New-York tribune., 1873-07-31
THE FARMERS WAR.
A TALK WITH THE FOUNDER OF THE
ILLINOIS FARMERS ASSOCIATION.


ROAD PROFITS ABSORBED IN SURPRISES AND
nRANCu RoAps-THE CHARGE OF EXToRTI0N
PERSISTED IN.
tPEoN TIE srEcrNL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNkI
KrwANEE, Henry County, H., July 25.-The
rea; apostle OF the farmers movement in this state the
man WHO planned the organization Of the farmers aud,
by his earnest wcilGrccted efforts, has done more than
nv other q Give shape and make II an elective power
issM Smith, Secretary Of the state Farmers Assoca-
ton and himself plain haTd-working prario farmer,
residing about two miles from this village native Of
Connecticut and descended from one OF those frugal,
Woodworking New-England farmers who leave tho
marks Of their enterprise wherever they no came 70
Illinois seventeen years aso, gave up his business OF
wooden manufacturer, and hired Willow Farm, which ne
now owns The place. though situated in the midst OF
one o. the uchcst praires OF Illinois, had them aiter
nearly tworty years cultivation, been little improved
very small house. such as ono may sec upon the poorer
farms OF the East few applc trees and some straw
sheds to shelter the stock In the WINTER were all tha'
tho owner had been able TO add 20 the place 70 prooto
The comfort Of his family increase the Vaiuo oi ms
farm. Mr. Smith has enlarged tae mousse uhouSn ~ -
st very uuprctcntious and far iGon moGorh IN l'S ap
,ontments rl,ntcd trees dtched the land In the low
iecs ana rlocad the whole under very high state OF
cultivation His barns still OF logs, thatched WIN
etr t he stock IS Ia good condition and eVerytnuE
about the face bcSpeas the thrift as wen as ING HOo
taste Of s owner NJ Smith himself is past 90 Yearso OF
acc ,,o,cb time has touched him rather lightly andleft
hin, al the energy aud enthusiasm Of young man
rrat lover Of books his weseected library is aoout
the only luxury in which, farmer, he has been aoe
20 iudulg, himself and hs family, and OF all his DOCKS
he prizes most highly complete bound ME o. MI Tree
rev's Ee- YORKER for which, az Mr.. Greeley aferward
.,rej lt. he raised the nrt club. From that day TO
inis The Ner Yorker, The JcTsoHcn, The Log CABIN
,r Inv NEw-YonK Tribune has been constantly read
by Nj s1i ane his family. TIE truth Is hardly IND
farmer In the West, who reads or thinks Tor himsei
nvfvc hnn
Dis persora friend. You will find the portrait Of the
Founder Of Ius TRIBUNE hanging in almost every far
uer's par.or.
T0ENlrION OF THE STATE ASSOCIATION
IN ono corner OF the apartment which serves as the
farmers d.ragToon aad the faulty sittinSEoom' M
smith has table covered with letters documents and
revsparrs aud here between the intervals or farm
labor and stcd by wife and son, lad about "A years
Of age he has conducted the correspondence which has
united the farmers Of the State and prepared the
rr,ches that have reused them from their apathy Mt
smith met at the hotel, and invited Inc to Willow
Frlu re-,ar!ng that we should have much better op
portuut5 70 talk there aud that he had some otters
ur4 documents which he desired TO show think
that Ihavc before said Of my letters that the farm
rrs OF Tins state havo two distinct organizations Tho
Grange g. a secret organization extending over many OF
the States rpo1ca in its character The initiation
fee ~ the Grange s. for men, and s. for women, and
tax OF 10 mouth is collected from each member
Entirely distinct from the Grange is the Farmers Club,
an open ety. which until the formation OF the State
Association was entirely Independent. In october last,
lr Smith, Who then Secretary OF the Farmers Club
OF uis place called meeting 70 be held in Kewanee,
the 1911 and nth Of that month, and about 50 delegates
from farmers clubs and oranges attended The sessions
were held large hail. aud few Of the citizens Occa-
sOnally dropped in small knot OF people In one
corner Of the room, laughed and went out But those
few men foraod the State Association, appointed State
Central Committee, and committee Of one from each
diva areift tee el
the call for the Bloomington Convention Of last January
probably he mostlmportan farmers meeting ever held
IN this state It is OF this state Association composed
of delegates from both clubs and oranges, that Mr.
Smith is Secretary.
TIE FAENEEs SAVING NOTHING AyDl EUSSrSG :; DEBT.
Unul met DIT. smith, had been unable TO get any
very clear idea Of the grounds OF The farmers
complaints "Rliiroad Extortion." " Unjust Diserimi
natiou"" Monopoly" general terms freely used by
the flrmcr but just what constituted them was un-
able TO nll out. Ono of my first questions, therefore,
was Whether the farmers Of this State were not prosper
ons Itol him that tho people OF the East hearing OF
tie wonderful fertility Of Illinois soil supposed the
farmers who had 0ecn here for any length Of time must
be a wclltO1O comfortably situated class OF people. Mr.
Smith rcpl. hat this o very erroneous idea. "Tle
majority Of Of this Ststc he said, "have hard
work TO support their families. Year by year new mort
CAGES are gwen to pay debts and the exception
rather than the rule for farmer 10 he saving anything
At least onc-ha OF the farms in this part Of the State
are mOrgaCd for money borrowed at ten per cent In
tcrcst and orty OF them Will never be redeemed
You let H. be known that in this village has
thousand dollars TO lend frstcass security, and he
will have a dozen applications before night"
"Have these mortgages been given for balances due
on farms purchased for money borrowed after the
farms have been paid for 7" 1 asked.
"In some cases they represent part Of the purchase
money the FARMS but In most the farmers have
been Obliged 20 borrow because they have been running
behind Nobody can make anything farming here unless
be has a large farm, and III tell you by-andby why
with plenty Of land, make little but even
ihcn be can seldom realize ordinary interest his in
-aestment Now have here good farm, and you can
zee what have made Of It, But never could have
paid for IL in the l6 years have been here from the
profits Of farming successful in little specula
tion and made enough to buy the land"
"The railroad say that you farmers are extraYa
CANT m your living; that during your Of prosper
sy the silk dress got into the family and that you have
never been able get it outn short that you are in
auring in sty Of living wholly unknown among you
Ifew years ago"
"It Is not So" was tho reply "I you Will notice the
Hte boxes OF houses in which the most OF farmers
i've with almost nothing about them 10 make them at
tractye, and then If you could 20 into them and see
how meanly they furnished, and how the inmates
Aave to economze and count every cent they expend
you would see that the is not true. Take the
farmers who live within 10 miles west Of me, and
don't believe the whole OF them spend SIS year in
reading matter; and as for dress your mechanics who
work by the day and their families are much better
clad All over these prairies you magnificent fields
Of corn but costs the farmer more to raise II than
lie can get for t. good crop sign of prosperity"
CORN SELLING FOR LESS THAN COST.
"Is that you have to sell for less than
what il costs you 10 produce its asked.
Certainly, and demonstrate TO you," was tho
oful tudv