The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1882-12-27

1 last fev years The reports 0s he safIoti
c1mmlfsFes sisoKgd the present condition
of faaFcnlssre--u llat lffadTtnces Il encnun
! tiers and wiIat p8ficF fsrneFs slisssId pIIzsul
f.r The aeltersaent uE their c8ndiEien aHd 4
place IEseir calling upan an egual Isatins
with ether Industries st the land. 1hl
Committee On Agriculture, after EelIearsin.
the burdens plaeed uEsn farmers. anI slow
ing that trey mist nFganiza IL arder 4
restore equality csncIQ5ed their Fap9Ft 3.
follows:
attainment can oAly Be bad through
wise legislative aetioa, sad that must Gems
directly from onr ea1rts, rs il surely will
wlien We exercise the power We possess.
LIT us liasten to tae work. and that the
Il manner Of preparation may be freed from
aii doubt, the following resolutions are sub
milted:
ResoEgsi. That ia fha exercise Of the
Ielec4Fe franchise we shall recognize al
legiatsee 50 a,Eineipis as the oily saie rule ol
I action.
Res0!asl. That ne rapudiaee sll leader
slip in politics. except ehGt which tends to
| the advancement o8.ti1e material interests
of all our people through The exercise Of the
/ virtues that dignify aud ennobie citizenship.
! Res9Ersd, IllIt safe protection for our In-
/ dustry against organized extortien implies
suitable AMI in snsne degree prapnrti0Hate
| representation in State aud National Lsgis-
lation.
Tie idea clearly enuneiated by the above
| resolutions Is, that the farmers only hope Of
relief aud ref0rm is III taking non-partisan
stand aud in refusing to obey the dictates
of any party which does not fairly and ex-
plicltIy pledge restoration of equality and
justice. Aud the recent independent de-
monstrations made all over the land should
cause party leaders to call halt; far it
tells them in plain .words that the people
are determined that this country shall not
always be at the mercy of grasping monop-
oiies; that the people have rights as well as
corporations.
TRANSPORTATION
is a subject of great importance at this
time. Directed by vast corporations, with
no power to balance or regulate their oper-
ations, they fix their tariffs, amass fabulous
fortunes and extort from the people at large
millions of money and deprive the farming
classes especially of that profit on their indus
try, which just and suitable state Of affa
would not permit Inaction in these mat
ters is fatal. Il involves death to all that
Is pleasant and agreeable, free and honor
able. The determinations, exactions and
assumptions Of railway corporations leave
US room 10 doubt that neither pity or JUS
tice have any weight with them, and that
they will ruin this government or rule it to
their ends. Such se!fshneSs, such grasping
of power by corporations of men are new
features OF menace to free institutions.
of old fell prostrate at the feet of
ouelyrant We ofths day battle with
hydra-headed monster, whose heads are
called monopoly. How impotent seem the
masses before this power, and yet it is the
weakness only of ignorance and inaction. |
Like a spirited span OF horses held in check |
aud guided by rein and voice, they have |
but to test their power to fud it out. There I
are no evils in this country which cannot |
be redre.Sed, not in Il day or All hour, but /
in time. Railroad methods must Be brought /
10 light. There uIust be some governments
al supervision, and that competition encour-
aged which would result from the improve
ment OF cur water channels. The State
Grange for years has been urging upon the
attention OF our State Legislature the ne
cessity Of action in this matter of transpor-
tation.
At our last meeting resolution was
adopted unanimously by rising vote, ask
ing the repeal OF what is known rs the lien
law. Also asking for a valuation law; but
our law makers seemed .more inclined to IA
por nonied monopolies than to look to The
greater interests OF the masses, aud the only
resource left us is to examine the records of
The last Legislature, and in the next cleo
ion turn deaf ear to the mandates of par
", and cast our votes against those
who voted against our interests. Let the
parties know that we have rights as well
IS monopoiies, and that we have the
courage to maintain them; and we will no
onger be ignored and compelled to bear \
burdens Of injustice and inequality. The
Of our grievances Is well nigh
,omplete aud it only remains for US to apply
he remedies prescribed. In the halls of I
Congress and State Legislatures are the
prings and sources If much that oppresses
md burdens the farming classes, and there
5 but one remedy-we must send men as
legislators who have sympathy with the
armers, have knowledge OF his wants, and
Yho have the courage to stand up aud bat
le for them; no important results can be
Ichieyed without.