Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-01-06
FARMERS ALLIANCE.
Meeting of the Farmers State Alliance at
Mankato.


Especial Correspondence of the Globe.
MANKAro, Jan. 4.-The farmers state
alliance met in the court house at 2
O'Clock. In the absence of both president
and vice president the meeting was called
to order by L. F. Finley, secretary. Hon.
J. A. Lattimar, of Faribault county, late
alliance candidate for congress from this
district, was chosen temporary chairman
of the meeting.
Moved by Mr.. Diamond the
appointment of committee of
three on credentials. Carried The
committee consisted of H. G. Howard, of
Blue Earth, D. II. Morse, of Faribault, and
Gustave Meilicke, of Martin. The COM
mittee reported that the counties of Blue
Earth, Martin, Faribault, Jackson, Cotton
wood and Redwood, were represented, but
representatives of other counties came in
later.
The minutes of the last meeting were
then read and accepted. Mr.. Lattimar then
addressed the meeting and said that one of
the questions which should come before
this meeting was that of securing news
paper organ for the interest of the
alliance only, an organ which would
give the true sentiment of the
people on the political questions of the
day and put forth the alliance cause.
Mr.. D. b. Morse moved that the chair
appoint committee of five on resolutions.
Such committee was as follows: D. II.
Morse, Faribault; Fl. G. Howard, Blue
Earth; D. G. Willard, Redwood; Mr.. Dukes,
Martin; Geo. W. Haigh, Blue Earth.
While the committee was out Mr.. Mel l.
icke, of jackson county, was called for.
He addressed the meeting on the condition
of the alliance in Jackson county (the
only county in the state in which the ALI
ance ticket was successfully and showed to
his hearers what a little good solid work
could do. His sentiments were rs-eohoed
by several delegates present.
Mr.. Diamond, of Blue Earth, showed to
tho members the good which the North
western Dairymen's association had done
where it had held its meetings, end on
treated the members to attend it.
After some discussion on the order of
business a committee was appointed to de-
eide upon the order, when recess until
o'clock was taken. During the tecess
petition to the legislature praying them
TO tax railroad property as other pHpe rty.
and to reduce the rate of interest was cir
ealated and very freely signed.
HvnNG SESSION.
Among She first business done after
converting in the evening, the committee
on the order of business reported.
The following committee was appoint
cd to revise the constitution of the state
alliance: Geo. ". Haigh, A. Moses, L. =.
Finley, 81. @. Howard, R. G. Willard.
Mr.. N. G. Willard, secretary of the Man
kRto board of trade, made few remarks
upon the dairy interest and upon the good
derived from the Northwestern Dairy
mems association,t to meet here il; February
next. Nessrs. Howard, Morse, Pratt and
Dukes gave their experience in growing
grain and in the dairying interest. They
invariably succeeded best in the dairying
business.
The committee on resolutions reported
as follows, which report was adopted by a
close vote:
Resolved, That the present tariff which
was adopted In war times as war meas
ure is bearing too heavily upon the people
now in the time of peace and that we de-
mand its revision and a revenue for tariff
only,
WHEREAS, The building and operating of
railroads in this state seems to be paying
the owners enormous dividends enabling
them to make enough in two years to pay
their expenses five years as proven by the
statement of President Porter of the
Omaha road in the late railroad war; and
WHEREAS, Such enormous profits taken
from the people tends to make million
aires of the officers of such railroads in a
very short time, causing them
to become arrogant and DOM
ineering in their dealing with the
people, charging from three to five times
the cost of moving freight and passen-
gers, discriminating in favor of a few IA
vorite shippers and friends, thereby ignor-
ing the principle of fair dealing; and
WHEREAS, The power of the railroads is
now so great that they have presumed and
have in fact, divided up the territory of
this and adjoining states between the
roads that are now built, virtually stop
ping the building of any new roads in
said territory, thus shutting out all comps-
tition, creating a gigantic monopoly Of
the present lines, which will tend to still
further enrich the roads and impoverish
the people; therefore
RESOLVED, That while we are willing
TO allow railroads fair compensation for
actual capital invested, we believe thst the
present rates are entirely too high. and we
demand of the legislature the passage of a
law cutting down the passenger fares to
two cents per mile.
RESOLVED, That we think the vast rail-
road interests of this state demand a
board Of at least three commission
ers who shall be elected by the
people, said commission to have full power
and authority to regulate all freight rates
in this state as they do in Illinsis and
Massachusetts, and we ask the legislature
to create such board of commissions.
The resolutions of the last meeting were
re-affrmed with the following addition to
the one relating to the taxation Of prop
erty: "And all mortgages and other evil
dences of debt shall not be collectable
until they bear evidence of having been
assessed for tayeen