, 1874-05-11
THE REAL ISSUE INVOLVED IN THE
FARMERS MOVEMENT.

The following a11teas was delivered BY Alr.
Charles W. dreouo. Secretary of tho National
Agricultural Congress, ut Bloomington Ind,
May 0:
During tho past two years tho people Of tho
United statoa have hcen agitatod ae never be-
fore. From tho St. Lawrence to the Gulf. anl
all tho WY acrusa tho Continent, wo hear Of Il
strange con,mution, involving NIL Of tho lum-
nler clasaes, aud commanding tho ATTENTION Of
become accustomed 10 rank tho 'profc: :dloi,a1s
and the favored oreH OF wealth. Tho wor,l ilps
goue forth that
THE PEOPLE MuRT ORGANIZE,
and the command las boen acccdod to without
question aH to It's origin. Il would indeed bo
difficult, perhaps impossible, to determine how,
whom, or whero this idea possessed tho people,
80 TINT they wcre already, aa by Que accord, to
join hands ana hearts, to touch shoulder to
shoulder, for tho advancement OF tho gcncral
wolfare. That they were 80 possessed Is clearly
evidenced by tho spontaneous response to the
first calls made for goneral convcatioLs. These
conventions were called in the South, in tho
Wost In tho East, and in the heart Of the cour-
try. Who called thom, and tho immediate occasion
therefor, is matter Of 80 little moment TINT 1t
has hardly become 1nattcr OF record, It would
bo difficult to establish precedence in this regard
for any locaiity or for any individual. Nor
iB 1t necessary to do SO. Tho movement is m
advancing onc. The past Ia loft hoh,nd, aud
oyo,y eye aud every thought is cast aAead,--
accomplish what? I have said for the advanuo-
meGt Of the general welfare. Tho term is vague
ono, but 1t prohahly conveys ma doflnito an idea
ia 1t il possible to oxpress now. Tho woik to 1e
done has not get boon clearly do1ued. Wo
8ay 1t Ia to overthrow monopoly. But We find
lies have not become oppressive as where
they have. Wo Say ita mission ia odu-
cational, !" and. again that II will promoto
Bocability and fraternal feeling. Docs it not
rathor recoiva it's impetus from the gradual,
lcct and heart? Again, 1t is assigned tho gnoblo
task Of choaponiny sugar and pIows, and Of
longthoning the pilces Of corn and potatoes;
but, III tho first stagca Of doyalopment, this busi
notwithstanding thla confusion tho work OF or
gnnizntion goes steadily OIL. It Ia not tho farm
ers alone which ARC zealonsly gathering in the
workers, but tho mechanics and artisans and Ia
borers nre .enrolling themselves for tho con:est.
Is to bo done2 Whore nre our ailtagonlsts2
WE ARE HERE MILLION sTnpS0.
ready and waiting what great work are Te ox~
nectoa TO perform Ihe time ha arrived M wssn
mont first started we a!raady Ree manifestations
Of impationeo. Much money aud 1naro t,mo haa
been devoted to the work Of organizing, aud tho
results are not sufficiently appnront TO sntisfy
may .os prosene to you p1,y denuitU plans for
future action. tt will certainly not bio anlias if
review somo Of the causes which itayo con-
such stssr review " W. vii Suggest to your minds to
practical anawor to tue questions 80 anxlously
propounlod
Iroroat, to givc It grcater emphasis. that 1t
may safely be Haid TINT tho opposition to tnonop-
oily ip ltB present contracted senBp, ,waB after-
thought, and TINT it had no part as q datiuito
purpuae in promoting tho earlier action. In
decd, the irapulso was not IN independent ono,
nor Of recent origin. THIS present condition OF
the public mind Ind been reached by
4 PROCESS OF SLOW DEVELOPMENT.
It R ono Of the successive Btagos in ol,r national
life III conformity to tho arbitrary law Of oyolu-
lion.
memory Of Charlcs Summer, roferring to tho
character and public services of Webster aud
Clay, says: "Snoh men filled tho stage during
that period Of construction aud conservative
Of their statoHmauahp, tho statesmanship Of
the political mind, to tho purpose OF saieing
thcir county to groatnosa IN wealth and power,
Of maksuy tho people proud Of their nationality,
and Of Unfolding tho Union ~ tho contentmont
tinn al law aud constitutional prosperity. And
wien they drew near their cnd thoy could boast
Of many 4 grand nchleyenont not indeed OK
sasiyoy ther own for othST pqToffa ;fa minds
st1oug aud respected The Repub,io Ind no for.
cjgn Too to fear, its growth in population and
wealth, In popular intelligence and
progressive civilization. the wonder Of
tho world. There was no yiaiblo limit
to its developmont; thoro seemed to 10 no
danger 10 its Integrity" Il wsa Iust aa thoao
men eteprod from tho public stago Tint su,unor
appcafcl u,on It, tho ombudlmout OF tho moral
ideas which form tho only fruo basis Of national
witty Through hia uuiliuclling integrity and
his intelligent md 1ndo,nitablo porsoyorniico in
tho work wA,cl, deyolyess upon lin after a long
nrotraeted struggle, ending in q raucuinpry frate
rici]nI conflict tho pation has bean liberated
from Tue llightiug incubus Of human Slavery.
But We aro not yet FREQ. Human government
haA not yet attained perfection. Source havo We
overcome ono atupoudons OWL GRO nnother bna
reared ity 1yttra henj. pne Of :, mora tl,yoatnn
ing aspect tflan lis Predecessor, enc whicI uor-
yaaios every luca1lty
TuE AnlsfocnAoY OF CONCENTRATED WEALTH.
Which quietly aasl,nos to rsllrp tic prorosat,yos
OF Goyelmest, aud steadily undernttuoa tic yir-
tue Of tic publio SERVANTS, is moro to bo fcarod
than was tho slayocracy Of tho So1th,' it il iar
moro moro threatening to tho integrity Of our free
nnvarnmant lie t1ocI,, nra ~ darnnoau ia