Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-05-15
,Our TRUE REMEDY.

that the mOVellleuV
, Sl-,,ors in certain parts of the country
% M ~ nrove Of no avail. These organi-
W. Of farmers had their origin, If
l" N .a,nember correctly, in decision OF
the supreme Court of Illinois, TO the
IS soct that bill passed by the Legisla-
,aro Of that State and approved by the
Goyernor, was not a law, because 1t
in conflict with the then consti-
,,t;o, Of the State. 1t is, of course,
fundamental principle of all laws
.,ot they must conform to and not
,anAict with the organic law of either
,ho State or nation. The opinion OF the
Illinois court, so far as we have seen any
.yoression of opinion in legal Journals,
,,nmrnds itself to the judgment and
,,,royal of the bench and bar Of the
country. A vacancy has occurred, or is
.ho,t TO occur, in the Supreme Court of
,ba State. Two nominations have been
made 10 fill the vacancy. One OF the
Candidates has, we believe, the unani-
nous endorsement of the bar in his cir
anti ~ well of those who favor as of
those who may be classed in opposition
~ railroads. This candidate is placed
in nomination to fill the vacancy which
will he caused by the expiration of his
,vn term of office. He participated in
the deliberations of the court which
,.pdered the decision referred to, aad,
in fact pronounced the unanimous Opin-
inn of the court. A convention of farm
ars was held on the 30th of April to
nominate a candidate in opposition Be
fore proceeding to nominate, they re-
solve among other things, ''that the rail
roads are public highways and their
apprators common carriers; "that the
provisions Of the constitution of this
STATE" Illinois) Gin regard to railroads
md necessary legislation to enforce the
same are not repugRanC to tile consti;n-
ton Of the United States" and, finally,
that they "will support no man FOR
office who is not In accordance with the
spirit Of these resolutions" They then
proceed to nominate candidate who had
already endorsed and reconai,.nded the
nomination and re.electio,;Sf the Judge
whose term Of office w@a:. about to ex-
pire He Indignantly and peremptorily
declined the nomination, as any honest,
honorable, respectable lawyer or jurist
would do. With what confidence could
any reasonable person look upon judge,
or what, if any, respect be paid to his
decisions and opinions upon matters and
questions, and relative to suitors, upon
which he was already pledged to decide
in particular way? Such prefer OF
a nomination and support is an insult
to right-minded, intelligent honorable
man. Here we think is their first mis-
take; that in is endeavoring to interfere
with the integrity and impartiali'y OF
the judiciary.
Notwithstanding the note of warning
which has been sounded by farmers and
the press, published in the interest OF
farmers, from Vermont to Kansas, there
il great danger that the organization will
be seized hold of and used by schemlne
politicians and designing demagogueS
for their own base purposes. This has
been the history of nearly every reform
movement, of this nature, that has beer
undertaken. There is a way to riC
themselves of these overcharges, or tex
tortionate exactions," if you prefer The
term, of freight, which will accomplish
the primary object sought. To this w
shall presently refer. We desire, first
t. speak of the political aspect OF thu
matter In Vermont, our farmers arr
intelligent enough to know that the.
need no such organization to protec
their interests. We have made an eX
animation of the statistics of our Legis
lature for the past twenty-three years
and find that more than one-half ant
nearly two-thirds of the members wer
farmers. We think, judging from thes
wears, it would be fair to assume that
has always been so. The same is true o
Michigan and Minnesota. Of ot4e
States we have no statistics at hand t
refer to. In this State the majority o
the Judges of the county court are, aR
always have been, farmers. They, toe
form the vast majority of all politics
parties, and can, if they choose, contrC
and dictate their action. So far, theI
az political actionis concerned, the farm
ers now possess the power of obtalnln
all their iust-or even unjust-demand'
A railroad company, even, could no
prior to the last session of the Legisl'
ture, be organized in this State wlthcl
their consent, or a mile of railroad bui
or put in operation. Even now the
have them under their control, Tor,
the general railroad law" the Legisl
ture reserved the right to annul and Oil
solve any railroad corporation organize
hereunder, as they had the right, b
fore. to alter, amend or repeal the Sc
eral acts incorporating the different ra
road companies in the State. 50 mu'
for tins part of the political aspect
the case. We said that there was ola
ger that what was originally designed
be purely farmers organization won
be seized hold of by politicians a
denagogues, and used for the accol
plishment of their own personal or
litical ends. This is already begun
fowa. and the wreck of the organizati
predicted. The Chicago Journal, VIII
is the principal organ of the Him
farmers, on account of its bitter hostil
to the Supreme Court of that State
its decision in what is known as
Journal contempt case, in It's
issue publishes letter from its 10
correspondent, well-informed obser'
of men and events, and hearty partl
pant In the movement, from which
make the following extract Un'
the ruling of the Master of this 81
other than farmers may be admitted
tho order This will omen the door