, 1873-04-16
THE FARMERS MOVEMENT.
Attitude Of the Farmers. To-
- ward the Supreme
Court.
Lettor from Yito.prssidont nooton, Of tho
Illinois State Farmers
Association.

putS WALL you W AAHu onoA6A ~ o~sot--- sAS
pourteny Of your oolumna to us, that wo may
mako fair statement Of tho attitude OF tho
farmers toward tho Supreme Conrt9
wo aro misconstruod, and, ns we boliove, tra-
ducod, by demagoguos, aud our w1shes and
statements, in a meas11rc, kept from tho public,
or 80 garblod az to reflect anything but our real
Intentions. -...
Tirst, thon, am fully convinced that you can"
not find ton sensblo, sano men in this stato who
bolioyo any Of the Judges Of that Court arc dis
honost. No respectable gathering Of tho farmers
has go declared.
What, then, do the farmers complain Of
FSrst-Thoy believe that this Court. honoBt aa |
It ID, Is about 100 yoars behind thotbuhiness and
people Of this country.
Second Court attempts to rulo the coun-
try, regardless Of tho wishes OF tho people,
usurping tho right to make the dlotum Of tho
Court tho law OF tho land, no matter what tho
wisheB Of tho people may bo.
Third-Thc Court comedies to tho Logialaturo
the powor-oysr tho peoplo-of an absolute
monarch, and thereby attompta to bind tho poo
Pic to compliance with tho provisions Of statutoa
which 1t digninos with tho tttlo OF contracts"
with Which there can DO no subsequent intorfor-
onco.
FouyGt-1t decides, too, many casos in the
matters not we'll understood at the time, or not
applicable to our time. ="
In justification Of tho opinions here statod, lot
mo call attention to the faot that no case has yet
been tried involving discussion Of tho rights OF
corporations without an appeal boing mado to
tho Dartmouth Collego decision. And tho ex-
trone reverence OF tho Court for old and rusty
procodonts has beon sufficient to insure do
ciaion in accordance herewith. do not wish to
discuss tho applicability Of tho Dartmouth do
ciaion to our railroads at this time; but, It
shall prove that this decision n is sub sub
will royofonco for precedent, induce thia
drunk dfaatou Of % brbsa 1esieat1re etlevably
binl q sovereign people to tho fulflllmont Of
r1iuoua contracts, which may deprive them OF Oil
Of tho attributes of freomen7
In monarchichl government, where the solo
powcr Ia vested in tho King, this thing might be
dono; but 1t would be an act Of tyranny repug-
nant to ovory principle Of Republican freedom.
In roforenco to our second specification, We
call attention to tho fact that the Constitution OF
this Btnte, which creatos both tho Supreme Court
and tho Legislature, declares specifically TINT OIL
{S this sao a1s sa oass s9s
correct abuses and prevent unlu discrimination
and oxtortion in the rates Of faro thereon.
| Yet our Supreme Court has virtually told onr
Legislature that 1t could do no such thing. ha 1t
| Just discrimination, oxtortion, and 30 forth,
aftor the evidence in each particular case is pro-
duced. Nov, lot us suppose case. The Gen
oral Assembly proceeds to pass a ,l!s Law liking
| ouirod by tho Constitution, and declares thnt
| any hjcber rate shall bo deemed extortionate.
What Is the Court to do about It Tho General
Assembly haa done precisely what tho CopBtitu-
| tion requires, Tiz.: to JIG tho maxllnan rates
and prohibit oxtor.ion.
Tie farmers believe that tho remedy offered
! hero by tho Supreme Court IL no remedy at all,
a,ul affords no protection from tho evils COM
| planned Of.
Tbs oxtortions Of railroad corporations are
| generally made in Rmall aums, often less than
I 81. and no farmer will involve himself in $500
| lawsuit on Buch,a tritling preto1t.
| II this doctrine is carried to Its full develop
mont, it can result In nothing but the absolute
rule OF tho Supreme Court.
What VIC ask, and what ne expect to have ia d
government OF tho people. And all tho neod ve
have for 4 Supreme Court Ia to decide What 1ce
(the peoplo) lave, by our own voluntary action,
declared to be tho law that shall govern us.
we want no Judge to spend his precious time
In rummaging tho libraries OF Europe to find
out what the laws Of Empires or Kingdoms arc.
Some ono will reply, that casea are constantly
arising involving principles TINT cannot be
settled by any written LAW. :,
Thon lot the Court DO tho nrbitor, until the
necessary statutes can be enacted.
Finally, wo acknowledge that tho mombors ol
tory tor a,ii facts Of law but we believe that they
hnYo not recognized tho fact that this nation has
beon progressing quito as rapidly in the aciencs
ar aa IN otneh ta nor
also true Of tho Bur as d claBs. Tho sooner this
fact ia recognized by thom, the bettor. It is tot
late in the history Of this country to settle any
os one BY msn to cali others d do
gogueB," "sssonsolcss Hhysters, nand the "soum o
tho community" Is to uae tho weapons OF t
blackguard, aud should ho avoided. What NJ
ask il q fair and manly hearing. II We ar
siblo. g.
We. as 4 class, deBiro to respect tho 9uprem
Court. but it is impossible to do so unless til
Court conducts ita business in such WY na t.
the Alton Road, the Court admits that Il
caso Of unjust discrimination, aud. after citing
number Of cases in which It had decided I'D
yersoly to this and other corporations on simila
grounds, yot declares law that prohibits thi
particular thing unconstitutional, because
/ prohbta more and roVerBos the .jude
ment below, most unaocountably, tloug
every principle Of common law under which ]
had decided tho casos citod was still as much
forco aa ever. There ia certainly real or ar
paront inconsistency here that some advocate c
tho Court should clear up.
It will not aettlo :hoao questions to call Il
mudsilla Or ignorant farmers Lot tho Coul
como up to the spirit of tho ago, koop in il
proper sphere, and no class OF men in this oour
, try will give It d moro hcarty or enduring su!
port than We. NJ. II. HooToN,
vice-presldent Illinois State Farmers Association
, Resolutions OF tho Zion Church Earn
crs' Club.
MAKANNA, T. O., jackson Co., ILL.,, April II, 1878.
TO the Editor ef Tho Chicago TTiduns:
SIN At meeting Of Zion Church farmer
: Club, hold on the l2th inst, tile following pr
! md {vNr 1y1it nI 10