New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-04-01
THE WESTERN FARMERS.

The. State Farmers Association of Illinois
recently published call for a convention of
delegates from various county clubs and
societies. to meet at Springfield on the Cd of
April and concert a plan Of opposition to the
railroad companies. You are requested to
meet, says the call, "for the purpose of attend
" ing to our interests in the Legislature and
" of giving that body and the Governor to
understand that we mean business, and are
no longer to be trifed with" In all parts
of Illinois, in Minnesota, in Kansas, in Mis-
souri,, and in many other portions of the West,
the excitement on this subject seems to in
crease. Oranges" have been organized in
almost every neighborhood. A league called
the Patrons of Husbandry has extensive rami-
fications. The Western newspapers are de-
voting more attention to the Farm
ers Movement than TO any other
tonic: and the question of freights
seems likely to become prominent issue in
notifies. Undoubtedly the farmer who gets for
his grain only third or quarter of its value,
and whose land yields him only one per cent,
while his barns are bursting with unmarketable
produce, and his fires are fed with corn on
which he cannot pay the transportation charges,
is entitled to the general sympathy of the
country, and no will have almost universal
support, 80 long az he fights his battle pru-
IDENTIFY and fairly. The complaint against the
railroads is, first that they charge an exorbtant
rate for moving farm products; secondly. that
thew discriminate unjustly and oppressvely
between competing and non-cOmpeting points
thirdly. that they disregard the laws
regulating freights and fares, and that the
courts unreasonably sustain them III
their disobedience. That the first and second
charges arc sustained there can be no ques-
tioD. That rates are lowered when navigation
opens, and raised to a preposterous figure
"a soon as Winter sets in; that it costs more
10 send thousand bushels OF grain fifty miles
between competing points than Thousand
miles between competing points, over the same
road and at the same speed-theso facts Tel
the whole story. All oyer the West the farmer
ia at the mercy of these corporations. In one
county the railway has no competitor II
another il has made q compact with It's Compel
itors, and they plumber the producer together
In either case the result il the same, and the
farmer sees no way out OF his diincuity cxcep'
by the aid of the Legislature.
In Illinois, some time ago, pro rata freight
bill passed for the purpose OF preventing
unjust discrimination and extortion," imposed
as a penalty for discrimination forfeiture OF
the charter of the offending road. Under this
law the Circuit Court gave judgment IL
December 1871, against the Chicago and
Alton Company, oustng it from its franchises
but the Supreme Court OF the State has
recently reversed this decision, on the ground
that the law impairs the obligation of the
contract virtually existing between the rail
road and the State. The action of the Supreme
Court has created great excitement in the
agricultural communities, and movement
is making for the nomination of "anti'
monopoly" candidates for the judici-
ary, and especially for replacing Chief
Justice Lawrence, whose term Is about tC
expire 1t il proposed also TO reverse the