Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-05-14
THE GRANGER MOVEMENT.


Francis Adams, Jr., in the North Ameri-
can Review for April. Mr.. Adams has
spent much time in the investigation Of
this subject, and his conclusions are enti-
tied to thoughtful consideration.
The Granger movement had cause, and
has done great deal of very good work,
Notwithstanding the blunders which have
marked its career. Between the years 1865
and 1870, the western farmers felt very
| keenly the fact of their distance from the
great centres of human industry, TO which
they must look for markets and sources Of
supply, and the burden of their cry was
ailroads, more railroads." The insufli-
cheney Of western capital aud the pressing
need of new channels Of communication
with the east assumed more and more
| prominence, and no inducements were
thought too large with which TO tempt for
eign capital. Then began the railroad
mania which eliminated in the panic of
1873. Capital flowed to the west, in an APP
rarenuy inexhaustble stream, and rail-
| roads were constructed as If by magic. Iu
| the western states and territories alone, in
the five years that preceded the Granger
movement, not less than $500 600, 900 of ac-
tual wealth were invested in the building
of railroads. In the five essentially Gran
ger states, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Ne
braska, and Kansas, the mileage Of railroad
increased between the years 1867 and 1873,
from G,992 to 1858, or 254 per cent. These
railroads had been built by capital out of
the states, and now the West began TO
count the cost. Although she had the use
Of the roads, she did not own them, and
must pay for the use She discovered that
| in her eagerness she had made an improvi-
| dent bargain. Those who owned the roads
did not live at the West and the abuses
almost always incident to to absentee own
ership crept in. The owners wanted divi-
dends, and if they were not forthcoming
there would be trouble in the next meeting
of the stockholders. The local managers
OF the roads were shrewd men, who knew
at whose will they held their positions, and
they did not undertake to serve those who
used the roads, but kept up tho condition
of the property and earned dividends.
In order to hasten the construction of the
| railroads the Western farmers had rushed
headlong into the land grant policy. The
railroad companies became monopolists
and spectators, and held vast tracts of
land for which the settlers would be com
PEELED to pay inordinate prices. Towns and
counties had been bonded, and private
farms mortgaged 10 hold out inducements
to build the roads, aud the interest began
TO press. The railroad companies were far
from popular, and the local managers were
insoient 10 tue extreme. 1t would seem as
if the prominent rule laid down by the
companies for their servants was, that they
were to show the least possible degree Of
respect or consideration to any person hay
ing business with the company.
So now, the laImers in place of seeing
only the want OF railroads, saw only the
abuses incident TO the management OF rail-
roads. These impetuous people would not
sit down quietly under this, and they be-
came at once deaf to reason, TO law, or to
considerations OF remote self interest.
Their extravagaut utterances would seem
incredible were they not recorded. They
compared the modern railroad corporation
to the feudsl baron of the Middle Ages,
and resolved that this despotism should be
subdued and made to subserve tue public
Interest Of whatever cost. As usual, the
wild utterances took the form of yet wilder
laws. The people demanded that law
should regulate the profits, the method of
operation, and the political relations of the
railroads. The theory OF competition as
the regulator Of everything by natural law,
was entirely abandoned, and all believed
in the power of legislation TO remedy the
difficulties, If the government would take
the railroads into its own hands. Laws
were passed, and went into effect, which
the corporations resisted in the courts, up
on the ground that under the Constitution
of the United States, Legislatures had no
authority 10 practically contiscate private
property. The Supreme Court of Illinois,
in the early part of 1873, declared the leg
islaton unconstitutional. The people oi
these Western States could not and would
not understand how any court of law
should presume to set aside as Illegal Il du-
ly authenticated expression of the popu-
lar will. In Illinois the term for which
the Chief Justice had been elected, expir-
ed about the time of the publication Of the
, opinion in the railroad cases. A nominal
ing convention was held, which first pro-
ceeded 10 revise the law of the Chief JUS
, tice, aud then to select another man to sue
, ceed him on the bench. Difficult points o
constitutional law were disposed of il
town meeting, and candidates for the er'
I mine were called upon to pledge themselves
a as to how they would decide cases involv
ing the rights of private persons as con-
= dition of their promotion to the bench. II
is questionable il parallel TO the Illinois
bench packing OF 1873 can be found in tn
9 history of modern civilization, in its dsre
. gard of all decency, and the brazen brutal
r ity with which it was done.
a After giving this account OF the cours
a taken by the Changers, Mr.. Adams consid
. eTs the two hypotheses upon which farmer
based their action. The first was that tn
!, railroads were charging an exorbitan
I price for transporting their products to til
seaboard, and the second was that this prlc
II was necessary in order to pay dividend
# upon heavily watered stock. 1t was sal
that the railroads took four bushels of cor
= for carrying one TO market, and the Grang
70 ers declared this to be unfeeling extortion
a The farmers forgot that if there were N
railroads, corn could be carried only ID
miles before lis value would be exhausted
By rail il can be carried some ! 900 miles
10 but there is limit to the distance it ma
be carried and leave profit. In regard
~ the second hypothesis, Mr.. Adams show
I'd that the railroads are earning much les
V than the ordinary interest of money en-