, 1873-09-06
tho proposed action Of the grang es Of tho Wost
In tho fall campaign. ,Mr. Smith Bays:

In tho fall campaign. Mr. Smith Says: !!
at Bcoms to ma that tho worktngm on Of tho
East havo a common intoroBt with tho farm nrs
Of tho Wost Ia tho ob]oota afmed ut by our ,novo.
ment. Our first MIN haa boon to aecure oheapor
rateH Of transportation. ,As 1t now ntanda you
aud wo arc paying top high prico for your
manufactures. simply becnnao tho railroads,
having thu powor and wholly unrostrainod by
Inv, may take auch toll for carrying our products
not matter 10 much to tho manufacturer, hs,
unlike uB, ho may 8ot hia own prfco upon
his product, aud aftor hc Inns fixed his profit
It Ia OF 1ltllo consequence. to him what
by tho buyers, aud tic only injury ho austans
Is in tho fnot that his saloa aro greatly decreased
by tho incroaaod price which tho conBignor must
pay for lila goods from cxtortionnto ohargos. Of
no voice In fixing tho price Of hin products. 10
entirely at tho moroy. Of tho .roada. which may
tako oGo-half two-thirds, or throo-fourtha Of hin
grain, ns tLoy aro doing, and thus rob him Of oil
profit upon hs labor. You might sayo In ita
purchase, If tho prico waB what 1t would DO with
reasonable rates Of transportation.
'' Tho reading Of this will show something Of
tho form Of o,lr organization. Tho State Aaao-
citation III composed Of clubH and granges. Tho
clubs ara opon and tho grunge secret order.
To the grnngo political discussions arc forbidden
by tho conatitutton, but mon como into this AS
aocihtfon FREQ to diHcuaB politics, religion. or
anything olBo,and are cooperating to mako good
oirorts III many why's:
'"Ihc necessity Of independent political action
accmA forced upon us from tho fact TINT all our
efforts to bring tho railroads to mike equitable
tornR with uB, or to aeeure tho reform Of other
aiusus that bear no 1esa hoagily upon I'D, aeom
po,footly futilc, without tho MD OF leglsla-
tion. And to got laws passed that will favor la
bor at all, wo must have law-mallerB WHO nro
nlanifestly in sympathy with tho people, instead
OF being what most OF them arc now, tho paid
servants OF oapital. Most Of tho coun-
ties Of tho State hnvo nominated or intend TO
do 30, independent far1uora' tickets, ignoring
politics ontroly aud making integrity, sitnose,
and sympathy for the cauHo OF tho pcoplo tho
only qualifications for offices. Should wo auc-
coed III carrying these elections this fall as thoro
is littlo doubt NO ahal In most OF tho countlos.
we shall bo ablo to 1nake Homo changes III both
Slate aud National oi1iceB next year, that will
give us aud tho laboring clasaoa Of tho whole
country Bcme Of tho returns without which, as
you truly say, We shall Boon bo crushed, and
without hope Of recovery. Though VIC oak In
thoso reforms nothing but simple JUSTICE 1t will
never bo conceded until tho demand Ia backed
by tho unitod voice aud votes Of all our toiing
millions, and there sconled no other way for uB
than to uae tho power which our numerical
strength givoB III, and become the r1llera instead
Of tho victims Of those who aro trying to crush
out the mntorial wealth Of tho country by FOSTER
ing md building up fow moneyod monopolista
ut the expense Of tho laboring milIlona. In these
efforts, itHoomB to mo. VIC may consistently act
and receive tho support and corporation Of all
industrial classics, hinco all are alike Interested
In the reforms wo teok."