Daily globe., 1879-07-23


of all delegations being in attendance.
The committee on programme not being
ready to report, Gov. Ramsey moved that the
convention take recess until 4 o'clock P. M.
Carried.
THE PLATFORM.
At 4 o'clock the convention got together
again, and the committee being prepared with
its report it was read by Gen. VIM. u. Banning,
as follows:
Your committee fully appreciate the import
anca of the questions submitted to them, and
recognize, as does this convention, that upon
their wise solution greatly depends the growth
Northwest and the agricultural and CONNER
cial prosperity of millions of people. They
also realize the difficulties that surround and
the interests that will oppose any plan, no
matter how just and wise, that seeks to resist
the force of individual interests, combinations
and corporations.
These interests and combinations, when they
would perpetrate q wrong, must be met, in a
case like this, by other interests and combina-
tions with like Intelligence, enterprise and cap
ital to right the wrongs complained Of.
In the consideration of the question how
and shorten the distance and lessen the rate of
carriage, your committee rely with confidence
on that public intelligence and determination
that is ever aroused to practical and earnest
action when a real danger is threatened to the
business Of the country or large classes of men.
1t is not too much to say that this conven-
tion is the outgrowth of this we'll founded
alarm and that this body is but the advance of
movement behind which stands not only the
citizens of Minnesota but adjoining States and
Territories that shall soon contain many mil
lions of people, and produce no mean share of
food and commerce of the world.
Between the head of Lake Superior and the
Pacific ocean distanca of Sil0 rniIoa a
large section of the continent equal to any
other Sc Htion of like extent in its capacity for
the production. tH
With a climate aud soil especially adapted
for the production of food. wheat and of
bread stuffs or meat, containing large areas
loaded with coal, iron, silver and gold, and it
| bids loudly for lines of transportation by rail
| and water to carry it's wealth of produce to the
| MAJ kets of the world.
Taking strip of this territory naturally be-
longing and directly tributary to the northern
route via the great lakes and the St. Lawrence,
5OO miles wide and l,6OO miles long, gives an
area of nine hundred thousand square miles.
This is nearly twice as large as Maine, New
Ham pshire, Vermont Massachusetts, Conneti-
cut, Nav York, New Jersey, Ohio, Penn
sylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana and
Iowa.
The above states together give 460, OFT square
miles, with population IN 1870 of a. 292, 1856.
If it is q humane and a wise political max
i'm that the food of the world belongs to the
world
If it be true Us commercial principle that
great lines Of transportation should be SO laid
down and adopted as to bring the producer and
consumer as cheaply and closely together as il
possible If it be true that he deserves strong
praise who makes two blades of grass
grow where but y; one grew + before
it is also true that he who gives that increase
value is q benefactor to his kind.