National Republican., 1873-05-30
4 BRIgF HISTORY OF TIE FARMERS
WAR.

Tho so-called farmers war" which now
agitates the great West Is not Of recent orr |
gin, although the people Of the East have
but recently learned Of Its existence. Il bo- |
gan as early as 1850, aud was almost cotem- |
poraneous with the organization Of tho Re-
publican party. At fret the associations
were independent Of each other, and their
operations were confined to limited local
spheres. Since the war, however, the sew
oral local associations have formed State alll-
ances, and have grown In strength until the
movement now threatens TO take rank among
tho prominent questions Of national import
anco. The immediate cause Of the movement
was the natural rcvulsion which followed
from extrayagant reliance on the benefits to
bc derived from the building Of great rail-
roads. Stephen A. Douglas, more than any
other man of his day, startled the energetic
citizens OF the Northwest into unusual and
enthusiastic activity regarding prospects for
the Internal development Of that section.
Ills successful management Of the Illinois
Central railroad land grant in Congress Is
still remembered Us the grandest piece
Of lobby work ever performed In
this country. With q zeal that ap-
preached unscrupuloutnoss, and still
endearcd him more than ever TO his constit-
uents, he fought, begged, allibustercd and
threatened the two Houses Of Congress into
an unqualified concession Of all his demands.
lie held the bill granting tho lands to be Of
paramount importance to all other pending
measures, and, shrewdly managing the trad
Ing" Of votes, finally carried II through. The
people Of Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Mich
igan, oil directly interested In this or similar
schemcs, were wild with excitement over the
result. Excursions from the East TO Dubuque
aud Dunleith and the Upper Mississippi were
arranged and used as advertisements TO at
tract the investment Of Eastern capital. The
rami1catiOns Of the several co-dcpendcnt
measures were almost boundloss, and the ef-
forts In their behalf were so successful that
European money was freely offered TO and
taken by the different companies. In short,
4 railroad fever" prevailed, and 1t became
popular among the fasmers Of the Northwest
to mortgage their farms and homesteads for
the purpose Of making loans to tributary
roads. 1t was expected that the enhanced
valuo Of property consequent upon rapid
transportation facilities would reimburse
them for their outlay, and make their mort
cages in the end profitable investments. Sew
cral years elapsed, during which the roads
were built, aud the expected favorable re-
suits TO tho farmers were not realized. When
the time came for the foreclosure Of the
mortgages absolute ruin stared whole COM
munitlcs In the face. Stay laws, retroactive
and consequently unconstitutional, were re-
sorted to Us means Of temporary delay, and
every other imaginable obstacle was inter-
posed 10 defer the day of final settlement.
II was at this time that tho local organiza-
tlons referred to sprang into existence. To q
limited extent they began to assume politi-
cal aspect, and In Wisconsin tho Home
Leagues" went so far US to run q candidate
for justice Of the Supreme Court, on plat
form which committed him In advance to the
preservation Of their homesteads. Soon after
this the war occurred. Prices were enhanced,
labor WIS scarce and consumption Of farm
products uncqualcd. The farmers made
money rapidly aud recovered from
their cmbarrassments. But when the
war closed and the citizen seldiery
returned TO their habitual occupations, an
excess of products followed, prices fell, and
year after year the prospects Of the farmers
become more gloomy. Gradually the old
feeling OF antlpathy against the railroads
reasserted itself. In the meantime Eastern
capitalists had obtained almost complete
control Of the roads which had been built by
the people of the West. No bond Of sympa-
thy could possibly exist between the two
classes. One being devoted TO the manage.
mcut Of great financial enterprises found II
advantageous TO prey upon the other, do.
voted to agriculture. Tho breach widened
with each recurring season for the shipment
nf crops. II was u struggle between the
shippers or producers and tho common car.
riers. Then began the burn ing Of corn for
fuel. Millions Of bushels OF corn and wheat
we're wasted because Of the exorbltant freight
tariffs TO tho seaboard markets. The mutual
opposition developed by this state Of affairs
possibly induced the railroads TO impose
discriminating rates on way freight, and
tue natural greed Of monopollsts In.
duced them to nx arbitrary rates where
there wero no competing lines. FL
ually the farmers began TO believe that
they had no rights which the railroads were
bound to respect II Is probable that local
politicians aud demagogues generally did NOT
neglect TO use every endeayOr TO Increase this
belief, and It Is certain that the exposures re-
gardlng the management OF railroads which
have occurred during the past year have not
Allayed the growing prejudice against them.
Il Ia admitted that our people are long suf-
feripg at The hands OF monopoues Of any kind,
and, although We boast that our railroads are
better equipped and more comfortable to
trarel upon than those OF any other country
IN tho world, the facts compel, us to ackuowl.
sdgs that we submit 70 cxaellons from them