St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-08-04
THE FARMERS, CONGRESS.

| Perhaps the most influential non-polit-
zeal organization in this country to-day
| is the Farmers congress, which holds its
sixth annual session at the Minnesota fair
grounds in this city the latter part of this
month. The power of this organization is
not extensively known from the fact that it
is comparatively new and the results of its
work have not been made public. Its influ-
ence was more manifest in the present
congress than heretofore. The land grant
forfeitureS, the alien landlord bill. the oleo-
margarine law, legislation relating to the
public lands. the MORRISON surplus resoIu-
ton, the refusal OF congress to suspend sill
yer coinage, and in fact all measures in the
interest of the producers and laborers and
restrictive of the power of corporations and
monopolies, can be traced directly to the
work and influence of the farmers con-
greSs. 1t is becoming each year more
and more power and will sooner or later
control all national legislation. Its great
and growing power is due to the fact that it
is the only combination of the agricultural
interests on an intelligent and effective
basis. The various forms of organizations
of the farming classes have gone to pieces
one after another from the simple
fact that they were not organized or oper-
ated on practical plan. Because of their
defective organism they have been captured
by the enemies of agriculture OF have fallen
to pieces from inherent weakness. The
farmers of this country have profted by
their sad experiences and, with the aid of
the light from the sorrows and disappoint-
ments of the past they have been enabled
to construct national organization, which
is not only able to hold together, but is
rapidly becoming the greatest of all fac
tors in shaping our national destinies.
There is an appropriateness in holding the
next annual session of the Farmers con-
gress in this city. The Northwest is recog
nized as one of the most important agricul-
tural sections of the Union. The rapid de-
velopment of it's agricultural resources is
attracting the attention of the world. 1t
has great farming future before it, and
the holding of this congress here at this
time will be an inspiration to the spirit
of Northwestern agriculture. 1t is fit
that the congress should meet here
in the metropolis of this young
giant of agriculture. 1t, too, will gather
inspiration from our vigorous methods. and
its members will go away more than ever
impressed with the importance of the great
cause in which they are enlisted. And
then, again, the congress will be held right
on the eve of our state fair, and an oppor-
tunity will be given to the leading farmers
of all the states of the Union to see the
products of the Northwest. This fact ought
to stimulate generous rivalry be-
tween the different sections of the North
west to display the finest products of the
soil, of the dairy and of the stable. Not
only the farmers of Minnesota, but also the
farmers of Dakota, of Iowa, of Wisconsin.
of Illinois, and of Montana want to bring
to the state fair their finest specimens of
wheat and corn and butter and cheese and
vegetables and their fine horses and cattle
and sheep and hogs and place them Oh ex-
hibition to demonstrate to their brother
farmers of all the United States what great
things the Northwest can produce.