The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1873-05-15
A.'NTI-MoN0PoLY.

Powerful Indictment OF the Railroad
COrmOFants,
0MSIENDED.
Etc., Etc., Etc., Etc., Etc.
NEW York, Msy 1.-The Farm
ers.. Cheap Transportation Convention
met at 1870, R. q. Ferguson, of
Troy, in the chair. After number of
associations were admitted to represent
alton in the convention, the Committee
on Permanent organization made the
following report:
President-Josiah Quincy, Boston,
Secretary-R. q. Ferguson, Troy.
Vice Presidents-L. A. Thomas,
Iowa Henry Bronson, Kansas; Gen.
West, Wisconsin; VIM. Bushnell,
Iowa; Gov. Smith, Georgia G. A.
Thompsoo, West Virginia ; A. D. Ad-
ans, Mississippi; Geo. J. Cost, New
York ; J. B. Phinpy, Illinois; W. s.
Wood, Ohio !; E. A. stanwood, Mis-
souri, G. d. Gray, District of Colum-
bia; ex-Gov. Paddleford, Rhode Is.
land ; Col. Palmer, District of Colum-
bia; James McArthur, Kentucky; ;
Daniel Pratt, Alabama.
The report was approved and a COM
mittee Of Eve appointed to inform Mr..
Quincy of his appointment. When
that gentleman entered the room, he
was warmly received. In his address
to the convention Mr. Quincy said he
had spent large part Of his life build
ing railroads, and telt very keenly evils
growing out Of immense railroad mo-
nopolies ; he appreciated their benefits,
but was aware Of their danger to the
people. The great graneries Of Illinois
held enough to supply the east With
food, but it depends on one or two men
to say what shall be paid for that food
When delivered in eastern cities. He
thought something must be done to
take this matter ont of the hands of a
few men. It was q matter that inter.
ested deeply the whole country and
should not be controlled by = very few.
The object Of this association WAS to
counteract this great evil. The rail-
roads have power to bribe legislatures,
and will continue to dictate laws uatI
the people shall haye come together to
assert their rights. The rights Of rail-
road shareholders are not to be infring-
ed upon, and the paramount rights of
the whole people to chsap trsnsporta-
ton must be asserted and secured.
The constitution and bylaws provide
that the organization shall be known as
"The National American Cheap Trans
portation Association" whose object
shall be the cheapening and equaliza-
tion of railroad transportation rates
throughout the United States, aud to
make provisions, also, for subordinate
organizations in each State, and to reg-
ulate minor matters for the guidance
and government of National and State
organizations. Recess until three
o'clock.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The convention re-assembled at three
o'clock. The following parties were
admitted as delegates: Rev. NJ. Free
man, Illinois NJ. NJ. Pomeroy and
Chas. b. Morris, of the Purveyors'
Association and Boa I'd of Trade, New
York Hon. D. B. MelIish, and Theo.
E. Tomlinson.
While waiting for the report Of the
Committee on Resolutions, Horace b.
Day, NJ. NJ. Pomeroy and others, de-
livered brief addresses advocating the
objects Of the movement.
The Secretary read a letter from Gov.
Smith, Of Georgia, resretting his ira-
bility to be present, and expressing the
opinion that cheap transportation could
only be secured by lines of water COM
munication. The letter closes as fol-
lows: Il agree With you that there ID
no question before the country of equal
| importance With this, and heartily
second you in your patriotic desire that
neither party lines nor sectional jeal-
ousies shall be allowed to interfere with
or impede the successful prosecution Of
the great undertaking. 1t would give
mo great pleasure to see you At the
convention at Atlanta on the Goth of
May, accompanied by such . delega'
ton as the convention of the 9th may
select"
NJ. D. Miller, chairman of the Com.
mittee on Resolutions, made a report
The resolutions created considerable
discussion, some delegates objecting to
the strong language used toward rail-
road corporations. Tho resolutions
were taken up section by section and
adopted. The following are the reso
lutions as amended aud adopted:
WHEREAS, The productive industry
Of the United States, plantation and
farm, mine and factory, commercial
and mercantile, are not only The
sources of all our national and iudivid-
ual wealth, but also the elements OF
which our very national aud individual
existence depends and
| WHEREAS, All national products are
the fruits of labor and capital, and a.
neither labor nor capital will oontinut