Morris tribune., 1888-10-24
WILLIAM R. MERRIAM,
A Record To Be Proud Of.

and laboring man. .HisA yslsetion sas
speaker was received with apprehen-
sion by the farmers and labofing
classes. The Republieas state Gems
trail committee has prepared record
from the house Journal. frum which
the following extracts are taken:
Two years before, with Hon. John
l.. Gibbs as speaker, q new err. OF an
timonoply legislation hsd t.cn III
augurated; ana, while the railroad
and grain inspection laws of 1885
proved themselves nlelitor.ous, it had
nevetherless been discovered that
there were still nlany dsfects that
enabled the corporations to evade
the real and proper inteuls OF the
law. The people demanded that
these be remedied, ami distrust of
Mr.. Merriam was naturally aroused
by his business and the misrepresenta-
tions of partisan organs. They were
afraid that their hopes wsuld be dis
appointed, but instead of bringing
his influence and power as speaker
to bear in favor Of monopolies, Mr..
Merriam soon proved to the farmers
and laboring people thai In him they
had firm and steadfast friend, and
that all fair legislation demanded by
them would have In William r.
Merriam willing aud able champion.
The committee Of most Importance to
certainly the committee on railroads.
The people felt that the extortions of
railroad corporatlons.had beconle UNI
bearable aud demanded that legisla-
ton be enacted by which they should
be mad nmenable to COIN ,npn Inv.
No man iii the state had isciIs more
fearless and outspoken enemy OF the
railroads than Ignatius Donnelly,,
and him Mr.. Merriam made chair
man Of this committee and gave
him as associates men particularly
favorable to the interests Of the farm.
ers, many of whom were members OF
the Farmers Alliance. Conspicuous
among the measures iavorably repor-
ted by this committee was bill to
fix maximum charges upon the trans
portation of wheat and the products in
the state, which was defeated in the
house. The bill would have saved
thousands to the producers. Mr..
Donnelly charged that it was defeated
by corrupt means and committee
was appointed by~Mr. Merriam to in
vestigate. In announcing at Mr..
Merriam said: Spare no one. Let
the truth be KNOWN" Of the FIVE on
the committee four had voted and
worked for the bill. The committee
was not appointed to whitewash the
matter, but to investigate. and the
report of the committee as, Is well
known, created q Sensation.
The most important measure was
the, onscreatins't the grain and ware
house commission and defining its
powers. This commission will give
all the protection necessary to the
people against the railroads. Acoura-
geous governor to appoint courage,
Gus commission, and to fearlessly Ell
force their decisions, is all that is
necessary, and the man who .appoln-
ted the committee which reported
the act would see the act enforced.
Mr.. Merriam's action in regard to
the law reducing the legal rate of in
terest from 10 to per cent is an Eek
ample OF unselfishness rarely equaled.
The last legislature passed acts too
numerous to enunerate to ameilo-
rate the condition of the farmers and
laborers. And in all the preliminary
and subsequent struggles to secure
the passage of these laws, Mr.. Mer-
Ram steadfastIy and courhgeously
cast his lot with those Chat were
working with this In view; and when
he had to cAoose In standing by the
cities or by the country, in every in
stance was he found ON the side of the
latter. To make long story short it
can be truthfully asserted that the
laboring men got everything they
asked for, and in all the measures
proposed in their interest they were
assisted and their efforts supported
by speaker Merriam. 49,
The estate Farmers Alliance" at
its annual meeting in February, 1887,
recognizing the services of Lieut..
Governor Rice and Speaker Merriam,
adopted the following resolution:
RESOLVED, That the State Alliance
thank the state legislature for the
noble work it is doing in behalf of the
people, in both branches; aud that
we desire to express our approval of
the course of Lieutenant Governor
Rice, president of the senate, and Hon.
w. r. Merriam, speaker of the house,
for their fair and just manner in
which they appointed the committees
of the senate and house.
And on the last day of the session
the following resolution was offered
by NJ. Donnelly and unanimously
adopted by a rising vote.
. Resolved, That this House desires
in this formal manner to express its
high sense of the fairness, impartial
ty, ability and parliamentary skill
displayed by tile Hon. William r.
Merriam Speaker ofthe House, In the
discharge of the duties of his RESPONSE
BILE and difficult Office. We believe
that he has tried to hold the scale of
justice even-handed, and that he has
proved faithful to all the great inter-
ests of the state, in the admiration
of the trust reposed in it. The HOnse
desires to express in this way It's
hearty and unanimous desire for his
future prosperity and happiness
And thus came to \ close the legis-
larive record of q presiding officer Of
the House OF Representatives who
in all future times will be remembered