Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-11-14

! what policy to support The fact that many OF
our citizens do not thus wisely use the ballot IS
} appa ant in the corruption and extravaganza
] which we see around us. various agencies are
| used 10 interfere with the entire freedom OF the
ballot Reforms must C, me soon, or greater
evils will follow in the train OF those we lament
i to.day.
In hi. emergency the farmer is the hope of
| the nation but unfortunately the same intiu-
ences which have wrought evil in the city are
| extending into the country, and the paid re-
tanners OF political bosses are found in almost
| every locality. These miserable tools do the
! bidding of inscriptions politicians without
any hesitancy, oyerturning frequently the Will
| OF the people and elect dishonest schemers to
| official positions.
There is no remedy for these growing abuses,
| except to arouse the people 10 sense OF their
| danger. If the success of these unprlncipled
| men is not checked, they will soon corrupt the
| very sources and fountains of power" When
| the masses have learned to place money value
upon the ballot. the end of the republic is near
| at hand. No form of government can be worse
than that controlled by corrupt men and
| money. Every influence of our organization
| should be brought to bear to check the tide
| that seems likely to oyerwhelm us. Every man
who loves his country should be aroused to a
sense of danger and urged to use every effort to
crush and destroy the influence of those who
make merchandise of freemens rights.
| The following from the martyred President is
worthy of our careful consideration: Eyes, we
may congratulate ourselves that this cruel war
| is nearly to close. 1t has cost vast amount
OF precious Dl0OQ. Inc best DlOOQ OF tue mower
of the American youth has been freely offered
upon our country's altar that the nation might
live. II has been, indeed, trying hour for the
| republic but l see in the near future crisis
approaching that unnerves me and causes me
to trsmble for the safety of our country. As a
result OF the war, corporations have been en-
throned, and an era of corruption IN high
places will follow, and the money power OF the
| country will endeavor to prolong Its reign by
working upon the prejudices OF the people until
| all wealth is aggregated in few hands and the
| republic is destroyed l fesl at this moment
more anxiety for the safety OF my country than
ever be ore. even in the midst of war. God
| grant that my fears may prove groundless"
The sacredness ofthe ballot must be preserved.
ence with the right of every citizen to vote once,
and for whom he pleases. And no one has any
| right to know for whom the ballot is cast. This
vote must be honestly counted, and the can
into Office. The safety of our people and the
preservation of the Kepub ic depends upon the
| securing to each citizen all his rights and
| privileges. As means to secure these results,
l believe we can afford to indorse the Australian
system. or a similar one. of conducting cleo
tiOns. When the voter is alone with his ballot,
he is free from the control of his employer, in
no danger from "thugs," and the man who
would corrupt him cannot know that what he
has bought is delivered. l sincerely believe
| that many of the existing evils can be eradi-
Gated under such system.
REPRESENTATION IN LEGISLATIVE BODIES.
The safety and prosperity of every class,
| and interest, depends largely upon q fair
| representation in legislative bodies. At the
| present time in the National Congress, and in
several of the State Legislatures, there are very
| few representatives of our class Even the COM
mittees having charge OF our interests are not
| composed of farmers, because there are not
| enough of them to constitute committee The
! responsibility for this rests entirely upon the
| farmers, and they have no right, whatever, to
| complain of other classes. They have absolute
| power to secure fair share of Representations
| and we must encourage them to use this power.
| II we al Ow our class to be ignored by managing
| politicians. we will deserve to be despised by
| every sensible person. We must not demand
| more than our fair share of representation, and
| we must not accept less.
We must not expect our reasonable demands
| to be granted without a struggle on the part of
| those who have assumed that farmers have no
| rights which politicians and parties are bound
| to respect. Nothing, however, should be al
| lowed to interfere with the accomplishment of
| this purpose. Farmer representatives may not
| talk SO huently as some of our professional
| friends. but they can be depended upon to be
| true 10 our interests, and will not be the paid
attorneys OF corporations or the corrupt tools of
| wealthy syndicates 1t is estimated that q, 900
| persons own one half of the wealth of this ma
| ton, and the time is near ct hand when they
will control the other half unless there are rad
| ical changes in the legislation of the country
| and there is no hope of this without a change
| in the composition of legislative bodies. 1t is
not necessary TO interfere with party affiliations
to secure our rights all parties will grant them
| when earnestly and properly demanded. Not
| to do so would be 10 commit political suicide.
