New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-09-11
THE FARMERS WAR.

TACKED-wu.Es OF THE FREE TRADERS.
tFRos THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUNE
81. LOUIS. Aug. 25-The Grange, OF secret order Oh
the Patrons Of Husbndry, was introduced among
the farmers Of Missouri about two years ago. but
can hardly be said to have become established until
the revival of last February. AT that time there
were less than q dozen local oranges in the whole
State and many Of them had 80 little of vitality about
them that they have since either died or been
tirely recognized. About six months ago the ex-
eitement which prevailed among the farmers Of u
linois on the east and those of Iowa the north,
seems 10 have spread into this State and more
efficient men succeeded TO the offices of the order,
and it BEGAN to grow with wonderful rapidity
There are now between 500 and 800 subordinate
Oranges in active operation in Missouri, and new
ones are forming at the rate of about 80 week
The present membership is about 10000.
TIE GRANGE THE ONLY FARMERS ORGANIZATION
The Grange is the only farmers organization IN
this State. Farmers clubs such as have existed IN
Illinois and many other States for years and by the
uuion of which the Illinois farmers have been abe
70 exert such a marked influence during the past
fewmonths upon the legislation and the polnes OF
that State. never hourished here. While Slavery
nravailed southern ideas and Southern modes Of
cpItura which were essentially non-progressive
were adhered 10 by majority of the planters. who
since the close of the war, have experienced the
same difficulties in accommodating themselves to
the new order of things that have retarded material
progress all over the South, while the immigrants
from the Northern States who have hocked IN here
since 1866 have either been so isolated in their
pioneer settlements or 50 much engaged in reclaim
ing the new land and building homes, in putting
their farms into condition 50 that they would pro-
duce crops az all that they have had little tune for
social intercourse. for the Study of improved
methods Of agriculture even for consultation
about their common interests. Another reason why
the farmers of this State have been SOW 10 organize
is. that there has been no one cause to which they
can attribute their want of prosperity. In Illinois
the farmers see few immense railroad corpora
tons which move the greater portion of the crops
of the state, charging exorbitant rates of freight
unjustly discriminating against certain c0mmuni-
ties and paying large dividends on watered stock,
while they, who have taxed themselves TO build
these roads are growing poorer year by year. and
mortgaging their farms TO GET clothing for their
families and TO pay for farming implements. The
natural conclusion is that the railroad managers are
at least partially to blame for the hard times and
they attempt to right matters by enacting laws to
limit Ia road charges and TO forbid unjust discr1ni-
nations In some parts of this State the outlook for
the farmer is no more favorable. Hundreds OF
thousands Of bushels of piled up on the rich
prares in the northern part Of the State, which viii
not bring to-day delivered at the nearest railroad
station. Is cents a bushel, or one-hah what it Is
worth TO raise it. But when the Missouri farmer
seeks the cause Of this he finds railroad corpora
ton that seems to be making unfair profits, and
while he may complain Of some determinations that
seem to him unjust. be is convinced that ne must
look further for the real cause Of his troubles.
COMPLAINTS AGAINST TIE RAILROADS.
7 find therefore, among the Missouri Changers
very little Of definite purpose except determine
ton to perfect as rapidly possible their Organiza
ton. SO that when the proper time comes they viii
be able by united action, TO accomplish whatever
reform il may seem desirable to undertake. The
master of the State Grange Is Mr.. T. K. Allen.
farmer who resides about thirty miles west Of 81.
Louis on the Missouri Pacific Railroad. In the per
Torrance of his official duties he has travelled within
the past six months, into almost every county OF
Missouri conversed with the farmers, listened TO
their complaints. eaten and slept with them; 50
that think he understands well as any man N
the State the extent and meaning of the new move
1neut He told me in a conversation which had
with him. the other day, that there no agree
ment among the farmers TO what was the cause Of
their lack of prosperity. Some of them complained
of what they called unjust Determinations by the
railroads. II was the same old story that l had
heard 50 of en- IN HnOis-Gnreas0nablyl Ow rates at
points where the railroads compete with each other
or with river transportation and unreasOnably high
ones at points where no such competition exists.
He also said that the railroad managers often re-
fused TO furnish cars when the farmers desired to
take advantage of good market. The most Of
these complaints were made against the Missouri
Pacific and North Missouri Railroads.
In search of the exact facts, l aferward called
mon Mr. Talnage the General superintendent of
the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad the lessee Of the
Missouri Pacific Road andrepeated TO him at length
The complaints had heard. He said that in regard
10 the roads he managed they were very unjust
His policy and that Of his company had been 10 fos-
ter the local trade and build II up. He had tged 10
make tie farmers understand that their interests
and those of the railroads identical, and that
instead Of fighting each other, they ought TO be
working each 10 advance the prosperity Of the
other why" he continued, cant you see that
these farmers have no money unless they can sell
their crops and that they give US no return business
unless they have money!
UNJUST DISCRIMINATION DENIED.
Now in regard TO this so-caled unjust discrimina
ton: II is a fact that we bring through freight
from Kansas City when we compete with other
roads III less than our local rates for instance get
Is cents per 100 pounds for and oats while our
regular rates would cali for @ cents But il doesn't
require any argument 10 show that the farmers OF
Kansas and Nebraska oould never pay the freight
charged them by the roads west of us and then pay
as the full price. Not a bushel Of grain would so
10 market at those rates OF course, competition
10 a great extent governs the rates from Kansas
City, but they must at all events be low enough to
enable the farmer to send his crops TO market OF
else we should none Of get any Of the business
The farmers who live nearer ST. Louis don't need
sueh concessions, and yet we have made special
rates for them Take, for instance, point the
Ns;ssouri Pacific Road. 81 miles west of here; cur