The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-06-26
For or Against! That il the
Rmasffan

Now that for two years the far
mers of this country have mainly
through efforts of the Grange, asked
oftheir Representatives in Congress
such legislation as would free the
masses of the people from the OPP
preston of the few, as Combined in
railroad monopolies, and as these
expressed wishes and demlnds have
not been needed, it has caused
thinking people to rea lie more
than ever before that, perhaps
through our own neglect, our Gov
eminent is representative only in
name, and to look about for means
to ''bring us back to purit and in
tegrity of our torefathes If our
representatives have not represen-
ted us, we, their constituents should
ask of them an account of their
stewardship, and if weighed in
the balance and found warting," let
them step down and out, and in the
future let each and every Patron far
mer, irrespective of party, ''do all
he can in his own party, to see that
none but competent, faithful and
honest men, who will unfi chingly
stand by our industrial interests, are
nominated for all positions oftrust."
The time to do this is aOJo, before
or at the caucuses and conventions.
Ask tbs candidates the question
squarely how they stand on the
great questions now pressing so
heavily upon farmers in particular,
and let them know they will be ex-
pected to live up to their record.
We have before US letter from
member of the present Congress,
from Ohio, an answer to questions
put to him as to how he stood on
the Reagan bill, inter State COM
merce, &c. It is right to the point,
and members of all parties should
demand just such explanation in all
cases in the future. We have num-
bers, justice and right upon oul
side; let us be men enough to do
the work We extract from the
letter as lollows:
"On the question of inter State
commerce of which you inquire,
the best answer l can give on that
subject is my recoId while in Con-
gress. On the Reagan bill pending
in the 45th Congress, to regulate
fares and fright of railroad, l voted
for and advocated the bill. You
will find on every vote that was ia
ken my vote recorded in favor of it.
| also refer you to the debates in
the late Ohio Constitutional Con-
vention, where | constantly advo-
Gated constitutional provision pro-
hibiting railroads from discriminate
ing between through and local rates,
insisting that railroads ought to
be compelled to carry freight and
passengers at as low rates for local
as for through. have always been
in favor of protecting the producer
by giving him all the advantages
that any others have, and if rail
roads make low rates fran St Louis
to New York l would compel them
to carry at the same proportlonate
rates between all way points. This
was the object of the Reagan bill,
and | advocated it strongly and re-
corded my vote every time in its ia
vor. This has been my position al
ways as my public record will
show"
Now let us demand that all aspir-
ants to Congress in all parties thus
squarely define their position" and
remember that by far the greatest
number get there by farmers votes.
Let us learn to cast intelligent bal
lots, and we shall have taken a long
step forward GRANGE Bulletin.