| The Grange is not a partisan organization, and
| cannot call political Conventions nominate
| candidates or discuss their merits But we can
| and must urge farmers to secure and retain all
| the political rights which numbers and the in
portance of the agricultural interests will justify
| OUR WISHES PRESENTED TO CONGRESS.
| In obedience to the instructions of this body,
| l visited Washington to 'lay before Congress
| such matters of legislation" as were acted upon
| at the last session of the National Grange. As
the representative OF our Order, was accorded
d respectful hearing by committees having in
| charge matters of legislation upon which we
| had defined our views, and have reason to be-
| lieve that some good results will follow. The
closing hours of d session, however, is not IA
| yorable time to secure legislation especially
when Congress, by rules adopted for the govern
| ment of its deliberations, has made it possible
! for one man to prevent the transaction of any
| business. Sensible men should never repeat
| such folly)
In securing a hearing with members, 1 was
| indebted to that indefatigsble worker, Brother
| A ]. Wedderburn, who has become quite well
| acquainted with many members, and knew who
were friends and who were not.
was also advised and assisted by Brothers
| 1rimble, Whitehead, J. X. Thompson and Lips
comb. When all that seemed possible at the
close OF the session had been accomplished.
| returned nome leaving Brother Trimble to
watch legislation, and summon help if our in
terestS seemed to demand it. do not think it
| is necessary TO keep a committee constantly on
duty at Washington: but some one should be
authorized TO appear for US whenever there
seems 70 be necessity therefor. / suggest that
care should be used in selecting our representa-
tive. and he should be authorized to speak FOR
Us only on questions and issues upon which we
have defined our position, and upon which we
are substantially agreed.
There will undoubtedly be need of such repre-
sentative from the fact that we are advised that
members OF Congress, representing private in
t5rests, are already prepar ng to make an assault
upon the law regulating interstate commerce
| We cannot afford TO have this law repealed or
modified, to suit the views of those who have
been deprived Of some special privilege which
they enjoyed before its passage, to the detriment
Of competitors The Commission, com posed as
it is OF men OF high character, has been whole
some restraint upon those who control transpor-
tation lines; and we may confidently hope that
il men OF such unquestioned integrity are re-
tanned upon the Commission we may in the
progress of time obtain reliable information
| which will allow our Lawmakers to protect the
public interests without interfering unnecessa-
riiy with railway management.
! Efforts will be made TO repeal or modify the
law regulating the manufacture and sale of ole
omargarine; and counteracting influences must
be brought to bear upon our Representatives
For this purpose some one should be clothed
with discretionary power to appear and speak
for us, or the laborS of the session and the in
fuence OF our organiza ion will be almost LOST!
LECTURE WORK.
The worthy Lecturer has with voice and pen
continued his lab9rs throughout the year and
we are pleased TO believe, with good results
The details viii appear in the report which he
will submit. l have during the year visited
Georgia, Mississippi, New York Pennsylvania
and all of the New England States. As the
head OF this organization | have been grandly
received by the Patrons and farmers of these
States have addressed many thousands of in
| tel igent, earnest men and women, and all
seemed to in6orss the sentiments uttered.
hope these efforts viii be ably seconded by the
Patrons of the States visited, and that the seed
| sown may yield bountiful harvest. This year
of pleasant associations with some of the grand
| workers Of our Order will be long remembered
by me.
CONCLUSION.
With this report of the transactions of the
year, and the few suggestions offered, l place
the work of the session in your hands, knowing
| that you will not forget the real purpose of our
coming together.
Une1 pectedly cal ed by you to take the place
OF our deceased Brother Put Darden, have not
been insensible OF the great trust consigned to
my care for the yesr. With knowledge OF
per onal inability TO meet the urgent demands
OF the hour, can yet truthfully say that have
tried TO be faithful and true. have sought to
carry the bonner of the Grange wherever there
was opportunity to help those who till the soil.
| / have tried to guard 1t well aud am proud to
! believe that in my keeping it has never trailed
1 in the Gust
thank you. one and all, for the patient for.
bearanse and unswerving loyalty manifested
| during the pat year. and trust that my Success
| or may be equally favored. And now Patrons,