The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-06


Congregational Gathering - Farmers
and Workingmen's Movcmonts-To.
What Are They Tendingt
In the lull of national politics, and we might
say, perhaps, with the exhaustion of vital and
stirring political questions, we hear of and see
around us important movements bearing upon
industrial and commercial matters. These,
we have no doubt, will. at no distant day,
take moro or less political character and
have considerable influence on parties and
national affairs. That is the natural tendency
of combination and agitation to correct evils
or for progressive development in this country.
The most important movement is that of the
Western farmers against the railroad monopoly
and power and for other objects bearing upon
the farming interests Scarcely two years
have passed since the first grange or lodge of
the Patrons of Husbandry was organized
Now oranges are existing in almost every large
community Of farmers in twenty-five States of
the Union. The aggregate number of members
is estimated to be one million eight hundred
thousand. Then the trades unions and
other workingmen's organizations for increas-
ing the rate of wages or reducing the hours Of
labor are developing more power than ever
Capitalists and employers are feeling the pres
sure of these combinations. and of late they
have felt the necessity of yielding to it in many
cases On the Goth Of this month the Gov
errors Of the Western and Southern States are
to meet at Atlanta, Ga, for conference, mainly
with regard to internal improvements, but no
doubt, for other matters also bearing upon the
material interests Of their sections Of the
country. On the 18th there is to be a conven-
ton Of congressman at st. Louis to consider
questions Of importance relative to the COM
merce Of the West, at which it is expected
there will be numerous gathering Of repre-
sentative men from most parts of the Repub-
lie, though principally from the West and
Southwest
These movements show how keenly alive
our people Of all classes are to their material
interests and that our public men have the
sagacity to 60 with the current Of public
opinion. Modestly as the call for the Conven-
ton OF Congressman is put, there is no doubt
that it is intended to aid or be en- rapport
with the widespread movement of the
Western farmers One Of our contemporaries
Of the West. in rather q jealous and sarcastic
vein, speaking of the Congressional gathering,
intimates that its object is to eat, drink, make
speeches and to have good time generally.
It notices, for example, that the first day is to
be devoted to addresses, the second day to adj
dresses, the third day to an excursion on the
river, and that on the fourth day the Conven-
ton is to leave for Texas. It admits, how
derived from the interchange of views Of the
Representatives of the various States. While
it comedies that the addresses of these gentle
men will be well worth hearing, their known
character and ability being sufficient to guar
antee this, yet if any benefit is to result from
the meeting there must be something more
done than is indicated in the arrangement Of
business as published. Thus, we see the
Western people are in earnest about reforms
with regard to the farming interest and COM
MERGE Of their section We take it for granted,
therefore. that the assembled congressman at
st Louis will attend to something more
serious than eating, drinking and making
doubts of our Western contemporary.
So, also, we may expect more from the
meeting of the Governors, at Atlanta, than
the call implies, which is merely to confer
concerning the scheme to connect the Tennes-
see River with the Savannah. We have no
doubt the conference will have much wider
range. While the project to connect the Ten
nessee, west Of the dividing mountains, with
the river of the seaboard is an important one
as affecting the interests Of large portion Of
the Southwest as we'll as the commercial cities
on the Atlantic, and is one which the Presi-
dent made special mention of in his inaugural
Message last March; yet we feel assured the
conference of the Governors will not be con-
fined to this subject The same thought
which prompted the call for this meeting
that of promoting the planting and other
material interests Of the South and Southwest
will, in oil probability, lead to the considera-
ton of railroad transportation and manage
ment, just as this matter is now occupying the
attention of the Western people, Then it is
not likely the tariff question and political
status of the South, which bear directly upon
the well being and progress of that section,
will be neglected. We may expect, in fact
that both the assembly of Governors in
Georgia and the meeting of congressman in
st. Louis will take up the different topics of
an industrial and economic character that are
now engaging public attention. The result
may be q new and general movement that will
change the complexion or prospects Of exist
ing political parties.
Commercial conventions, as they are called,
or such conventions as those having COM
mercial or industrial character were common
enough before the war. We refer to the South