The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-06-15
WHAT HE THINKS ABOUT IT.

Inc OprlnRnelu, ILLINOIS, cOrEeSpOpuO
of the st. Louis Republican, in a long let
ter to that paper, after the Adjournment OF
the Independent State Convention, gave
his views Of the convention and its action
from which we clip the following:
THE prFFrcrrLTrEs OF THE SITUATION.
The dif;cnlties of the situation of the
Tndenendent Reform party as it comes up
from the chaotic ruins Of disrupted organ
izations, are neither few, nor easy to be
avoided. On important issues there are
differences Of opinion not readily reconcile
BILE. But these differences are neither so
wide, nor so hard to be adjusted that they
need cause failure to realize the hopes OF
the honest men who once trained with the
old parties. Their aspirations for reform
should not be crushed, because Of an ap-
parent failure TO agree in opinion. True,
there are some of the Independents who
want the currency Of the country reduced
to gold standard, while there are some
others who want the greenback mills set in
motion 10 grind out an unlimited quantity
of irredeemable promises to pay. But the
representatives of such views are the ex-
tremists-the vast majority of them are
to-day in favor Of getting gradually back to
the specie basis not now, but as fast as
circumstances will permit. The Independ-
ents, whatever else they may be, are no
regulators Of the national pledges; no
dishonest triders with the public faith and
obligations Of the government This idea
was scorned as an insult to the convention.
No one has ever proclaimed such senti-
ments, and no one has any right to accuse
the Independents as holding such views.
This question Of finance presented one OF
the difficulties with which the situation OF
the new formed party is environed. But
even this issue caused no serious breach OF
harmony among the members of the con.
ventlon. 1t matters not what may be as.
serted to the contrary, the fact of the mat
ter is that seldom, it ever before in this
State, has political convention so largely
attended, been held in which there was
80 little friction as in the one Just dissolved
1t is no unimportant indication of the
conference of the new elements combined
in the Independent movement, that on thi,
question upon which there is so great di
verslty of sentiment, there was no collision
which threatened serious consequences
The Independent delegates have met. dis
cussed and disposed Of the question as fal
as political meeting is expected to dis
pose of anything, and yet they have not
divided and are not destroyed.
THE POWERS AND LIMITATIONS OF STATE
GOVERNMENTS.
1t may be called State rights, or it ma,
go by some other name. but the doctrin,
enunciated at Springfield in the tenth anC
eleventh sections Of the platform is the
crystalized thought lying at the very base
OF the mighty uprising of the Western PEG.
pie. The people who read this letter can
best judge, after careful studying of the
following
10 That the existing railroad legislation Of thi,
State should be Sustained aud enforced until thor
oughly tested before the courts that we oppose an
ieslslalon by Congress under the plea OF rsgulat
ing commerce between the States which shall de.
priye the people Of their present controlling. innu.
ence through state legislation and that the claim
OF railroad companies to the right TO fix their
Ireights and fares independents Of the pcoplc In,
wolves the highest attribute Of sovereignty the
rEht OF conqugrOr 10 levy contributions at viii
upon snhjugatcd people state and a. th r. now
or cannot cOexist with a government of Inc Drnnio
II must be resisted INV P~'I'i0'
II. That the right of the Legislature to r,rulatc
9nd control the railroads OF the state must ne vim
created, established and main tained a. an
HttiPulg OF state government and thai those hold
in S . uy , tRal railroad charters are contrac
~ thg SelS' that they are not subject 10 lygi..-
supervision and control have no jus. an. ~,
AZ FtgUVH a a.-l..
mont; and we viii acre f ne 81 rtciado
compromise short Of the CO.. lret EoNrr
me state government, IN ace, submit 20 u
stature TO supervise 81 I2letc sUpremacf
the state I'm suCh 80 right through It's lie.
may demand .IL control the railroads
H., manner a the public interes
g are principles in government lal
,.owu which, if ! am not greatly mistaken
are TO constitute the grand central though
of party which is to contest, in the II
ture, the pretensions Of the corporate te
das and those who can be mustered to So
tain them.
So far rs can now be seen, these sectio
of the Independent platform seem dcstin
to possess a meaning when the tinan
question shall have been disposed OF al
no longer be the subject of discussio
The question is, Shall the States succun
to the corporations? Will there be ce
tralized government controlled by comb
ations Of capital which shall deprive
States of their constitutional powers?
The Independents at Springfield say n
The men who met here were not afraid
grapple with the subject they have spC
en- in no uncertain terms. And on th
the great issue, the Independent mo-
ment will stand or fall All the other
sues are secondary to this. Not even
finance question, or the tariff, or any OIL
issue touched upon in the platform, p
sesses so much importance as this one
relation to the powers and limitations
the State governments
CHARACTER OF THE CONVENTION.
The convention which closed its lab
here last night was composed Of $50 me
bers. representing all sections of the Sta
Perhaps no more respectable body OF II
ever assembled in the capacity of C
ventiOn in this State. In point of int
gence, the convention was far above
average of such assemblages. Its me
bers came to consult, and this they did
manner which must have been hig
gratifying to the friends of the moveme
who watched with anxious interest the !
ceedings The convention altogether !
brilliant triumph,
|
THE GERMANS AND THE sPRINGFII
CONVENTION.