Omaha daily bee., 1884-12-09


Chicago Tribune.
Signs IRE cropping out in many quar-
ters of the west of q spirit among the far
mers which may give the railroads trou-
BILE. We hear from many sources reports
that o sense of great irritation is spread.
ing among the farmers. The low prices
they receive for their stuff are giving a
keener edge to abuses of which they have
long been conscious but which t~hey.shave
tolerated In the easy good.humor of their
past prosperity. When the farmer re-
ceives a dollar for every bushel of wheat
he took to town, the fact that the only
place at which he could sell his wagon.
load was at the solitary elevator by the
side of the track did not disturb him.
He did not care that railroad rates were
high-no harm to him, who was doing 90
well, if the railroads, too, did we'll. But
when he receives only 4S cents a bushel
in Dakota tor No. l hard wheat, or 80
cents a bushel in Kansas, he sees q sig
n~ifcanes that before escaped him In sew
eral of the circumstances of the sale. Ii
there was not o monopoly of the elevator
business, and two buyers instead of one
was biduing for his wheat, he might get
q few cents q bushsl more. If railroad
rates were lower, the price of wheat
would be higher. The conviction grows
on him that the railroad and the elevator
are taking an unfair advantage of their
monopoly" and the conviction deepens
into discomfort, which, however, unrea-
sonably, threatens railroads generally
with the resentment that should be aimed
only at railroad abuses.
That there Is such q feeling springing
| up among the western farmers cannot
be doubted. The Omaha BEE declares
that the people of Nebraska are in a state
bordering on revolt. 1t prints entire an
appeal issued by farmers to farmers, of
the angriest tone. 1t begins with this not
propitiatory invocation: Farmers! Shall
we suffer the curse of railroad slavery
forever2 Will you not let your strength
be felt in the mt x leg!flature2 Are you
cowardtl Dare you not speak like men2'
This is not an emanation, the BEE de-
%clares, from political mountebsnks, but
voices the sentiment of every farmer who
has settled on the soil of Nebraska.
There is no lack of substantial griev-
ances. The railroads have by special
rates, special facilities, and other contri.
vances put the business of buying grain
along their lines into the hands of mon.
opolies. A single company or firm some
times owns the elevators along a railroad.
What these elevators choose to pay
the farmers must take. Then. while every.
thing else hiss gone down, railroad rates
are as high as ever, and in some cases
higher. The pronunciamento from which
we have quoted gives an instance. "But
q short time ago." it says, "the Burling'
ton & Missouri River road could CARY
corn to Chicago for 80 cents q hundred
pounds. Now it wants 80 cents
What does 1t meant 1t means just this
How much will you stan0| The Bel
vouches for the fact that freight rates in
parts OF Nebraska are higher than they
were In 1879. The people Of Butler ant
Polk counties alone could have saved
$500, 900 if their wheat and corn haG
been carried this year at the rate of 1879
In the case of q cattle shipment !
mentions the rate in Nebraska Was Ss2. 81
per car for 100 miles, while the IAN,
shipment was charged on Its way through
Iowa and Illinois but 50 per car for l0'
miles.
The chances that these extortions AM
inequalities will be heard from at III
coming sessions of the western legisla
lures are exceedingly good. The Uniol
Pacific makes a slight bend to the storm
by reducing its rates, as just announced
8 cents per 100 pounds oil grain. Thi
is the right kind of..policy, though not tn
right amount. A road which can sell an
deliver for So q ton in Omaha coal whic
1t has mined at Rock Springs. Wyoming
and has hauled 800 miles, can reduce II
, grain rates still more. One prominen
railroad manager, in the Northwest 10 re
ported to us to have adopted q diffsrer
policy. he sees the coming stori
. but instead of sbatipg the abuse
he is buying up legislatures. He prefer
to rely on the yenality of a few me
= rather than to win the good will Of u
Q people. Wise railroad men should he,
o the portents of public anger, and pr
. their houses In order. They must NJ
Q only do something, but they must do II
right thing. Corrupting Legislatures
but putting off the evil day and fastenir