The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1880-11-06
A TAETE.y CONVENTION.


A TAETE"y CONVENTION.
|. 4 Prssest Against Rallrsaa and Other Ne
nopolles
A CONVENTION of farmers. made up OF rep
resenta,iyes from several hundred Granger
and her organizations. was he'd in CHI cago
OIL the 18th of Octobcr.$ There were about
three hundred delegates In attendance. Matt
Anderson Wisconsin, was chosen President;
L. Prince (Massachusetts, W. J. Fowler New
York, A. b. Smith kentucky, Milton George
illinois. }. E. Cobhey uOwa), and j. J. Fuss
Mich gam, Vice-presidents; Jonathan Pertain,
J. NJ Chambers and W. W. COrbctt illinois,
Secretaries.
IIr. Pingree, of Illinois, read an essay
on Cheap ana Rapid Transportation"
He urged that the great drawback to the al
vanceHent 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-
wa TO carry exclusively freight from the
gran.grOwing States of the West to the sea-
beard. T4-E .t..
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 tight re-
garling transportation and taxation, only
supporting those candidates for the State
Legislature who were in accord with the OBJ
jects Of the Association. Much had already
been accomplished, and next year they cx-
tnl 20 7 clo%,, pAyHi oh
enact laws in the interest OF the farmers,
whose interests were those Of the people.
Tha. 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.
gsnize to 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
come political organization OF farmers rs
farmers to operate upon both parties to check
them in their extravaganza, which led to COR
ruptiOn. by 'rai .a,.->, 3. t'l-
The following preamble and resolutions were
reported from committee and, after discus.
sioa. ,lnan imollsly adopted: -3"0@ Dc
This Convention, representing theindustria
and shipping interests, Oranges, Farmers
Clubs and alliances, afhrms as incOntrovcrti.
bic facts That the RAILROAD system OF this cOln.
try has become virtual monopoly which is
defiant of all existing law bearing upon the
n,anaecment of railways. oppressive. alike to
the producer and consumer, corriiptng to our
politics. o hindrance to free and impartial
legislation, ami a lncnace to the very safety
ut our cpusl.can Institutions; that our rail-
road corporations, while having secured an
existence AMI their franchises tn Ough the
plea .. being necessary tor the public. good.
10 jaf a al
representatives that the public good demand
I'd it, having been granted the right Of way
through pub ic and private property, are opcr-
sting their roads IL an entirely private en-
terprisc, without regard to the rights. Of
the people, and needless Of their pledges
TO, and contract with, he state; that they
h..ve been aided in the construction Of
their roads by the Government, in
pui lie Lind grants. aud subsidies and loans,
aGgr, eating al value over Il billion and 4 half
OF dollars. and by town and Individual sub.
s"riptions to an amount which cannot be lc-
Curately ascertaincd, but Is known to aggrc-
cato hundreds of Millions AMI that although
no pat of tlc principal and not apenny OF the
interest has ever in Il single instance been
paid, these corporations utterly ignore the
enormous assessment with which the people
have thus voluntarily burdoned themselves in
their behalf, and assume The right to impose
rates iur freight and passenger siuu porta,Un
is IL the roads had been wholly constructed by
me contributions OF their individual MEM
ters; that Their puocly-announcch principles
II business 10 To charge rate us high as the
Business Will bear, wlich means that freight
tariffs shall b0 maintained at just as high
iiRure as VIII not make the shipment ut farm
Prou.,ce and merchandise absolutely object
!esa-a principle SO unjust and tyrannical that
thOsa eiil asei in prIvate business enterprises
would not dare adopt it; that they compel the
i'.Oduccr and shipper to. contribute sufficient
u pay large Ovid nus not only upon the fair
value Ci the bona ilde stock. but also upon The
inil value OF large and Repeated issues Of wa.
tefei stock; that they org within them.
iICS Auercnd MT cJnlran.es-Which manage
what are ca.ied fast f.e g,it lin .s--to do the
nuainess winch they were or4aaIzed TO d., and
mus are tIlaDi0I 10 assess the p6uiic TO pay
'Hiv.,lendS 10 mo cumpanleS, when one could
Mothc businessf that they discriminate against
individuals and cJmnlun ties, assuming the
apUwer. and using it enthusiastically at times,
~ rum me- c..tLt, or Il ne .c.lutile " turming
community; trat these corporations have
crown SO arrogant that they refuse . listen TO
either circumstances or .ntreaties, a Il that
state legislation Is wholly imperative to
ihwagt Their des gns or to enforce he right of
tle pus lie. In view of these startling facts,
and IN accordance with the decision ut the Su.
psemc Court OF the United states, affirming
The right OF the p, Ope to regulate the man
asenltit OF and charges upon railroads, this
convention resolves:
l.]h.;t 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 aRyiCultur pays less than four
yer cent. upon the investment, and legitimate
business enterprises Of any character seldom
rtach ten per cent, We will not Day rates tor
the transportation Of the produce oil 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.
klents and extensions upon their lines which
ne often more valuable than the aggregate Of
full dividends.
1 d. We demand Of Congress a remedy: that Il
shall place the railroads Of the country under
Government control. enaetin9 laws that will
certainly protect the producer from the terri.
bic eAtort on under which he has 50 long suf.
fered, and We will hold our Representatives in
ni,S sCr sa;. to strict
ing ourselves and our constituency 10 exert
ourselves to the utmost to defeat the re-eieC.
ton OF any man TO any Legislative or Execu-
i've otiice who does not actively favor In his
eihcsal capacity the subjugatton Of railroad
corporations 70 the will Of the people.
~. We demand Of our respective political
parties that hereafter they shall nominate for.
the state Legislature and for Congress Ouiv
SUCH men 40 are tn sympathy with the indus.
yriM anu commercial interests, and who, II
elected, viii work and vote 70 place the pro-
duct1cn upon an equal footing with m0nOpo.
ues OF every character: and II our respective
parties neglect to do this, we pledge ourselves
70 ue9overy honorable, means to defeat the
'esnuoAtes which they present for our SUI.
W con&fatuiaae he Grange and Farmers
Clobo upon what they have done to enamel.
paec the labor Of the farm from slavish drldg.
i0ry to nonQpOlies, and urge them 70 coatin.
Nanco Of their noble work, which has been 90
such an obstacle to, class Legislation. ~
o. We bid q welcOme and gOdspeed to tho
FarmerS' Alliance, which Joins haiils With the |
Grange ana Farmers Clubs IN demanding these
REFORMS Which are requisite for the prOsperitv
~. We pledge Ollr support to those Journals
whlch snail support Ne, and urge upon farm.
ersfhe recGgnitton Of the duty to support no