, 1874-08-24

FARMERS VS.. RAILROADS.,

FARMERS VS.. RAILROADS.
The railroad var has only j,lat beghil. 30 far
wo have only soon tho aklr1nlslloa. Tic lcavy
battIes sre to como. Wa DO not propose in thin
connection to express any opinion on tho rights
or wrongs Of citl,or purity to tho controversy.
Our min is simply to show that tho men who
think that "ccop transportation IL to be q
political cry for year or no and tflen bofloard no
moro, arc griavously mistaken.
III tho lsst place, onch party iB thoroughly
convinced that 1t Is entirely right, and that tue
otler IL oatiroly wrong. Tho farmer boisves that
ho 1as boeu deoced ort Of thu profits ho should
havo mado by tho oxtortionato frcight~cllargoB
rendered nocoBsary by tho dishonest contracts,
watored stock, Cro1lt-Stoblllor management, and
general chcauery Of which lie believes tint ali
railway managers uare boon guilty. In proof
that no ia right, lo ndduccH number OF
casoB Ia Which such guilt has been
proved to his satisfaction. Tie managers.
on tho other hand, dcclare thns tic
EailroadB haye beon pushed forward for the eako
Of developing tho country, that tho charges now
muat reimburse tho capital for tho timo during
which It has laid Idle, that tho men who COM
but for tho roals they nro trying to blackmaii,
and that tho plosont charges arc not high
eauugh to pay Il fair Interest Oh tho capital in
vested. No immediate compromise is possible
botwoon parties 80 thoroughly convinced Of tho
entirc roaHouab1oneBs Of tlo'r own aud tho cr-
tire unrcasonabloncss Of thoir opponents viows.
Tnib thorough conviction IL tho 1rBt essential to
protiactcd quarrel.
Secondly, there arc roal grievances on both
sides. The farmer. seeing that sone Of his WOES
arc chargoablo u2ou tho railtonls, naturally ut
tributes them an to tho namo cnuao. Tho mir
fortunes sslich high tariff, an Inflated cur
ronoy, the jobbory OF Legislators, tho oycr-pro-
duction Of grain, and tho fauita OF 1ailtoai-
management have brought upon INN, nro
all charged to tho scoro Of tho last.
Nay, Hon,s of the newspapers tia. claim
to represent tho farmer Aavo discovered
TINT tho marauling grasshopners that hayo
rpeeut'y stripped bis folds are attracted thither
IN BONO mysterious uay by tho two lines Of iron
TINT paas llis farlni Tho rai)roal-uayrasos
justly complain Of tho reckless fashion Of fixing
rates o1empilled III tho Potter 'aw. In tic East
they dctiautly proclaim that that law makes it
nccessary for thom to own a majority OF the
stato Legislatures Those grievances will not
grow less by the brooding over t4om. They will
anger each party. THUS conviction will
have solid food to feed upon aud another
easeutial to prolonged conflict will be supplied.
III tho third placo. political agitatoss will tan
tho lano. In several States both tho Republic
an and Democratic parties aro airoady bidding
for tho Granger vote. This process will be geu-
eral throughout tho Went. Zach purity will ogg
on the oshor. Such tempting mine viu be
steadily worked by the politicians.
Fourthly, the feeling is not local. It is not
confined 10 any one State. Tho whole North
west is ailane. Tha almost miraculous growth
Of tho tarmora' organizations showed how ripo
tho time was for such notion. There Is no
danger Of tho fires dying for lack Of fuel
FftAly, thero Is general uprising Of tho poo
ple agaipst old purity organization. This viii
oxcrt q powerful influence In promoting tho auti-
railroad war. For 1t is natural that. ut sucl
time Of political dlaintegration, voters should
cluster around strong, aggressive organization
which procaims itself to 10 pre-o,ninontly tho
representative OF tho people. Tho Farmers
party mar bo expected to grow ia strength,
Eyon il its name is swallowed up io that Of some
mora comprehensive party, its alma will not b.
It will form auch an important portion Of that
party that its influence will DO felt.
Finally, wbilo tho union Of tho farmers giyoB
them atrength, tue capital Of tic roads partially
atones for their lack Of union. Tho money
power Is 4 tremendous oue. Money will Greats
wosat, buy up tho Legislatures Of dozen States.
Tie parties arc both very strong, then. The
struggle betweon thom will be bitter ono. II
ODE law Is oyorrn]ed in tic courts Of last resort
another will bo passed. There will bo constant
strlfo until the greut maAs OF the people aro
thoroughly convinced, ono way or the otho1. Tho
final decision of such loug and earnest contest
ia apt to bo IN extreme one. In this
case, 1t aeems likely that tho railroads will
eventually bs either entirely froed from or ea-
tiroly aubiected to Legislative control. Their
managers may convince Tho pooplo TINT eolf-ia-
tefsst will keep their charges at tho proper point
or they mag SEQ tho people, angerod BY long
quarrellng, assuma entsre possession Of tho
roada, aud run thom on their own account. Itia
for tAeso ,easons that We bolicye that tho rail-
road war has just begun, and that, no matter
Which party is IN tho right, The dooision is MAR
OF.
M0ULT0N8 ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES.
thu B,ate1nont Of Moulton pabllsAed in TIE
TRIBUNE OF Saturday was In no Hcnse reply to
noechor's statemont, FOR tho reaaon That it was
prepared several weeks previously to bo laid be-
fora tho Committee, and tAon withheld at the
last a1omseut III taa hope OF peace, Moultou'a
atatomeut published Aug. "a waa written to be
praaantad Aug. 8, and Of courso WAS not and