The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1873-07-24
THE GRANGER CONVENTION.

Last Saturday the much talked Of Con-
vention of the Changers OF the county came
of in the Court Room. Considerable
speculation had been INDUCED in, as to
whether the members of the Order would
allow the Liberal, Democratic, and sore
head Republican political hacks within its
ranks TO SO far control it, as to make it
political machine for the furtherance of
their designs. The day was pleasant, and
large crowd assembled at II o'clock q. M,
to see as we'll as take part in the proceed
ings. Forty-six oranges were represented.
G. B. McFall was chosen chairman, and A.
L. Shangle, secretary, both lifelong Dem
ocrats A committee of five on creden-
tials was appointed :; and motion made
to appoint similar committee on resOlu-
been appointed at previous secret meet
ing of the Council. After dinner the com
mittee on credentials reported 173 dele
gates entitled to seats, and on motion
those present on each delegation were in
structed to cast the whole vote thereof. A
motion was made that any parties outside
of the oranges, desiring to participate in
the proceedings, deposit their credentials
with the secretary Repeated calls were
made for such to come forward, but none
responded, SO far as we could see. Har-
bour said that he had been requested by
two men to make motion that the anti
Convention which roaafo In,
this city to-day, be requested to meet with
this con vention. Several spoke to the eff
feet that the grangers had already swallow
ed up that convention, and the motion
was not therefore necessary. The com.
mttee on resolutions were then called tor
and reported the following bombastic proc
lamation
We the work ing men of Mahaska county, in
convention assembled; recognizing the truth
that all legitimate wealth is the product of Ia
Dor /; and that OF all our immense yearly earnings
but small part remains the property of the
And recognizing the fact also thai the fault OF
this state of things lies at the doors of Congress
ana our State Legislature, inasmuch as the drift
of all their legislation for years past has been in
favor of the capitalists, the railroad monopoles,
and against the interests of the working Classes
And furthermore while We have been promised
retrenchment and rigid economy; civil service
reform and every other reform imaginable, Con.
| tage OF the people to railroad monOpOlies by
whole territories, and in addition given them
| hundreds OF millions of Government bonds, eve
ry cent of which, principal and interest ust be
paid by the hard earnings of the working casse &;
And while all kinds OF produce and every spe-
cies of labor has fallen in price since the war,
| and every commodity is approaching specie ba-
sis value in the face of all these facts and their
! multiplied promises, Congress has increased
their salaries fifty per cent that of the President
one hundred per cent and largely increased the
salaries of the Supreme Judges and other Gov.
| eminent officers voted themselves back pay and
| sold themselves for Credit Mobilier, now there
| fore
Resolued. That the old political parties have
| forfeited all claims to our support, confidence
RssoIsed,. That it is the right and duty of the
| working-men to elect those to office who are
identified with the Industrial interests OF the
| WHEREAS, The nomination of candidates for
| office in Mahaska county has been largely con-
| trol.ed by a ring OF professional office seekers
! and wire pplers, swamp land plunderers county
| treasury embezzlers, and bridge ring swlndlers,
to the great loss and injury of the tax payers OF
Resoloed, That we will support no member OF
the ring, nor any man they may bring out as a
candidate, nor any man who apologies for or
| winks at any OF their villanies, and
WHEREAS, The railroad corporations of our
State and 'he country have without legal right
| and by usurpations and abuse OF power, oppres-
L
portation !; bribed our legislators and defed our
| courts and Judges and stand to-day the most
menacing danger to American liberty and repub-
lican government, therefore,
Resolved, That the railroad companies must be
/ radically reformed and controlled by the strong
hand OF the law, both State and national and
| railroad corporations compelled to perform their
| proper functions as common carriers, the ser.
wants and not the masters Of the people;
Resolged, That the salaries OF all officers
Resotged. That tn State University and Agri.
| cultural College should be made sustaining
President and members Of Congress should be
repealed that oefaulters and embezzlers should
be treated like other thieves and vigorously pun
with the simplicity of our republican institute
be practiced in every department of the Govern
ment to the end that taxation be reduced.
"A motion was then made to proceed to
to the nomination of full county ticket
After an hour spent in striving to arrive
at a proper plan of voting, it was decided
4 to vote by delegations by ballot. At this
point, Samuel Vance of Iowa Central
Grange, Harrison Tp., arose and informed
the house that the delegates from his
| grange were instructed to withdraw from
the Convention in case they undertook to
make nominations. The balance of his
speech was choked off by the boots, yells,
and misses of the delegates who would not
hear himI through. Pierce Ratcliff of the
same grange attempted to speak, but his
voice was drowned by the disorder and
confusion, as though they feared the effect
his honest sentiments might have on the
the other delegations After order was
restored, the convention proceeded to vote
for Representative. Several nominations
were made,-about one for each grange,
and the following is the result of the bal
lot: Geo. Gilchrist So; T. &c. Beach "a
DR.. Jarvis 90; Nelson Cone 20; scatter
terfng 23. Necessary to a choice 80. A
motion to make the nomination of Geo.
Gilchrist unanimous, was made, and elicted
much discussion, land it was privately
talked that Il would not do to nominate