Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1878-02-07

dence that the influence of the farmers of
America is at last beginning to be felt in our
halls of national legislation, and it is GER
tainly gratifying to know that this vast ele-
ment of our nations wealth-but a few
years since totally ignored-is regaining a
position where it may be heard upon the
important questions of the day, and felt in
the enactment of the laws of our country.
Further than this they are meaningless, and
even were they enactments that were to be
obeyed in the future it would seem like APP
plying the remedy after the disease had been
cured. This matter Of granting subsidies is
one to which the agricultural community
has long been opposed, tor the reason that
it was inequitable, unjust, and imposed u
heavy burden which they must ultimately
bear, and not for the general good of the
country but to create an uncomfortable
monopoly. Railroads built with the farm
ers' money were no sooner upon all indie
pendent basis than they became arrogant
and oppressive, and the hardy sons of toll
saw to their sorrow the creature Of their own
hands, created for a blessing, transformed
into a curse-and hence arose the antlpathy
to subsidies. Not that the mass of the peo-
pie were not p~ublic-spirited nor desired to
see the work of internal improvement pro-
gress, but that they were opposed to creat-
ing a power to Cypress the , opposed to
lending Of their substance towards the erec-
ton of an institution in the control of which
they could hope to have no voice. And
thus arose the question as to the right Of
legislatures Of States and Territories to con-
troll the price of traffic upon railroads with
in their borders, and which, after a long and
spirited contest, at length resulted in a deci-
sion in favor OF the farmers. This was the
turning point. Substituting railroads which
the people may control is quite another
thing to substituting when they can have no
voice in the matter, and could this %interpre-
tation of the law have been had in the good
old times of our fathers, the iron m%onopolies
would never have got the country so COM.
pletely within their grasp. The i'll feelings
now existing between Individuals and corr
porations would never have been engender-
ed, but they would nave been working rant
in hand in the development of the resources
Of the country. And even to-day. if we
could have the assurance Of honest repre-
sentation in our law-making assemblies,
there would be nothing to. fean from, subsi-
dizing railroads, and ~anti-subsidV resolu-
tons would be wholly unnecessary, apd, in
fact, contrary to the best interests of the
country, for it often occurs that the people
find it highly beneficial to aid private enter
prise. But in this age of swindling, when
legislators are acknowledged articles of mer-,
chandise, and are bought and sold, at will,
the rights Of the people are still endangered,
and what is termed the great victory of the
guangers is really merely the taking of the
outposts, and cannot be considered a victory
until they can be assured, of honest repre-
sentation. The expressions of the House of
Representatives is an open admission of the
general distrust III American legislation.
The doing away with this distrust will be
the work for the next great reformation, but
until such time too great a safeguard cannot
be thrown around the rights of the people.
---o-a----r-
The TurkO-Russian war is. fast drawing
70 q close; hostilities have almost ceased.
The Russian armies are pushingsforward al
most without resistance. and doubtless ere
this the great City of the Golden Horn is in
their possession. Th9 press of our country.
which but a few short months ago was filled
with eulogies of the bravery of the Turks in
defense of their homes and tiresides, is now
loud with praise for the victorious invader.