The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-02

Inc Now xOrk mofcnontS-Vno Farmers
and the Raiiroads-An Important
Question To he Solved.
We published yesterday some very interest
ing facts in connection with Q movement
among our city merchants upon the all-impor-
tant question of the ways and means whereby
cheaper system of railway transportation
between the West and this port may be Sc
cured than that which we now possess in any
railway monopoly or combination. We are
pleased with this movement among our mer-
chants, for north and south of us active meas
ures are in progress to divert from New York
the great traffic of the West, of which this
port should be the cheapest outlet We are
gratifed also to know that our merchants
have, in their consideration of the subject
reached the ultimate question involved-viz.,
that the time is at hand when, If no other
remedy be offered, 'the government must run
the railroads or be run by thsm"-an that the
necessities Of the West and the East call for
national freight railway between the two Sec
tions under the cheapest possible rates for the
maintenance of the road. In this movement
our merchants, in cooperation with the West
ern oranges, may, even in the interval to the
next Presidential election, bring their batteries
into effective action.
No one can have observed attentively the
rapid growth of the numerous and widespread
farmers oranges and kindred associations in
the West without concluding that it is an i'm
portant movement and one calculated to have
considerable influence in our politics and on
economical questions. 1t is but q year or so
since these organizations sprang into exist
ence, and they have assumed the proportions
of giant in their infancy. They extend
throughout the Northwestern States and are
spreading beyond. Already they count in the
aggregate hundreds of thousands of members.
Although they do not appear to have yet any
well defined plan of action or effective combi-
nation they have common grievance and OBJ
ject in view-namely, the want Of an ap-
proachable market for their products and the
intention of finding one if possible. The rail-
roads being the greatest and best means Of
transportation, these, of course, have first at
tracted the attention of the oranges. All Of
them are placing their batteries in order for
an assault upon the railroad monopoly, as
they call it, and its high rates of charges.
Some, however, do not make this the princi-
pal object Of attack, and nearly all, or all,
have other objects in view.
By way Of showing both their rapid increase
and their purpose we may state that the Order
of the Patrons of Industry or oranges
numbered nineteen lodges in Missouri on
the 1st of February, and that they are
now estimated at four hundred. In other
States there has been probably something
like corresponding increase In Missouri
the question of cheaper river transporta-
ton engages their attention as much as that
of the railroads, as well as the improvement
of navigation from the Missouri River to the
Belize. Then, in this State, at least, they are
intended to be kind of cooperative societies
to enable farmers to escape the burdensome
charges Of middlemen, something after the
manner Of the workingmen's cooperative as
sociations and stores in England. For ex-
ample, at q meeting Of the Executive Com
mittee of Missouri oranges, lately held, it
was decided to purchase farming supplies and
materials at wholesale, and there was good
deal of talk about establishing manufactures
of agricultural implements, of beet sugar and
other things. The tariff is a subject, too, not
neglected by the Patrons of Industry, and, as
might have been expected, they advocate the
principle of free trade They denounce TN
sparingly railroad and other rings and mo-
nopolies. What is best of all the leading men
of the Order in Missouri urge the Importance
of education. The objects Of the Order in
some of the other States are somewhat differ
ent, according to local circumstances, or
greater prominence is given to particular OBJ
ject in one State than in another but, as was
said, there is q purpose in common to resist
monopoly, and particularly the railroad mo-
nopoly; to secure cheaper transportation and
o reader market, and to promote generally
the interests of the farmers and industrial
classes.
defect, probably, in these organizations is
in their having something of a Masonic secrecy
and useless forms. While it may be well to
show care in preserving the respectable charac-
ter of the Order, and to exclude worthless indi-
viduals, especially the professional and trading
politicians anything like mysticism, exclusive
ness or vain forms will lessen their usefulness
That would be inconsistent with great move
msnt to effect social, economical or political
reforms. Nor will the oranges accomplish
much unless they combine for action and con-
fine themselves to few specific objects upon
which all can agree Unity and cohesiveness
are necessary. Their platform should be
simple, not covering too much ground, and
referring directly to their industrial interests.
With such an organization and programme
they might prove blessing to the country,
hold corrupt politicians in check, and say who
should control the government The leaders
of political parties begin to see the importance