Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-11-06
FARMERS CONVENTION.

SynOpsfs OF the proceedings OF the M
tional Convention Of Farmers, Held at
Chicago.
The first National Convention of the
Patrons of Husbandry convened at
Chicago Wednesday, Oct. %. Dele
gates were in attendance from Illinois,
Iowa. Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska,
Indiana, New York and Canada.
c.. ID. Beeman, of Iowa, was elected
temporary Chairman, and S. NJ. Smith
and S. L. K. Prime, temporary Secre-
taries.
Mr.. Beeman, before taking the chair,
made short speech, in which he said
that he was en- route to New York to or
ganize a State Grange. This question
of cheap transportation is one of vital
Importance to the farmers of the great
Northwest, when it is considered that
400, 900, 900 bushels of grain are yearly
shipped eastward, and that the farmers
pay for feightage to the seaboard twen-
ty-five cents per bushel more than they
should pay if the charges were honestly
registered. Cormorants in the guise of
transportation companies are preying
upon the producers, and farmers must
guard their interests well.
A permanent organization was effected
by the election of the following officers ::
James NJ. Allen, President S. NJ.
Smith and S. T. K. Prime, Secreta-
ries.
Mr.. Flagg read to the Convention a
telegram from Hon. William Window,
Chairman of the Senate Committee on
Transportation, inviting them to confer
with the committee, at their sitting in
st. Louis, by delegates or otherwise.
Mr.. A. G. Searles, of Kankakee
County, ILL.,, offered the following reso-
lutions, which were laid ON the table:
WHEREAS, Railways have been built by
large grants of public lands and by subsidies
granted them by towns, villages, and cities
through which they passed and,
WHEREAS, They have the power granted
them by the State to run their line of road
through our farms. and even through our
houses and barns, if they come in the way of
their line of road, and appropriate our prop
erty to their use without our consent and
against our wishes and desires; therefore,
Resolred That railways are public domain,
and as sbch should be under the control of
Congressional law and
Resolred, That we call upon Congress to
enact general railway law and put them
under the control of Department of the Gov
called the Department of Railway Transporta-
ton, that shall establish a uniform tariff of
maximum rates per mile on the roads, and
rates per ton on water transportation from
place to place.
The following Committee ON Resolu-
tons was appointed G. ID. Beeman,
Iowa A. G. Dalton, Illinois; n. G.
Lockhart, Indiana J.W. Kellogg, Wis
consin; M. NJ. Hoonton, Illinois; j. S.
Morton, Nebraska; Thomas T. Smith,
Minnesota.
Mr.. J. S. Morton, of Nebraska,
offered the following resolution, which
was adopted by the Convention
Resolred, That a committee of three citizens
of Illinois be appointed by the Chair to report
to this Convention the effect upon producers
aud shippers of the legislation on railways in
Illinois, and whether they advise similar legis-
lation in all the States.
The question of water transportation
was brought before the Convention in
the following resolutions offered by Mr..
Cofeen, of Illinois
Resolced, That the first duty of the people
is to subject all transportation companies or
corporations to the restraints of law; and,
Resolced, That it is their next duty to urge
the making of ship channel from the Allan
tic seaboard, by the way of the lakes and the
Mississippi, to deep water in the Gulf of
Mexico by the National Government; and,
Resolved, That it is our next duty to urge
the Federal Government to assist in the build
ing of double track railway between the
Eastern and Western sections of country.
A long, spirited, and somewhat
desultory discussion ensued, and the
resolutions were finally disposed of by
referring them to the Committee ON
Resolutions.
After some business of an unimpor-
tant nature the Convention adjourned.
SECOND DAY.
The second and last days session of
the Convention was largely occupied
with a carefully-prepared address on
railroads and transportation, by Mr..
Flagg, at the conclusion of which the
Committee on Resolutions made its
reports, which substantially embraces
the following propositions: 1. That
Congress pass a maximum freight and
passenger tariff between States, and
that Legislatures regulate rates within
States. 2. That Congress open water
routes from the Mississippi river to
the seaboard. 3. That the people be
urged to support home manufactures.
4. That the prospect of the early COM
pletion of the double-track freight road
from New York to Omaha is matter of
congratulation. 5. Urging the people
to free themselves from debt. 6. Oppo-
sition to special Legislation. Z. Thor
ough organization of the farmers for
self-protection. The first resolution
was passed. The second brought out
long discussion, during which numerous
substitutes and changes were made and
taoled, the final result being the adop-
ton of the following resolution:
eve demand the construction of
railroads and the improvement of water
communications between the interior and
seaboard, the same to be owned and
operated by the General Government
for the purpose of affording cheap and
ample transportation, and to protect the
people from the exactions OF monopo-
hes"
The third, fifth, sixth and seventh
resolutions were unanimously adopted,
but the fourth was lost.
Resolutions were also adopted urging
the importance Of speedy legislation on
Al \