Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-04-22
The HERALD
The Farmers Clubs" and the Rail-
roads
tFssa tbs NATsOS.)


.hat OK the prairie Gre" was MOI
no least common. This eonaagra-
tion was continually promised aud
continually looked for, but it would
not come. The prairies ia fact, until
alter The election was over, were in
decidedly understandable condition.
No sooner, however, was the great
result decided, than, at a moment
when such phenomenon W least
anticipated, they suddenly flashed
up into blaze hich seems likely TO
make the State of Illinois, at least,
rncomfortsbly warm ia q political
sense tor some time 70 come. They
had been ignited by spark from
iocomotive.
Seriously, the recent convention
ofthe Farmers Clubs at Springfield
Is perhaps the most noticeable polit-
icsl gathering which we are likely to
see for some time to come. Very
few people in the East have paid
much attention 70 il, or 70 the cir
cumstances which led up TO it, and
yet they possess a deep political and
financial significance. They Oonsti-
tute in fact an earnest, though al
rnost inarticulate, protest against the
who,e present organization OF the
railroad system Of the country-s
protest the more dangerous because
both unintelllgcat and angry. Toe
history of The Illinois movement is
somewhat as follows: Under ou'
system Of railroad ownership, All ex-
cessive competition exists tor the
business of eli competing points,
while the local business Of the vari
ours competing lines is an absolute
monopoly. This has naturally re-
suited in comp, ling the corporations
to do through bu-iness NJ rates often
ruinously unremunerative, which
again has compelled these companies
10 recoup them selves for their losses
and secure their profit by excessive
charges on the local traffic, of which
they hold undisturbed possession. A
case al merchandise, tor instance,
would DO carried on through rates
thousand miles, from New York To-
Chicago, for &c; but the Illinois
road which took it q hundred miles
out of Chicago 10 it's point of deeti-
nation, would make further charge
on it OF perhaps IS SO; and this, too,
though that same road would proba-
bly, have pleted the carriage
from New York TO st. Louis, another
competing point, for mere trife
u IRE than thu rate 70 ChioAg'. Tue
local oustnes-, in fact, had TO pay all.
As long IS the times were good
and prices high. rs long as he farm
ers found ready markets and each
aa!es, this evident abuse, though no.
,iced, excited little clSmDr. During
the last few years, however, enor-
NOUS areas OF new country have been
brought under cultivation, harvests
have proved abundant, and prices
have fallen, until now at last freights
10 market consume the entire margin
Of profit II has ceased 20 be profit
able 20 raise food. As this unpleas-
ant fact has gradually forced itself
upon the notice Of the farmers, they
have more snd moro turnedtheir at
tention upon the question Of railroad
charges, and two years ago the pres.
ent agitation began TO take shape.
OF course, the 6rsJ reeort was to legs
.slation A law would easily regu
late the whole difficulty. Was it
not notorious that usury Law ale
ways established tho rates OF rates ?
Why, then, should not similar one
settle the question of freights Un.
fortunately, in gran ing charters 10
their railroads, The Legislatures of
the w Stern States had never re-
served the power elJber 10 amend or
repeal thus charters, or 10 regulate
the fares aud trleghts which the cor
porations might charge under them.
These charters, therefore, under the
famous decision IN the Dartmouth
College case, aC Ounted tn contracts
between the ) tates aud lie U0rpUra-
lions, an1, ~ aHeh, g me Lnlh a,
sc lpe OF thr CIu>Vttu,l'ua, lpnt0ttIjo
OF laws Impurn.; tho % igAtloa ~
contracts. La no way daunted bJ
this obstacle, the fest Il g,-iatur.
which net under the ueV cUnstlou
ton Of Illinois proceeded 70 enact a
most intricate law, establishing max.
imum rRtes OF fares and freIghts tor
all the railroads in the State, and at
the same time erected board of
railroad commissioners 30 look after
its enforcement. CRou cams the Il, 81
trouble. The Corporations of course
contested the validity Of the law. Ii
the Legislature could establish one
rate AZ which they should do the
work OF transportation, - could es-
taolish another. They wers 6ghtIng
for their lives aud proper II was
again taxation without Representa-
ton. With much trouble and popu
lar perturbation, q case was brt Ugh |
before the Supreme Court Of the
State. which At last held the exist
ing law establishing fixed MAGMA,
to be cons .Itu .loually invalid, but at /
the same time intimSted that the cor
pOrstions, ss common carriers, were
bound 70 transport al reasonable
rates" If only 10 each particular
case what Was reasonable could be
Then she Legislature,
Impslled by the Farmers Clubs, took
Tue question: up again upon the basis
and proceeded 70 tx by role test
Of the reasonable. New statutes
were prepared, establishing rates
which were 70 be held TO DO reason.
able, unless otherwise decided by a
Iury of twelve men. The power OF
The State wac invoked 10 prosecute
Bill Gases of violation Of the law, and
3 new board OF commissioners was
selected which Was supposed not TO
DO more enlighted thai the Old one
10 the discussion Of railroad oues-
ions, bnt more, as it 10 termed Nj
'sympsLhy with the people" Here
Ia naan mas Tk.