The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-04-24
The Farmers and the Rail-
roads


The Courier-JoHy7laI says the order Of
the Patrons OF Husbandry is the first
general organization OF farmers for the
purpose OF modifying special points Of
legislation ever started in this country.
IL Is said that the movement had its ORR
gin In Iowa, in consequence OF the OPP
position made by the large manufac-
turers Of farming implements, such as
reapers, threshers and cultiyatOrs, to
the cooperative clubs formed by the
farmers in some localities for the pur-
chase Of these implements at Wholesale
prices and on better terms than they
could buy them separately from the To-
cal agents OF the manufacturers. The
farmers were naturally anxious 70 save
the profits, on some articles very large,
which they had been paying TO the
middle-men, besides the profit which
was made by the manufacturers. The
agents rebeiled against this conbina-
tom OF the farmers, which In many To-
caIitics would have cut down their prof
its from large sum to almost nothing,
and their dissatisfaction led to a eombi-
nation of the manufacturers, who
agreed not to sell below fixed prices for
the respective implements, and refused
10 sell directly to farmers in places
where theyshad regular agencies. The
farmers, meeting with this new diff
Guilty, resolved to establish a general Sc
cret organization Of all persons in their
calling, under the title Of Patrons Of
Husbandry, and the new society began
10 spread about as fast over the North
west, including Iowa, Illinois, Minneso-
IA, Indiana and other States, as rapidly
a. the fire kindled by the brand Of an
Indian hunter ever spread through the
dry grass Of a western prairie. As tile
new order began to establish its
''granges," or lodges, in all directions,
and. the farmers, seeing their increasing
nIuster-roll, for the first time began to
realize that they had a majority of the
voters Of the country, the general
freight blockade and higher charges for
transportation during the past winter
pressed heavily upon them.a EThe Iowa
farmers, finding that they could not
send their corn 10 market and make
froft, used the surplus Of their crop in
some localities for fuel. The attention
OF the "Patro1is" was objected TO the
partiality Of certain railroads to partiC-
ular shippers. They said that certain
buyers of grain and stock could get
trains Of cars when they could not get
one car, getting them at much less
rate; and they charged that in many
instances that the favored buyers were
either partners or merely the agents of
lhe railroad officers. The "Patrons"
also began 10 protest against those pc
culiar wheels within wheels called "last
freight lines, by which a set Of rail-
road managers form a fast freight COM
pany among themselves for the purpose
of doing transportation business at
higher rates than is charged for ordina-
~ freight. In view Of these things it is
not wonderful If the patrons came to
the conclusion that it was Of little use
to correct minor evils If the Tom SCOTS,
JAY Goulds and Jim Fisks of the day
were the dictators of the transportation
business, and virtually order them at
what prices to sell their crops. Our
readers were informed yesterday as to
the limits proposed to be set to railroad
power in tile Pennsylvania Constitu-
tlonal Convention, and, II the reforms
be adopted in the stronghold OF the
Pennsylvania Central, it will add In
creased confidence to the movement Ia
the West. Certainly, in several re-
spects, the Wonderful progress which
the Patrons of HusbaRdry have made
ln n season when there Is an inter alb
sencc OF political excitement is attract
ing much notice everywhere.
We hope their oranges may soon
spread all over the South, and that all
muuopolies and combinations OF capital
against labor and the interests Of the
farmer may be speedily broken. We
are heartily and cordially in sympathy
with the Patrons OF Husbandry in ev-
cry fair and legitimate effort TO bring
railroad AMI other monopolles to their
senses.