River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-03-27
FARMERS IN CONTENTION.
Representatives of the Minnesota
Agricultural Classes Convene
at the State House in st.
Paul.
An Intelligent and Earnest Body
of Men Asserting Their Griev-
ances and Devising Meas
ures for Relief.
Fighting Against Alleged Elevator and
Railroad Monopolies and the Present
System of Grading Wheat.

! Fighting Against Alleged Elevator and
| Railroad Monopolies and the Present
System of Grading Wheat
| The state convention of farmers of Minneso-
| Ia called to consider grievances, such as the
| system Of grading wheat, the methods Of con-
Quoting the elevators, railroad freight charges
etc, met the 18th inst, at the state house in st
Paul There was fair attendance of sohd
substantial farmers, who evinced an earnest de-
sire to get at the root of the evil complained of
A. NJ Burdick of Clay county, as chairman
of the committee on arrangements, called the
/ convention TO order
Mr.. Matson of Wilkin county nominated SEN
ator 2. II Rahilly Of Wabasha county tenn
| porary chairman, and on taking the chair he
| made short address.
| NJ s. Converse of Becker county nominated
| George W. Taylor of Becker county as tempo
rary secretary, and the motion prevailed with
out opposition.
The secretary was instructed I'd cali the roll
of counties in order that it might be determined
| what counties were represented. The call show
| cd that nineteen were represented
1t was suggested that the governor had ex-
| pressed Willingness TO welcome the members
| to the city, and Messrs. Loring, Collins and
| Burdick were appointed committee TO wait
| upon the governor and invite him TO address
| the convention. The committee soon appeared
| and Senator Rahilly, in presenting the COVER
| nor, said it was met NECESSARY to form
ally Introduce MIN. The governor said.
Gentlemen of the COnvention l am very
| glad to respond to your invitation, TO the ex-
| tent of an expression of pleasure which l feel
| in seeing such Representative gathering of the
| agriculturists of our state convened for the
! purpose of considering questions vital to their
| future prosperity. 1t is almost a new departure
| for farmers as class to hold conventions of
| this character. 1t is common enough for MEM
| bers of the professions and those following
most Of the industrial pursuits TO organize for
| mutual protection and furtherance of their
| special interests; but our farmers have always
| been slow to move in an organized form, even
| fora redress Of grievances. 1t is surely hope
full sign, that augtrs much for the agricultural
| interests Of our state 1t indicates that more
| intelligent methods are directing the
| destiny of those great interests
on which rests the prosperity and progress Of
| Dur whole people, and it also indicates the ex-
istence of state of things that calls for correc
| hon and demands relief 1t is by an inter
| change of views and experiences among our
| farmers that those measures best adapted to
meet the exigeneies of the situation will be
| more readily suggested and most carefully con-
| sidered and matured If the farmers of our
state organize for the protection and the bet
ter development of their interests, there can be
| no doubt but the remedy viii appear and be
| applied, for the correction and cure of what
| ever grievances they suffer, and the best
methods become known and adopted among
them for the advancement of their interests.
This convention, as | understand Its purpose,
is step in that direction. As such, your
movement, gentleman, will command the hearty
sympathy and encouragement of every pa
triotic citizen of the state Every citizen feels,
whatever his avocation, that his future
success depends upon the prosperity
of agriculturists as a class. 1t must follow,
therefore that your proceedings here will be of
great interest to the general public of our state
trust your deliberations will develop such
general consideration of the questions that
have called you together that all the facts
bearing upon the situation as it exists at pres
ent may fully appear, and that your conclu-
sions may be formulated and promulgated IN a
manner that will command for your cause that
earnest consideration its merits and Importance
demands. bid you welcome, gentlemen, to the
capitol and wish for yoer efforts for the amel-
grafton and furtherance of the agricultural class
every success possible to be attained
The address was greeted with applause, and
a recess of ten minutes was taken to allow the
members to pay their respects to the COVER
nor.
Upon motion Of delegate, a committee ON
permanent organization was selected, as fol-
lows: NJ s. Converse of Becker county, III. g..
Palmer of Marshall, Darlington Phelps of
Stevens, John Frank of Mower,F A Dana of
Ramsey county, Oak. The convention then ad-
journed until 2 o'clock
Mr. Loring renewed the motion to appoint a
committee on credentials, and the chair named
the following gentlemen; A. NJ. Burdick Of Clay
county A NJ Converse of Becker, H. L. Bjorge
of Otter Tail, H. G. Palmer of Marshall, and g.
NJ Giltiman of Stevens.
The committee reported the following as en-
titled to participate in the convention:
Waseca County-Daniel Murphy, l. F. Pede-
son, james 2. DAZZLE.
