The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-05-20
w hat VIII Congress DO fer Far
mers? Probably NOthing-C0r-
pOratiOns Rule--.Why? The
Farmers Permit Ia


poratiOns Rule-.Why? The
Farmers Permit ia
By H. EsHBAUGH, MASTER OF THE
MISSOURI STATE GRANGE.
/ have received a number of CON-
munications from different parts of
the State making inquiries as to
the prospects of Legislation by Con-
gress, in reference to the regulation
of freight tariffs, and in reference
to tho Reagan bill. Will it pass?
Will the present Congress do any.
thing to regulate the railroads, &C.?
Now, we have several communi-
cations advising US to distribute
blank petitions for signatures, urg-
ing Congress to pass the Reagan
bill; others to pray Congress TO
legislate in tho interest of COM
merce. / will say, in reply as to
what may be done by Congress by
way of regulating railroad corpora.
tions by the passage of the Reagan,
or::any other bill, it is yet unknown.
The Reagan bill does not do justice
to the farmers, but comes much
nearer to doing so than, any other
offered. The farmers as general
rule, are quite willing to accept it
as the best way to regulate this
vexed question, for the time being
There Is powerful opposition or
ganized, working against the pas
sage of any and every measure at
tempting to regulate these corpora
tions. Railroads have employed
the best talent they could get
They have tho money, and money
generally gets the best there is to
be had. They use all the poweE
at their command to influence Con-
gress and prevent any legislation
That would compel them to deal
justly with other interests. This
question was recently considered
by the Committee on Commerce of
the House of Representatives, and
over eleven days were consumed by
railroad lawyers, officers and man
ayers of railroads, in presenting arr
guments in behalf Of railroads and
their interests. These arguments
were presented by McVeagh, Fink,
Adams, Depew and others of equal,
ability, while only, one day was
consumed in presenting arguments
in behalf Of the agricultural inter,
ests. The efforts being made to
defeat q favorable report on the
Reagan bill by the Committee on
Inter, State Commerce most clearly
shows the powerful efforts that will
be brought to bear TO defeat the
passage of any bill that will strike
at the assumed authority exercised
by these corporations. The power
of the railroad lobby, hanging Oh
the skirts of Congress like barna-r
cles, with millions of dollars in
ready money at their command to
use in securing influence and votes
to defeat the bill, leaves the hope
for relief very doubtful until the
farmers elects a Congress familiar
with the true interests of agricul-
ture, commerce. and railroads, and
with sufficient integrity to dare to
deal with this question upon the
principle of justice to all interested,
and who can not be swerved by
lobbyists nor by the temptation of
money.
In answer to the question of peti
tioning Congress further on this
subject, [ am led to the belief that
it would be a waste of time and
money to do so, from the fact that
tho. National Grange, as well as
thirty-two State Oranges, and
thousands of Subordinate Oranges
have sent petitions containing hun
dreds of thousands of signatures
praying for legislation upon the
subject of Interstate commerce.
In addition, several State Legisla>
lures have asked for legislation for
the same purpose. So have num-
Der of Boards of Trade and Cham
bers of Commerce, Millers' Associ-
ations, Produce Exchanges, Anti
Monopoly Leagues and kindred
associations. There never bas been,
since the Government was formed,
such demand upon the Congress
of the United States for legislation
in any interest SO generally ap-
proved and 80 largely petitioned for
ae the one under consideration.
And there is not a single member
in either House of Congress but
knows this to be the fact. If all
these influences will not lead Con-
gress to legislate wisely, without
further delay, they would not if
additional petitions were sont them.
This clearly indicates how little