The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-08-21
FARMERS OF THE SOUTH.
OPENING OF THE INTER STATE
CONGRESS AT MONTGOMERY.


Delegates From Dozen Southern
States Present-President Polk of
North Carolina Delivers an Address
on the Difficulties Which Farmers
Encounter-Mortgage and Lien Laws
Discussed.
MONTGOMERY. ALA, Aug. 2O-The
Interstate farmers Congress met here at
IL O'Clock to-day. 1t is composed of dele
gates from a dozsn southern states, in
Guiding Virginia. The president, Col. Polk
of North Carolina, called the body to order.
The address Of welcome in behalf Of the
state was made by Commissioner of Agricul-
ture kolb, the governor being unavoidably
absent, and Gen. j. w. Sanford delivered
the address of welcome in behalf of the city.
Gen. William Miller of Florida responded
for the association.
DIFFICULTIES OF FARMERS.
In the afternoon Col. Polk delivered an
address devoted to the difficulties which the
farmers encounter. He referred especia lly
to the combines and trusts, and emphasized
the vast power of the combined capital
allied to corporate power. He declared
buCllA Iub iilOSt dangerous menace 10 our
free institutions and TO the liberties of the
citizens. He said: ''The farming interests
feel that the whitening blight of discrimi-
mating legislation has already paralyzcd
their energies.
NEGLECTED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
"They feel that through, the indifferent, if
not willful policy of the government, they
have been made the helpless victims of the
monopolistic consDiracies and have been
hlched of the earnings and profits Of their
honest labor. |, for one, shall rejoice to see
the day when the farmers of the south and
| OF the whole land shall, with one
voice, demand the same protection
for the products of the farm as is
extended to the products of any other class
of our citizens. Equal rights to all and
| special privileges to noue.' is one Of the
fundamental principles underlying our
| form OF government, and upon which we
must reform, reconstruct and re-establish
the economic system Of our civilization.
RESTORATION OF THE EQUILIBRIUM.
"And first restoration of the proper
and just equilibrium between the great in
| dustries of the country is necessary. We
| must have more farmer legislators, more
| farmer congressman, more farmer cover
| nors, more farmer presidents and a higher
| and nobler type of moral manhood in
| ment and our free institutions are
| on trial, and among their advocates and
| defenders done will be fonnd more faithful
| than our body represents here to-day. We
have come up out Of our humiliation. Our
| positions are the results of honest toll and
our hands are unspotted by rapine OF
| plunder of the helpless.
THE TRUE AMERICAN.
''Removed from contact with foreign
ideas and foreign thought, the anglo-Saxon
| of the south stands to-day the highest type
and purest representative of the American
idea of free government and civil liberty
The work before them is as prodigious as
its accomplishment shall be grand and
glorious"
The address was listened to with earnest
attention and the speaker was frequently
interrupted with outbursts of applause.
MORTGAGE AND LIEN LAWS.
There was an interesting discussion of the
mortgage and lien laws, participated in by
a number of delegates.
Resolutions were offered and referred
recommending the use of cotton bagging
and declaring against the use of jute; also
commenting the state commissioners and
the Secretary of Agriculture Mr.. Rusk,
for their efforts in the behalf Of the cotton
bagging.
| ANTl-JUTE EESOLUIlON5.
The following resolutions were offered
| and referred:
WHEREAS, There is an effort made by the
| combines and trusts to;defeatthe expressed will
| of the cotton planters as given out by various
| conventions of their representative men as b
| the use of cotton bagging as a wrapping for
| our present crop OF cotton; and
| WHEREAS, It's use will encourage home in
| dustries and manufactures, and
| WHEREAS, We regard it as an infringement
| of personal liberties TO say the producer shall
not choose his own wrapping for his products,
and
| WHEREAS. Itmay be to the interest Of the Liy-
| erpool Cotton Exchange to encourage Jute be-
| because it is grown in The English dotninions, we
regard it to the interest Of Americans to use her
| own cotton and savo millions of capital to our
| own country. Therefore. be it
HesOlued. first, That we are determined to re-
| commend the use of cotton bagging to our cotton
| planters and tnat we will not Use Jute bagging
| under any circumstances.
Res0lUed, second, That we return thanks TO the
| several commissioners of the southern states
and secretary Rusk for their interest in behalf
| OF the cotton planters in securing the coopera-
| ton of the American cotton exchanges IN
| recommending the use of cotton as wrapping
| and equalizng the rate Of tare SO that the
| actual weight Of the bagging or wrapping rep
| resents the tare.
Senator Reagan is down for speech on
Transportation and its relation to agricul-
| ture. Hon. w. j Greene of North Caro-
lina will speak on the grape industry Of the
| south. To-night's session is devoted to
! hearing an address from DR.. Leroy Brown,
president of the State Agricultural College,
| on the subject Of Industrial Education
A great many delegates arrived tonight,
and the meeting will be much larger to-
morrow.
1
WANT IN WEST VIRGINIA.