The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-03-15
Shall the Movement Fail?

Euall Lue moVelucub oil
The Ottawa Republican, Its role of cats
paw TO the radical politicians, adheres tcna
ciously to its plan of defeating the objects OF
the farmers in their fight against the monopo
lists by duplicity and false pretenses. Profess
ing an overweening interest in and anxiety to
promote the cause, it labors to crib cabin and
contine its objects to so narrow II compass
that it must soon lose its interest to all save a
very narrow and select circle. How large
comparatively, is the mass of people Of this
state who feel directly and opprcssivcly the
cxactions OF the railroad mmopolists? One
fourth. of the farmers and shippers enjoy the
advantage of living near what are called
competing points," and therefore enjoy
about all the advantage Of low freights they
can hope for. Another very large portion OF
the people--certainly more thon one-halt--
don't ride mile year ON the railroads. and
ship nothing over them. How long will they
be apt to cast aside all other party ties and
interests to help the farmers in their war
against mOnopolists9
While, therefore, in seeking to enlarge the
scope and objects of this battle of the farmers
against the monopolists to something worthy
of their aims, and above and beyond mere
local fight on the railroads, showing them,
that in comparison, the railroads are but a
faCtion-an integral part--of the giant system
of monopoles by which they are oppressed,
the chargeis, of course, prepostrous and alb
surd that we are the "apologists Of the rail-
roads"
What we mean, and would impress upon
the Farmers, engaged in this grand movement
is so admirably expressed in an editorial in
the Chicago Times of Thursday, thatwe copy
few paragraphs, remarking, in passing, that
certainly no paper in the state has taken hold
more vigorously of this question in behalf of
the farmers, oriS dealing more effective blows
in the cause than the Times. Says that paper:
If a statute providing such punishment for the
perpetrators Of this fraud would render its perpc-
tration Improbable could be rigidly executed, no
doubt it would tend to check cXtOrtiOnatc tariffs
But no poSitircy reyuldiye Legislative enactment
can help the matter IN the Leaf degree. Whatcv
er help legislation can give must be negatiwlywg
Wdito and for the cs 'ential part of this, thcpeo
pie mustlook, not TO Springfield, but to Washing
ton. The men who arc ia earnest in this strug-
gle with the monopoly power must look little
deeper than thc-merc superficial aspect Of 1t, and
must direct their efforts to the removal OF the |
cosseS OF the cXtortion which is imp0yerishing |
them. By which it is meant that they must de
mand, mhesitatingly and without qualification,
that the general government shall get out of the
protective" and Subsidy" and development" |
business and stop TO amend and reconstruct the !
everlasting ordinances Of God Almighty
The 1hafs has already pointed out the fact
that the protection" which government gives to !
the pig iron pirates requires an cXtortiun from
western productive industry in railroad frcights
equivalent to the interest on additional fixed rail
road capital of something near $1,000 for every
mile Of track. In an address to the Massachusetts
legislature, the other day, Mr.. Edward Atkinson
maintained that the cost of construction, cqnp-
ment and running Of railroads has been inercas.
ed by from siIty 10 eighty per cent since the pass
age of that act to legalizc reputation, the legal
tender law. In his remarks ut Springfield, Mr..
Harris pointed out some other causes which
make it necessary that railway companies should
rob somebody to compensate for the robbery
which the gopcrhmcnt- projected pig.ron and
shln-pIaster pirates practice upon them. And
this monstrous protective" or plumber system,
which begins at Washington and spreads thence
in arteries and veins to the smallest and reInotcst
fibre Of the social body is sucking the blood from
The people. This monopoly system, which stands
behind and compels % tortion by subsidiary mo-
nopolleS, is the monster Which the pcoplc7mustI
eNtemnatc before they can hope for relief from
the lesser cStortlonist.
The farmers, 30 more than any other move
ment can hope TO succeed as "onc-i idea"
party. Their principles must be so compre-
hcnsiyc-their platform so broad--as to make
room for the masses, or, as we said last week,
the movement must prove !" an ignoininious
failure They must take the field as a party,o
they might as well dry up. mo one can
serve God and mammon" To promote the
objects Of the farmers and Attic same time
protect the interests Of the republican party,
Or democratic party, either, for that matter is
a sheer impossibility. Ee |