Marshall County-H G. Palmer, j. G. Ben
newitz, S A. March
Hennepin County-E. j. Woodward, J. A.
Bull, G.. w. Baird, b. G. Yancy, w. 5. Char
van, Joseph Hamilton.
Grant County-John K. Lee.
Becker County,; \; Tellum, N. $. Con
verse, j. W. Dunn, G. W. Taylor, o. A. Bae,
Fa1ibault County-A. A. Williams.
Otter Tail County-E4 W. Dewy, H. E. Baen,
F. n Field, E. o. Slitvold, H. z. Bjorge, W..
Murzzy, Antony Bender, A. X. Frisberg; ]. b.
Hampe, John P. Monroe, ID. L. Wellman.
Polk County-H Stevenson, p G. Slitten,
B. Sampson, H E. Cook, C. c. Utzinger, W. II.
Kittson County-w F Kelso.
Big Stone County-W. NJ. Even, Il. L.. Kings
bury William Nash.
Norman County-A II Baker, Charles Ca
nung, p. s Olson, Charles E. Cragen.
Grand Forks County, Dak-William H.
Brown, W. P. Collins, James X. Swan, James
Twamley.
Dakota County-T. IT, Smith, r. K Guiteaii
Anoka County-E. T. Edgarton, N. Small,
A. G. Himball
hurry County-L Aldrich, J. W. Byingt5n,
W. H. Milan B. NJ. Law.
Mower County-John Frank, ]. B. Redverd,
J. J. Furlong.
Swift County-B. P. Cheney.
Pope County-Andrew Anderson.
Carver County-Mieh Hall, Peter Nelson,
Gustav Ditmas, Frank Miessner, A. W. Tiffany,
Charles Kone, Hartman Muhlberg, William Fren-
kens.
Blue Earth County-H- G. Howard, W. G..
Hay L Gilmore, Eli Warner.
Benton County-H- S. Norton.
Wilkin County-E. Mattson, H. S. Stordock,
A. b. Peterson, A. Z. Anderson.
Devils Lake, Dak-F. l. Dana
Renyille County. -Henry Goebel, Darlington
Phelps, W. K. Walker:
s. P. Brown, G. W. Day.
Brown County-Charles G. Brandt
Nicollet County,. p Schaubeck.
Wright County-A p. Miller.
CLAY County-A NJ Burdick, Lyman Loring,
r. J. Shriber, R. M. Probstield, John Erickson,
w. H. johnson, John Carls, Joseph Wessbisher,
William Patterson Robert Patterson Guenther
Tenbert. J. P. Aiken, John Weinmann, Henry
Gertson, Gottleib Maetzhold, G. NJ Powers.
Goodhue County-Henry Ahnemen, Ulysses
Tanner
Freeborn Countv-Henrv Tunnell
Fillmore County--S T. Sprauge.
Grant County-O. G. Vanness, S. NJ Harris.
Stearns County-D. C. Smith, ohm Maginnis,
George NJ Gittinan.
The committee on permanent organization
reported as follows:
President-Samuel A Adams of Wright
county.
Vice Presidents-Dr. W. T. Collins of Dako-
ia, J. w. Furlong of Monroe county, H. q.
Stordock of Wilkin county.
Secretary-G W. Taylor of Becker county
Assistant Secretaries-A. X. Teisburg of
Otter Tail county, Daniel Murphy of Waseca
county.
Mr.. Adams not being present, DIR. W. T.
Collins, one of the vice presidents, was called
to the chair. announcing that Mr.. Adams was
not III the city, but would be present to-mor-
row. Dir. Collins said the convention was
called to redress, if possible, the griev
ances of the farmers, and to put a
stop to the stealing by the grain buyers, In
Grand Forks county alone, $4,000 had been
stolen in grading the crop of 1888. The people
of the northwestern portion of the state, he
knew, had ample reason to complain, and they
were determined to stand for their rights At a
convention recently held the methods of steal
ing on grades were amply demonstrated In
the matter of railroad tTanspoltat ton, there had
been no decrease in rates of 10 per cent as
asserted by the railroads, but an increase of 10
per cent, which had been brought about by a
peculiar construction of classifications.
COMMITTEES SELECTED.
Mr.. Baker of Norman county moved that a
committee Of fifteen be appointed, three from
each congressional district The motion pre-
vailed, and the committee was selected as fol-
lows by congressional districts:
First-John Frank, J. B. Reward, Mower;
Henry Tumbell Faribault
SecOnd--H. G. Howard, Blue Earth; Charles
G. Brandt, Brown; A. A. Williams, Faribault.
Third BENJAMIN Mcleod county; e.
Tanner, Goodhue; S P. Brown, Mcleod.
Fourfh--T T. Smith, Dakota; W. s. Cowan,
Hennepin: A. r Miller, Wright
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