Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-04-24
The People WIN Find Oat Public Mems
Record.

Record.
MEssRs. EDIToRs:-
The record OF our Legislators durin 9
the recent sitting of last congress and
legislature, has become q theme of con-
siderable importance amongst our diff
fercnt combinations Of agriculturists
known as Oranges. And the record
those men have made is drawing upon
many Of them q Justly merited censure
from q large share of constituents,
whom they were sent as public ser.
vants) to represent.
Those who voted for our interests
upon the railroad question, straight
through, until the last final vote was
ready to count we must recognize as
our friends. Those who shirked the
responsibility OF planting themselves
in the last effort, upon either side of
the question, deserves no praise from
either party; but should receive the
censure of the defeated agriculturists,
whom they seek to cozen with preten-
sions of anxiety for their interests,
when every farmer can see the neces-
sity Of action upon the part of our
friends upon question: which to us,
he's rose to be one of higher impor-
lance than any other, that has ever
heretofore agitated our Legislative
body.
We know the ones who have proven
themselves to be our friends. Those
whose actions have designated them
as rather uncOncerned, we are rather
inclined to doubt; and those who have
utterly ignored our interests and well
fare by casting their votes in support
OF the present system of railroad rob-
berry, need manufacture no thin excu-
ses, to justify their conduct, If we know
schat the farmers scant without their
telling us. BY reading the following
preamble and resolutions it will not be
hard to discover ascant, among man y
ofour farmers, which will precede in
demand the next action of legislation
which 10 simply that those men oecu-
py back seat for all future time.
WHEREAS, It is the inherent right OF
all citizens regardless of political diff
ferences and opinions to petition and
demand Of the members of the Legis-
lative Assembly (who are no more than
the servants Of the people, to use their
votes and influence in that body to
promote the welfare of the petitioners,
and these petitions demand their spe-
cial attention most especially when the
interests of the majority whom they
should represent, requires the applica-
ton of legal remedies to protect them
from systematic robbery, And.
WHEREAS, Many of our Senators
and Representatives. during the last
session Ofthe Legislature regardless of
the petition Of the many thousands of
agriculturists all over 10 wa, did wilful-
" and perversely cast their votes and
influence against our best interests, and
in favor of sustaining railroad corpo-
rations in their present extortionate
freight which seriously threatens to
paralyze the agricultural industries
throughout the beautiful and fertile
States of the west, therefore be it
Resolred by Grange No. 2S4, That
we as individual citizens will not at any
future election cast our votes for any
candidate for places Of public trust or
honor, who have thus basely betrayed
the trust formerly reposed in their
hands by confiding constituency
Nor will we support any one for the
believe is hostile to the advancement
and elevation of agriculture, which de-
mands Gas necessity relief from bur-
dens imposed upon it by capitalists
and monopolies.
RESOLVED, That we gratefully ac-
knowledge the strenuous efforts made
by those friendly to our inter-
ests to secure some legal enact
ments which would relieve us from
the outrageous expressions of heartless
railroad corporations, and we recog-
nize them as having been faithful
friends to our branch Of industry wor-
thy of the trust reposed in them by all
classes.
Resoloed, That the above resolutions
be published in The OttuDawa Demo
crGt and COURIER, Wapello county, and
the Fairfield Ledger and Democrat, al
SO in the Iosca Homestead, our official
organ.
Done by order of the Grange, April
IL, 1873.
/. I. FLINT, WM. Huston,
Sec'y, Master Grange 2S4.