The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-02-15
FARMERS IN COUNCIL.
A'hc Victims OF ksad.csslis.N CRY Out
Against ''EsinS.'' and Oppression.
4 County Organization.

On Saturday last abou. four hundred of the
leading farmers of l., Sale county, in response
to the call of the Supervisors. met at the court
house in Ottawa to deliberate on matters rela.
tive to tho interests of the great body of the
people, the farming community. This was by
far the ablest aud most sincere body of men that
has met in convention for any purpose here for
many years. 1t was composed OF men of all
parties and shades OF political opinion. They
were quiet, deep thinking, greatly wronged and
grievously burdened citizens, who, having ex.
hausted the virtue of torbearance, met 70 de-.
nand their rights and to deaounce the aggres.
sions OF rings" monopolies, and al corrupt
combinations against the great taxpayers of the
country. Every township in the county was
represented by large delegation OF i.s ablest
citizens. There were over four hundred farm.
ers here from every part of the county The
assembly was remarkable for its high inte!,ec.
tual standard, perfect harmony and earnes.ress
of pUrpoae which characterized al It's proceed.
Jugs.
Ga being called to order at o'elocl; p. ~, on
motion, J. s, Armstrong Esq, of Mission, was
Ifa'.o chairman. and II. L. Mead APPOINTED
secretary.
M Armstrong, on taking the chair, stated
the objects OF the meeting and made few brief
and pertinent remarks, after thsakin. the con.
| yention for tie honor il had conferred pom him.
| D. 7. Nichols moved that committee Of five
be appointed OF constitution, resolutions &c.
The chair appointed Messrs J. T. Nichols,
VIM. Warren, S. r. Lewis, Enoch spradling
and v. W. Csumpton.
On motion, there were added to the cor..ait.
tee Mersrs. ". II. H. Ho!lrldge. john Hcber,,
Lorenzo Domny and E II. spicer
Mr.. Robinson moved that c committee Of five
be appointed on permanent organization Car.
ried; ard Mesars. Robinson, Evan Lewis, II.
F!aherty, Henry Green and Isaac Gage we,e
appointed.
II, X. Parr moved that daring the absence Of
the committees Cap. Dominy address the con.
vention. Carried.
Capt Dominy preferred to w,i. until AFTER
the committee on organization had reported.
He regarded mere meetings and resolutions By
the farmers as farce. Railroads and monopo.
lies will laugh at III. l belong to al organiz..
ton known as Patrons OF Husbaudrv :" or.
"Farmers' Oranges" which now exist. in
twcnty-threc states. L: is a national party.
Local farmers clubs ara failure They ar.
mere detached bodies. They can Go nothing
They have no control over anybody. You mus.
become power, SO as TO control legislation in
the state and in congress There are 500 Oranges
in Iowa. They ere composed entirely OF farg,.
ers No outsiders are allowed in them: and
these Oranges now control that state, as thew
soon can every state, i; We work in u MON and
with u will
The chairman, on being called upon, respond.
| ed briefly at does not matter So much what
we DO here. Our meeting here to-day in such
numbers, filing this court house with such An
audience of the best and leading farmers of La
Sale county, and our positive expressions of
our views and opinions, siren CITIZEN our friends
in the legislature. 1 scarcely know which is the
best course 70 reach the desired end, nor do YOU
We, the farmers. have long been accustomed to
the monstrous burdens which greedy monopo.
lists have put upon u. Now we seem 20 have
been awakened to full appreciation Of our
wrongs, and We scarce know where first TO
strike. We have long been the victims of every
sort OF fraud by rings corporations and ind,.
vidusls Tho farmer has been considered fair
game for all of these corrupt combinations. We
| must get rid OF rings somehow, aud that speed.
lily. We mWst learn TO do our own business,
We sell our stock AID grain 10 rings a, Chi.
cago, to men whom we do not know They sci,
when and ia what manner suits them best.
pocket what they please at the proceeds and
give us whatever little balance they choose, and
DO it in such u way that we are thank thew
do not take all. The farmer is the only man
who does not fix price On the product. of his
labor. Every one else with WHOM, he deals nc.
only fxes the price upon what he sells bu. also
makes a price fer US which we ere forced TO
take"
a gentleman frsm Cook came forward with
about ten feet of petition, which he read. 1t was
addressed 80 Congress. /, began by declaring
that whereas the people, the wealth makers of
the county, are robbed by unjust laws enormous
taxes, one.thi,d of which is annually speu. in
paying petty, useess officers, aud thar il il the
duty OF every one to earn his bread by the sweat
of his brow, the hbor of his hands Whereas no
person can honestly cara more than $1,000 u
year. Tina; "rings,' stockholders aad mouopo.
list. do not earn that Sum honestly. but by
frau6. and al. over that sUm obtained uy any
one bens evidently ,tolcn from the farmer or
| rs,