The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-03-15
"THIN ~ HOW &?

lations of poor Schuyler ColiaX, has given llie
Ottawa RepuJiicon, and the little clique "'
radical politicians Of which it is the norm
blower, so much trouble as the resolutions OF
Mr. Lynch, offered few weeks ago III 'hc
Farmers convention at Ottawa. After hem-
ming and having over them for three weeks
and picking and hacking at them, the Rep"6-
Hcan of Thursday finally admits that they
contain "correct principles but says 'hcy
are not "approprate in the present state OF
affairs" and "out of place and "'oo TIM rs
platform for Farmers Association. IN.
deed, the most serious objection Mr. Cullen
seems able to urge against them is, That 'hey
are found in the constitution Of the state in II
far more clear, concise and forCibe form, and
not therefore being original with Mr.. Lynch,
it would be bad policy to adopt them, &c, DC.
This is all very fimsy special pleading, and
shows either gross ignorance or cupable
misrepresentation. The propositions laid
down in the Lynch resolutions are not found
in clear and concise words in the constitution
of this or any other state that we are aware
of, and ain the present state OF affairs are
peculiarly and strikingy appropriate as a
platform for farmers club Let us look
at them:
1. As TO leading object Of such associa-
tons, the resolution declares it to be to remove
from the executive legislative and judicial
branches of the government the vcnality and
corruption that now SO conspicuously char
acterize them. Is this copied from the state
or national constitution, and can there posi-
bly, be any more appropriate object for a
farmers association to aim at?
@ A recognition Of the power fcongress to
impose tariff taxes to support the government;
but an emphatic denial of the right Of con
to benefit another. Is this amattcr expressed
in clear and concise terms in the constitution,
and yet does it not cover the most crying
grievance Of all others under which the west
crn farmers are now suffering? Their plat
form would be ii sham without this plank.
3. The third resolution covers a vitality
important principle, the formal enunciation
of which is, in sense, entirely new. tits this
That as vested rights are granted to railroad
by virtue of the power Of eminent
domain, based solely on the plcaO the public
good so the same power Of eminent domain
and plea of the public good authorize the
Legislature TO take away those vested rights,
This flies in the face Of the famous Dartmouth
College decision, by which the Supreme
Court of the United States decided charter
" vested right to be IL contract" and there
fore irrcpcaablc under the constitution Of the
United States this multiplying, by II decision
If the Court, the most important of all of the
lights OF the statcs-that OF eminent domain
the right which, Of all Others the Trainers
Of the constitution imagined they had most
carefully and distinctly reserved to the states
The principle thus announced by Mr. Lynch
is the very key and turning point of the battle
against the railroad monopolists Unless this
principle is forced into recognition, and The
Dartmouth College cobwcb swept away, the
fight against the railroads is n vain one, ex
Cept by mob force or revolution.
4. The 4th resolution corrccts Il hitherto
wholly mistaken conception and Practice
that Of the people humbly begging iavors in
stead Of demanding rights of their servants, |
and finds most appropriate place in popu-
lar platform.
5. The 9th aims at Il reform which, next to |
the ycnalily and corruption in the executive
md legislative departments, is one of the
most crying evils Of the times--thc unrclia-
bility and growing corruption Of the judici.
lry. Is this also thrcadbarc plattudc cop.
pied from the constitution? We search in
vain for it there or in any party platform
hitherto, yet It's Importance in connection
with the objects our farmers clubs have in
view, is too obvious to need pointing out.
The utter shallOWness and irrelevance of Mr.
Dulcn's objections TO the lynch platform are
hus palpablc. Does he make them, therefore
rom ignorance or disingenuousncss? Partly |
rom both. lie is too ignorant and unSkilml
o attack them from IA plausible standpoint
yct too dlsingeuuous to state his real objcc- |
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