Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-07-29
NUMBER 43.
The Farmers Movement.

ufed ana nifty new oranges have been organ
lied, making the total number of oranges in
operation up to date, 100, with an aggregate
membership of $50, 200. Iowa, Missouri. In
diana. illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wis
consln are the States in which the movement
has made the greatest progress Efforts are
on loot to extend the organization into Eumer-
GUS other States. While the name assumed is
that OF the Patrons of Husbandry, it seems that
the order does not contemplate limiting itself
to farmers, but proposes to enlist all classes Of
workingmen. Should it succeed in doing so it
will not be mere party or class movement, but
sort of mass organization. The politicians
are endeavoring to get foot-hold In the order
so as to direct Its movements. The Livingston
county llllinoisl platform appears to be the one
supposed to express most tersely and clearly the
purposes Of the order. 1t is as follows: (1) in
favor OF controlling railroad corporations by lau
W In deDunciation of all taxation for the bene-
tit of special classes as unjust and oppressive
~ In favor OF free banking under the proper
security; "a in opposition to all land grants;
and (5l in favor of Civil Service Reform, ma
king honesty and capacity the only valid claims
tor public employment, to the end that "the
office should seek the man, and not the man
the ofice.''
Mr.. S. Nj. Smith, Secretary of the Illinois
State Farmers Association and the leader of
the movement In that State, made an address
on the 4th of July, in which he stated the OBJ
jects and purposes, of the order to be mainly
these: Q,) To educate the farmers to fight
their own battles instead of leaving them to a
horde of old party mercenaries; (2,) to compel
railroads to work for a fair profit on the capital
actually invested in them.
The Chicago Tribune published the other day
a letter addressed to the editor by Mr.. 2. w.
Gallagher, who, after stating that he is young
man, just twenty-one years old, school teach
er, preparing to study law, and expecting to
take an interest in politics, requests the editor
to express his opinion as to whether he Mr..
Il, not being or expecting to become farmer,
should ally himself with the new movement
The Tribune undertakes to reply, but while
manifesting friendly disposition towards the
movement beats good deal about the bush
without saying anything very decided 1t evil
IDENTIFY does not wish to commit itself decisively
either way. 1t says that ''some kind of a
movement is better than stagnation )" that the
Democratic party has been stagnant about four
teen years and the Republican party about four
years. Movement Of some kind" says the
Tribune, ''is the thing wanted" and ''if the
farmers can give it to US they will be entitled
to the thanks of everybody save the office-hod-
ers.' The Tribune concludes:
'Mr. Gallagher is undoubtedly competent
now to answer his own questions for himself
If he thinks that movement is better than stag
nation, and that the three aims presented by
Mr.. s. NJ. Smith are laudable, he will, perhaps,
see that he can join what is called the Farmers
Movement without himself becoming a farmer,
without aDtagonizing any other honest voca-
ton, and without danger of bringing on war
of classes"
OF the IriJunes remarks it may be said 10
the language of Jack Bunsby-"The point of
this ere observation lies in the application on
it," They are ingeniously non-committal-
Like good maDy.others the Tribune slyly pats
the movement on the back in an encouraging
manner, but wants to see how it will turn out
before positively endorsing it. 1t got itself into
trouble by the new Liberal movement last year,
and it naturally wishes to avoid similar dis
appointment. If the Farmers movement con-
tinues to grow at its present rapid rate it will
inspire such confidence in its stability and per-
nanence as to draw into its ranks all the halt
ers and doubters. s.-Rich. Wing.
a Greas Highway Stolen and Destroyed.
HUNTSVILLE, ALA, July 13.-Not more
than year ago Tom Scott sometimes called
the Southern Railway Security Company leas-
ed the Memphis and Charleston road, three
hundred miles long, from Memphis to Chat
1t was stipulated In the lease that
the road should be thoroughly repaired, and
supplied with new rails and rolling stock, and
given at once first class equipment" The
road is in wretched condition. The eating
houses are villianous sleeping-cars infested with
vermin till they became insufferabie and were
taken off the road the passenger cars are VILLAIN
ously filthy, and the road, peope say, is pur-
posely destroyed, that 1t may never constitute
q route competing with Scott s more costly lines
through the Carolinas and Georgia to Vicks-
burg. Shreveport, New Orleans, Texas, and the
Pacific. La other words, it is believed that
Scott leased the road to destroy it, and the
contract of lease defines no penalty for Its viola
ton. 1t is also true that it was understood
when the lease was made that Scott had con-
tracted for the Memphis and Little Rock road,
which was to be extended at once to Shreveport,
and thence across Texas to the Pacific Mem
phis thus became a point in the shortest line
from New York city to Marshal Texas, the
initial point of the Texas Southern Pacific
But Scott has utterly refused to have aught to
do with the road in Arkansas, and is certainly
destroying the road-valueless as managed
between Memphis and Chattanooga. In very
truth it is generally believed that Tom Scott
and Newcomb, of the Memphis and Louisville,
and McComb-the three owning nearly all the
railroads in these States-have combined to de-
stroy Memphis and crush the Memphis and
Little Rock road, and thus prevent the extern
sion of the road from Memphis to Shreveport.
The result of this state of facts and of this al
legged fraudulent conduct on the part of Tom
Scott is the PREPARATION of bill to be filed in
the United States Court at Huntsville praying
that the contract with Tom Scott's ring be set
aside, and that Scott's agents-Jacques and
others-be enjoined from the further destruc-
tive use of the road and the prayer is that the
whole property be placed in the hands of a re-
ceiver till the validity of the contract or lease
be determined. The stockholders of the road,
who leased to Scott, meet here on the Goth in
stant, and there will be terrible struggle to
control the action of the body by Scott's friends
and enemies. / am persuaded that by the time
this meeting occurs Scott will own a majority of
the stock, anc that s an end of the road The
price of the stock, which is being quietly bought
up by Scott's representatives, may advance
from Is to so cents within twenty-four hours
after the publication of these facts.
The New York Bulletin says:-"Old Vir-
ginia is entering at last upon career of pros
perity, with steady flow Of emigration. The
newcomers are more distinguished for intelli-
gence and vigor than for numbers. They be-
long to the very best ard more desirable class
many from Scotland, England, Germany, &c, +,
who are settling down to the cultivation of the
soil Wealthy citizens of New York have also
| invested largely in mineral lands in the State.
Northern capital is largely represented, and the
attention of foreign capitalists has been attrac-
ted to the State.
The Legislature of Connecticut has restored
4 L