The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1877-02-03


encounter the hardships Of Dioueer life
the victims of a cruel policy % The part OF
our government, and the unfe ling greed
of the usurer, whom alone e hirellng
press has word III favor of
The Governor Of New York, in his re-
cent message, says that I" the expense a
maintaining our common schools under the
present system, is practically destroying
1t. | believe this To be 40 less true "a
ours. The report Of the Superintendent
Of Public instruction shows a cost of nearly
81, 900, 900 to maintain our public schools
the past year. This, together with our State.
county, municipal, and other taxes, all Of
which are each year on the increase, will
soon, if the brakes are MT put on, con
sumo annually the entire net products Of
the industries Of the State And as the
discussion Of taxation has been one Of the
leading features of our meetings hereto
fore, We owe 1t to the people 10 SO bring
this matter before the Legislature at this
time as to obtain, if possible, this winter,
such a revision os our revenue laws as
will tighten the increasing burdens 50
needlessty impt sed upon the agricultural
interests Of the State.
our last annual meeting, leaving il discre-
tIonary with the Executive Committee to
call the Advisory Board Or not, resulted III
10 call last May, such meeting being rem
dered unnecessary from the fact that poiit
Ical ac ion was taken PRIOR "a the time as
signed IA the constitution ,ur such call. In
accordance with the amended provision. a
quarterly meeting was called AZ CentralIa,
IA May Neither the President nor Secre-
tary we're able to attend. As the Secretary
pro tenn. failed to report 10 me, ! can give
no other account ot it than thar learned
from the Centralia Democrat
The proceedings, as far as published, in
dicated a profitable meeting. No other
meetings were called, IN consequence Of
the residential campaign, Whlch absorbed
the entire attention OF the people
My postage account S6l 90 will show
that have not been idle during the past
year. My correspondence has been large,
and there has been constant demand ior
advice and Tor documents bearing upon
the great questions that are now agitating
the whole peopla. J have distributed over
thirty Thousand documents NJ various
kinds, which have cast the utice only eN-
press charges ana postage. TILE entire re-
ceipts have been SPIES the expenditures
amount to S243.1J, iuaymg 4 deficit NJ
SO AZ.
In conclusion, whatever may he thc re-
suit If our nth annual meeting. lrt TIE
repeat that We have reason tu congratulate
ourselves upon the Work already done.
We have brought before the people an
amount Of information that other utgaul-
cations have failed 10 du.
Our annual efforts. $50 far As published
have been the means Of showing tn the
people ali over the Union, not only what
has brought about the present depression
Of our industries, but has pointed out the
remedies for the evils under which we
labor. We have the honor 10 having in
augurated the first systematic resistance to
the encroachmcuts ut combined capital
upon the people rights, iu utN jld-mrut,
III the so-caIed railroad vdr, anna, iu
my opinion. we should make our Assucia-
tiDn one If the permanent institutions uf
the ate, where hy Intelligent discussion,
ana organized concert NJ action, not only
those questions which interest us al a4ri-
cultursts, but the problem NJ the relation
ot labor u capital IA other departments of
industry may he peacefully solved without
disturbance. and wIJhou, IL jury ID any If
the great business interests ui the country.
Accept my thanks, Alr President aud
gentlemen of the Association, for the uu-
varying kindness with which you have
treated me, aud Tor much and and eucuur-
agement in the discharge OF my duties for
the pas. year and permit me, IN cluslng
to express the hope that your choice for
Secretary for the ensuing year may fall
upon some younger uai. tor. while NI ''p1
to serve you to the best ~ my ability ID
any capacity for which ! am fitted. ! ~.
heve there are others ain WV yuu who's.
years and means would enable them tl
discharge the duties ut ths office with
more satisfaction tr thr Association, aad
that change would ~ desirable.
III M. SuIrH
On motion, the report WA referred tn
the Committee on Officers Report.
TREASURERS REPORT.
NJ. PreSiItat Gad Cr.,''em,a NJ h, Illinois
stat, Farmers association:
As Treasurer ct your Association. ! neg
leave to report that. as there has been no
money sent to me during the past year,
| have disbursed none.
Respectfully.
jaws II. PlcSEELL.
On motion Of Mr.. Wightman. # VIII
county.a committee of i've we're appointed
on finance.
Professor Geo. Il Morrow, of the Iih-
nois Industrial University, had promised
to address the Convention but Was absent
on account Of sickness. He sent au essay
of which the following j. copy on
''Work for the Farmer a. an Individual
The essay Was read by President FIagg,
and was ordered printed
ESSAY BY PROFESSOR MORROW.
Associations composed If farmers and
working for the good of farmers. are not ouiy
proper but much to be approved " and en-
couraged. We have had none too many of
shem nor too much of WORK by them. When
they have not been productive Of good results,
II has not been because they were associa-
tion~, but because OF UnRise management.
IL Is mark ut ignorance, eg1tIsm, jealousy
or lack OF appreciation of one ot the greatest
sources Ot successful action. for one to insist
on working alone. ANY good cau-c is al
vanced by the union ot It's friend Boz cir ef-
forts The public meeting l. a marvelHu,ly
effective means Of melting interest and cL-
thusIasm Of concentrating ana tircibly eN-
pressing public opinion. and. "a less degree.
uf impartIng and acquiring information. This
Is as true III agriculture a. ia politics ur re-
hgon, and the farmer owes IL tn himself aud
to his fellows to give his aid to associations
devoted 20 the interests NJ his class wisely
choosing those which are most u-etuI NJ
which give best promise VI usefulness ~ the
future.
No farmer, however. has night 70 REIN on
any association - 40 the work am rnpTiatc to
him AS al individual NJ one does TINS 50
far his physical work Is concerned, but
there is a danger Of relying ON others 90 de-
eide what that work shouli he. and II feel
ing that the interests oi the class can nnl, be
advanced bv the formal action OF preauIza-
tions. Instead of tins being true, the pros
perity of farmers as a class l. t. be secured
by the individual farmers becoming pros per
gr,a