Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-10-16
THE FARMERS MOVEMENT.
illinois,.

Illinois.
A large and enthusiastic meeting of
farmers of Kankakee county was held at
Kankakee on the Both ult., at which a
full ticket for county officers was ncmi-
mated. The President, on calling the
convention to order, delivered lengthy
address, embracing the principal fea-
lures OF the progress, ETC., of the farm
ers anti-monopoly movement. He said ::
GENTLEMEN In calling you to order
to-day, it gives me pleasure to be able
to report progress all along the farmers
lines. From Maine to California, and
from Minnesota to Florida, organization
is going on rapidly in nearly every State
In the Union, and if we make as rapid
progress the ensuing year as In the past,
We can certainly make our power felt In
the land. There are now over 5000
oranges in working order, with a united
membership of nearly half million,
and it is estimated that the membership
of farmers clubs greatly exceeds that
number. What has caused the spon-
taneous uprising of the farmers all over
the country, and especially In the West :?
1 answer, it is the iron rule of oppres-
sion and extortion of The great railroad
corporations of the country, and special
or class legislation which is grinding us
into the earth. In the terse language
of Gov. Booth, of California, if a cor
poration turns its determination to direct
and debauch legislation, manipulates
the machinery of both parties, which
controls all the great lines of inter-
communication, endeavors TO override
and crush out every interest it cannot
control that makes bribery trade,
corruption system defies the State to
collect taxes openly acts upon the
principle that it will make the avenues to
justice so expensive that no private
party can afford to seek legal redress
against its wrongs; openly or secretly
whispers away the good name of every
public man who will not do its bidding.
Instance the fact that 224, 900, 900 acres
of public lands have been giveu to rail-
road companies, and that they ask
1S9, 900, 900 more that the Southern
States have been robbed to the verge of
bankruptcy under the suspicious guise
of railroad building that all through the
the West, towns and counties are groan-
ing under taxes to pay interest on bonds
issued ostensibly for railroads, but
really for the benefit of contract and
finance companies. This is constantly
growing power. 1t is rapidly central
izing, becoming more and more politi-
cal element, to the detriment and danger
of republican government. We are
by far the most numerous industrial
class In the United States, and as we
represent an enormous capital and an
immense wealth, let us combine, and l
believe we shall be able to carry every
thing before us in all the Western States.
As class we are scarcely represented
in Congress, and but meagerly In the
State Legislature. We have allowed
agents of corporations to monOpolize
legislation, to set up candidates, to pro-
pose laws, to bargain and intrigue for
special privileges, and we have blindly
voted at their dictation. 1t has de-
bauched q score of the most eminent
men in Congress, to say nothing of a
multitude of minor politicians whom it
owes body and soul. [ believe it has
debauched both political parties to such
an extent that there is no hope of their
reformation.
ported % clubs and oranges represented,
with q membership of about 1900. A
committee reported the following plat
form:
1. We believe in the protection of
honest industry In all the various asso-
Citations of life, and are opposed to the
encroachment of aggregated capital
2. We are IN favor of controlling by
law the railroad corporations of the
State.
3. We submit to taxation and duties
to meet the necessities of the GoXern-
ment, but denonnce as unjust and OPP
pressive all taxation for the benefit of
special classes.
and other Government steals.
5. We are opposed to all future grants
of land to railroads Or other corpora
tons, and believe that the pnblic do
main should be held sacred to the actual
settler.
6. We are in favor of rigid economy
in all departments of the public service.
Z. We are in favor of honesty and
capability as the only tests of official
position.
The following resolutions were adopt
ed by the farmers of 10 Daviess county,
ILL.,, In mass convention assembled
We, the undersigned, working farmers
of 10 Daviess county, ILL.,, assembled to-
gether this day in convention, to discuss
our political duties in relation to the
anti-monopoly movement now being in
augurated throughout large portion OF
our country, after serious deliberation
do conclude as follows:
That the interests of all workingmen,
whether farmers, laborers, mechanics
or manufacturers, demand united politi-
cal action to protect themselves against
the continued encroachments of the
monopoly power
That our former political differences
originated chiefly with questions we be-
ieve now to be finally settled.
That the existing Republican and
Democratic parties are calculated to
perpetuate these differences, and thus
present stumbling blocks to effective
political cooperation.