St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-26
TIRED OF DELAY,
says the Farmers Alliance Commit
tee to the Railroad Commission.
An Important Gathering 'io-Night of
Politicians and Farmers.


Farmers alliance met at the capitol yester-
day to consider means of advancing and
perfecting organization and the attitude OF
the alliance in The coming campaign. fhe
! forenoon session lasted an hour and was
devoted mainly to the appointment of COM
mittees and considering complaints and
| other communications from subordinate
alliances. The following members of the
committee were present:
George w. Sprague, president, st. Paul
Charles Canning. vice-president, Norman
county, George w. Haigh, recording secre-
tary, Prosper. fillmore county: II. E. Boon,
corresponding secretary, Fergus Falls; John
Diamond, treasurer, Mankato; T. C. Hodgson,
Herman, state lecturer; Z. H. Atwood,
Stearns county; Eric Olson, Sherburne,
Martin county; Hugh Campbell, Saltwater;
Thomas Purcell, Fillmore county; Hon.
Matthias Nachbar, Scott county.
Ignatius Donnelly was also present,
though not member of the convention.
and during the day was the busiest man in
the convention The afternoon was de-
voted to a conference with the board of
railroad commissioners which had been ar
ranged for two OF three weeks ago. 1t was
stated that the feeling of oppression which
has prevailed among the farming cOmmu-
nifty for so long has become lately combined
with a feeling of Impotence and in some
parts of the state of dissatisfaction with the
commissioners at the delay in securing the
reductions in tariffs which have for so long
been demanded. The object of the
conference yesterday was to learn
from the commissioners just what had been
done in this direction and what was to be
expected OF the near future. During the
afternoon the members of the committee
AIRED THE GRIEVANCES
which the farming community are
suffering at considerable length. The
determinations, high freight and pas
senger tariffs, short weight and other
expressions were dwelt upon and
though no new facts or grievances were
presented there was unanimous feeling
plainly displayed that was vigorous
and earnest and showed that the
farmers of Minnesota as represented by the
body present meant business and were de-
handing redress without further delay 1t
was shown by the speakers that the ina
pOrtant point was to have the reductions
made before another crop was ready to be
moved, and also to have the law
enforced and tested before another session
of the legislature, SO that when further leg
lSlatiOn was asked. if that were necessary,
it could not be said that the people now had
u.
The committee expressed no dissatisfaction
with the commissioners, but earnestly re-
Quested decisive and Vigorous action.
Ignatius Donnelly spoke briefly, saying in
his remarks:
If these moderate demands are not granted
there Will be a row in the air, not in moderate
but IN overwhelming proportions. You will
find that the railroad companies will put us
oil until the last possible moment and
Ia nIyy
us long as they can, but if they do the peo-
pie Of Minnesota will elect legislature that
will exercise the right of eminent domain and
take the roads out of their hands. The
power that took the lands from the people for
the use OF the roads can take them back
again if necessary.
When the members of the committee
had all freely expressed themselves, Com
missioner S. S. Murdoch gave a lengthy
statement OF the situation, reviewing the
work of the board from its organization
thirteen months ago to the present time.
The attention OF the board was first given,
he said, to the matter of grain weighing, and
it was not until Septem Der of last year that
the system of weighing and registering was
completed to the satisfaction of the board.
We have handled over 10000 bushels of
wheat and have greatly increased the pro-
portion OF the higher grades, so per
cent of the wheat now handled be-
ing graded No. ! hard or No. l Northern.
After that the question of tariffs was taken
up and an exhaustive study made of the
railroad laws, tariffs and methods of every
state in The Union. 1t was not deemed
judiciOus or even possible to depart from the
beaten paths of precedence in the regulation
of commerce and no steps had been taken by
the board without an abundance of evidence
that would sustain their action in the courts
or before the bar of public opinion. Our
record will show that we are in hearty SYM
pathy with the interests you repre- sen.
but hasty action is not advisable. In regard
to the future, he said that lengthy conferen-
ces had been held with the
officials of all the roads, and especially
the Manitoba, and that road would be
as ked to make an average reduction of rs
per cent. on July l, the beginning of its fiscal
year. If the order was not complied with it
would be taken into the courts and an early
decision would be reached.
Tie members of the committee were gen.
orally satisfied with the results of the con-
ference the promise of reduction or a test
Oh July l, giving hope of early relief. They
were at least satisfied with the earnestness
and sincerity of the commissioners
During the afternoon a lengthy confer
ence was held at the Merchants hotel
by the joint committee appointed by
the last session of the state
alliance and the district assembly of the
Knights OF Labor, Nothing definite of the
meeting was given out, except that its
purpose was to advance unanimity of
action between the two organizations
during the coming campaign. Mr.. Donnelly
said last evening that the two organizations
were in the heartiest accord and would
pull together. The two organizations
represent $4,000 votes in the state.
AN EVENING SESSION.
In the evening committee meetings were
held at the capitol, and little after they
adjourned to the Merchants hotel The
president, J.W. Sprague, went upstairs with
G. A. Gilman, remaining closeted with him
until nearly midnight, while the rest
assembled in room 81. A part of the work
of the committee at this session is the prep
aration of an address which is to be
secretly sent to all subordinate alliances,
showing the political policy to be pursued,
and suggestions and instructions in
tended to advance and perfect the
work of organization and promote the
general welfare of the order. The
consideration of this address occupied
midnight. The address had been prepared
by Ignatius Donnelly, who was pres
ent and read it section by section.
and was discussed and amended by the
committee. 1t reviews the grievances
which the people suffer under existing
government, and appeals to the members of
the alliance to use the ballot intelligently
and vigorously as the means of securing
redress. All members of the alliance inter-
viewed yesterday asserted that no definite
political policy had been determined on,
but will be before the committee concludes
it's deliberations this evening. 1t is
understood that the policy will be that of
waiting until the parties have declared
themselves in the coming conventions
They will throw overheard all political
preferences and vote for men rather than
parties or platforms.
DoNNELLY FOR SENATOR.
Though those who attended the confer
ence last night were very reticent as to any
political action, rumor was current
that action had been taken indors-
| ing lgnatius Donnelly for the next
United States senator. Misses Gibbs and
| Gilman were about the hotel and were care