The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-10-21
A FARMERS CONVENTION.
A Protest Against Railroad and Other Nc
nopoiies.


oa the 18th of October. There were about
three hundred delegates in attendance. Matt
Anderson wisconsin, was chosen President;
L. Prince CAfassachusettsl W. J. Fowler New
York., A. B. Smith kentucky, Milton George
Qlinois, }. E. Cobbey QOwa), and J. J. Fuss
(Michigan), Presidents; Jonathan Periam,
]. NJ Chambers and W. W. Corbett Glllnois),
Secretaries.
Mr.. Pingree, of Illinois, read an essay
on Cheap and Rapid Transportation"
He urged that the great drawback to the id
yancement of the producer was the high
freight rates of railways. In order to have
the people prosper, cheap transportation must
be adopted by some means The remedy was
the construction by the Government of rail-
way to carry exclusively freight from the
grain-growing States of the West to the sea-
beard.
Mr. Fowler of New York was called on for
an address, and told about the organization Of
the New York Farmers alliance, which was
formed three years ago. 1t was not political
in a National sense, though it made fight re-
garding transportation and taxation, only
supporting those candidates for the State
Legislature who were IN accord with the OBJ
iects Of the Association. Much had already
been accomplished, and next year they ex-
pected to have a Legislature which would
enact laws in the interest of the farmers
whose interests were those of the people.
That they did not get their fair share of the
wealth they produced was owing to the neg
let Of their political duties. They should Or
ganize 10 secure their rights. After they had
obtained the transportation reforms demand
ed. and secured equality Of assessment and
taxation. there still remained the necessity of
some political organization of farmers as
farmers to operate upon both parties to check
them in their extravaganza, which led to cor
ruption.
The following preamble andresolutions were
reported from committee and, after discus
sion, unan imously adopted;
his Convention, representing the industrial
ana shipping interests, Oranges Farmers
Clubs and alliances, afhrms as 1ncontroYertl-
be facts that the railroad system of this cOun-
try has become virtual monopoly which IS
defiant of all existing law bearing upon the
management of railways, oppressive alike 10
the producer and consumer, corrupting to our
politics. n hindrance to free and impartial
legislation, and a menace to the very safety
of our republican institutions; that our rail-
road corporations. while having secured an
existence and their franchises through the
plea of being necessary for the public good,
and in The belief on the part of the peoples
representatives that the public good demand
ed il, having been granted the right OF way
through public and private property are Oper-
ating their roads as an entirely private en-
terprise, without regard to the rights of
the people, and needless of their pledges
to, and contract with, the State; that they
have been, aided in the construction of
public land grants, and subsidies and loans,
aggregating in value over billion and half
of dollars, and by town and individual sub
scriptons to an amount which cannot be ac-
curately ascertained, but is known to eggre-
gate hundreds of millions, and that although
no part OF the principal and not penny of the
interest has ever in a single instance been
maid. these CORPORATIONS utterly ignore the
enormous assessment with which the people
have thus voluntarily burdened themselves in
their behalf, and assume the right to impose
rates for freight and passenger transportation
as il the roads had been wholly constructedb by
the contributions of their individual mem
bers; that their pubiicly-announced principles
of business is to charge rate as high as the
business will BEAR which means that freight
tariffs shall be maintained at just as high
figure as will not make the shipment OF farm
produce and merchandise absolutely OBJECT
less-a principle so unjust and tyrannical that
those engaged in private business enterprises
would not dare adopt it; that they compel the
producer and shipper to contribute suficlent
TO pay large dividends not only upon the fair
value of the bona tide stock, but also upon the
full value of large and repeated issues Of wa
tered stock; that they organize within them
selves independent cJmpanis5-which manage
what are called fast freight lines-to do the
business which they were organized TO do, ana
thus are enabled to assess the public TO pay
dividends to two companies, when one could
90 the business; that they discriminate against
individuals and communities, assuming the
power, and using it most disastrOuSy at times,
TO ruin merchant or mercantile or farming
community; that these corporations have
grown so arrogant that they refuse 10 listen to
either remOnstrances or entreatics, and that
State legislation IS wholly imperative to
thwart their des gins or to enforce the right of
the public. In view OF these startling facts,
and III accordance with the decision OF the Su-
preme Court of the United States, affirming
the right of the people to regulate the man.
agcment OF and charges upon railroads, this
Convention resolves:
/. That the producers and Shippers OF this
country in their contest with the railroad
monopoly desire only what is right, that they
demand that, and that they will have it.
=. That while agriculture pays less than four
per cent. upon the investment, and legitimate
business enterprises of any character seldom
reach ten per cent, we will not pay rates TOR
the trans pOrtatiOn Of the produce OF our farms
to market which enable railroad officials to
amass princely fortunes, live in extravaganza,
and pay large dividends upon the fair value of
their stock, besides saving enough from the
profits of their business to make improve
Iuents and extensions upon their lines which
are often more valuable than the aggregate of
tuli dividends.
B. We demand of Congress a remedy; that il
shall place the railroads Of the country under
Government control, enacting laws that Will
certainly protect the producer from the terri
bic eXtOrtlOn under which he has so long suf-
fered, and we viii hold our Representatives in
! the National Legislature to strict accounta-
bi.ity for their action in the premises, pledg-
]
ourselves to the utmost to defeat the re-eleo-
! ton of any man to any Legislative or EXecu-
tive Office who does not actively favor in his
official capacity the suOjugatlOn of railroad
corporations to the will of the people.
4. We demand of our respective political
parties that hereafter they shall nominate for
| The State Legislature and for Congress only
I such men as are in sympathy with the indus
! trial and commercial interests, and who, If
| elected, will work and vote to place the pro
| ductiCn upon an equal footing with monopo-
lfgs gNFn plo or
! parties neglect TO do this We pledge ourselves
| TO use every honorable means TO defeat the
| candidates which they present for our suf-
| frage.
Z We congratulate the Grange and Farmers
| Clubs upon what they have done to emanci-
! pate the labor of the farm from slavish dTudg-
! cry to mOnopolies, and urge them to contln-
| nance of their noble work, which has been 80
effective in the education of the masses, and
/ such an obstacle to class legislation.
! g. We bid a welcome and godspeed TO the
/ Farmers Alliance, which joins hands with the
/ Grange and Farmers Clubs in demanding these
| reforms which are requisite for the prosperity
| ii the farmer and of the country.
T. We pledge our support TO those Journals
which shall support MS. and urge upon farm
| Frs the recognition of the duty to support no
/ paper which is not outspoken in our interests.
| THE ALLIANCE.
! After the adjournment of the Convention
number of delegates remained in the hail and
organized National Alliance. The constitu-
! ton adopted sets forth that the National
Farmers Alliance OF the United States
thOuld have power to make laws for the gov
! eminent of the entire organization. The OBJ
/ tects were: To unite the farmers of the Unit
/ ed States for their protection against class
| legislation and the encrOachments of concen-
/ trated capital and the tyranny Of monopoly;
! to provide against being imposed upon by
swindlerS and swindling advertisements in
/ he public prints; to oppose in their respect
! i've political parties the election of any can
iidate to Office state or National, who
was not thoroughly in sympathy with
/ the farmers interests; to demand that
-. al,c