The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-08-25
Five Thousand Iroquois Co.
ILL.,, Farmers meet at
Gilman.
Address by s. N. Smith---He Would
Level the Farmer Up, not Level
Others Down.
Outspoken Resolutions Adopted
Protective Tariffs the Sum
of all Villany.
President Grants Unparalleled Exhibition Of
Morbid Avariee,


Club, assembled in vast numbers in this .
place to-day. Large delegations came
with banners and flags The one from LA /
Hogue numbered sixty wagons, headed by I
one containing twelve beautiful young Ia ,
dies, dressed in red, white and blue, who
sang by the way appropriate songs As
delegation after delegation arrived in town |
they were greeted with cheers, About |
O'Clock the procession formed and marched |
10 the ground, where two tables, each 300 |
feet long, were loaded with the good things |
of earth. Many buildings in the town were
decorated with flags and Gilman wore n
holiday appearance The vast throng that
had conferred from all directions was est
mated at noon to be between 1000 and
5000.
At2 clock the meeting was called to
order by A. j. Alexander, President of the
Gilman Club, and David Kerr read the
Farmers Declaration in clear and torci-
bic manner. He was followed by music
by the brass band, after which ;. NJ.
Smith, of Kewanee, ILL.,, was introduced.
He spoke for two hours and a half on the
issues of the day. He felt proud that he
could be present and speak TO such vast
audience lie felt proud that he was a
farmer. and highly honored by the appear
ancc of such a large number OF his broth
crs. He spoke for some time of the cost
of raising bushel of corn, and the consld-
Grafton received for it, He proved that
the whole system of disposing of the prod
nets Of the farmers toll was wrong. lie
said that those who buy our corn live in
palaces, while we live in novels. They
call me a leyeler, that | would drag down
their palaces to the farmers novels Not
SO. | am leyeler but would build up
the farmers hoyel 10 the palace make
their conditions and surroundings better
pay them fair remuneration Tor their la.
Dor. and not hold them in slavery He liz
ured out the cost of raising bushel of
corn aud clearly proved that the farmers
are not receiving first cost He pictured
out the railroads and other monopolie~,
and showed that their officers were living
on princely incomes-wrung from the hard
earnings Of farmers lie claimed that if
farmers would combine as other classes
had combined, would hold their products for
price, they would Tctit, The cry that the
supply and demand regulated the price was
grand humhfg W G do not raiscany
corn than is necessary. We have sur
plus one year, but q short crop the next
would balance it. We had a large crop
last year, while this season promises but "a
half crop lie spoke of the folly Of tarm-
crS going into debt and thereby being
compelled 10 mortgage their farms of the
recklessness of buying every new inven.
ton, and the general carclessncss with
them afterwards, that they left the mower
in the meadow and the pillow in the field 10
rot and dry. lie would advise economy
not 10 purchase anything they could get
along without and take care of what they
had. Everything the farmers bought was
outrageously high, and what they had u
sell was desperately low A reaper that
costs S5O the farmer must pay $3.50 for
A bushel OF corn that cost 40 cents. he
must sell for - cents
He spoke of the salary steal IN uumeas-
ured terms. He denounced those who par
ticipated in the act, and who had received
the pay.anl said there was but one e.cape
and that was the hall0t.b0x. He had been
Republican since the marty began. but h,
would never vote for "A man who had re.
ceiyed the salary grab. and II the rcoplt
return the Congressional thievc, he hopel
that they would be compelled 10 endure
the slavery that is worse than the bondage
the col0red people endured in the South
In answer u a question he said. "Whit
! believe the protective tariff is good ton
manufacturing East, il Is sappine tine lite
blood of the West lie was In favor of d
revenue tariff. The only remedy the poo
pie had was at the ballot.box. Select il
your convention good men-honest and ca
pable peculiarly adapted and DUAL
flied for the business Of the Office, no mat
ter what their previous politics were, aut
we may hope for q reform. Do not b,
driven from your purpose by such catch
word. a. THE movement Is sold out % thu
Democrats, or, as they say in Democratic
conventions. You have sold out To Repub
Leans, but carry out the principles Of you
denominations bv removing thieves and c,r
ruptionists. and put in their places hone.
and efficient men.
Up was frenuentlv rheercd throliohot,
his specch which Ested two bourg and
hale ,pd M the clpsn was ,rprfr5 will I'm,
cheers
Tho Committee ON Resolution, then re
n6rted the following. which was outhu,ia,
tically indorsed:
We the farmers. mechanics, laborer.
and tax.pavers generally of IroauOis com
~, rccordIaas III former politicaI oriuinr
nv ,,ort,, Affiliations do hereby ratiiv am
canf;rn tho f1lIoying resolutions os an nor
ast a.y,,ression of ouT opinion. and the L,si
far onT future poIiticaI action
' Bsaalrsd That we ARE opposed tn a
class legislation. either State or National
tLat We are onnnsed To n,onopolie. pF ever
Lind tbat a law compellinp one man +
, ~ raw IN spnport The business of annfb[
nothing less than localized robbery
P,,airSd That a protective tariff Is III
basis of mopopolies' the sum of all yiIlair
les and that we are in favor of free iro
and steeI s,lt and humber. SUGAR rolTe,
and Ron woolen and cotton fabrics and
n thrift is UNSUITABLE at all. it should be /,
Teyenue p1rposes ONLY.
Rls5lrid' That the National Bankin
system is monopoly created bv class lie.
islation. compelling the people to pa
double interest,-frst on the securitie
and second on the issue,--and that we al
in favor of legal tenders or greenbacl
issued direct from the Government to ii
people as the only lawful currency Of ii
country. thereby saving about $50 900, "