest, by offering battle to the main army,
they may do something tAat will huf tie Re
DyLlicda party! For the Ottawa Rtpub!tcaR
10 countcnancc any movement that. might
hurt the republican party is of courseaut Of the
question That would endanger OIlcns
chances Of ever getting the Ottawa poStDfcc,
10 saw nothing of the many other great and
good radical leaders that might fail Of being
elected congressman, representatives, shcrifts,
constables and poundmasters, through sach
an indescretion,
While however, the Ottawa Rcpotlto4
with its professions Of extraordinary zeai for
| the cause of the agrculturists labors 50 earn
estly (for the good of the radical party to con.
fine their objects within so narrow compass,
the farmers themselves evidently look upon
him as a "dcccivin' cuss," for they pay no at
tcntion whatever to his advice, and walk over
the fence within which he would continc them.
as if it was mere chalk line.
We called attention last week to the rcsolu-
ton of the great farmers meeting at Rock
Island, in which a just appreciation of The
situation was shown by the unanimous adop
ton Of resolution asking their Senators and
REPRESENTATIVES in congress to use all hOnOra-
bic means to secure repeal Of the duties on
lumber, salt, pig,iroh, steel rails, &c. The
great farmers mass meeting at Princeton last
week unanimously adopted the same resolu-
ton. Although Bureau county is very hot
bed of radicsism, both the resolutions and
speeches at the meeting in question cvinced a
most reckless Indifference to the welfare of
the great republican party" An immense
meeting of farmers al Earlville, in this county
last week, also wholly secuted the timid
wshy-washy, donothng- for.fcaryou-will
hurt.the-pnrty advice of the Ottawa RepuJtt
can, and manfuly resolved That we insist
that the duty on iron, Steel leather, lumber
woolens, tin, railroad rails, plush velvet, and
all material used in building railroads. en-
gincs, cars, and steamships, ought to be at
once repealed; that the interests of the labor
ers and artisans Of Pennsylvania and New
England, as well as the farmers of the west
require absolute free trade in these materials;
that il is quite as essential that such materials
shall be imported free of duty as that rail
roads should obey the laws; that free trade
would enable the railroads to make Il tariff Of
prices conformable to law"
And over in Livingston county, the other
day, mass meeting Of three thousand farm
ers took the same bold ground against the
tariff monopolists, and dealt a still further
dig at most tender spot of the great and
good republican party by denouncing the
Credit Mobilier pirates and the great salary
steal
The fact is, that maugrc the lugubrious fore
bodings and earnest counsels Of the Ottawa
Republicans, to "kecp out of politics" the
farmers don't seem to care a fig whether
school keeps or not" 50 far as the great rad
ica party is concerned, but are rushing rigot
on and making this thoroughly political
fight If the farmers expect relief through
the political (or executive, legislative and jul
diciaD powers Of the country, they seem to
have sense enough to see that they must be-
come politicians and do their work in politi-
clans ways. Not only must they be thorough
politicians, but politicians of the most rallicai
kind, striking at the root of the great and
widespread political disease that is weighing
them down Their motto is, Down with all
political legislation, miscallrd Projection,
and up with Independence Commercial
Freedom and an open Market Of the World"