St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-04-04
ORGANIZING.

lVlti oIiu tHdU, tOUs WIN bCiilu 8 SAiSSe'
The recent action of the Minnesota
state alliance in denouncing the decis-
ion of the supreme court in the Min
nesota granger cases and calling upon
the agricultural classes everywhere to
array themselves in compact organiZa-
ton against the encr GA chments of cor
poration power under the guise of jul
dicial decisions, is attracting the atten-
ton of the whole country and is causing
mighty rattling of dry bones in the
valley of monopoly.
The immediate effect of that decision
was to impress the farmers with the
necessity for organized effort in their
own protection.
An illustration of that effect was ap-
parent here in Minnesota, for, within
ten days after the decision was rem
dered, 100 new alliances had been OF
ganized in this state, and the work of
organizing new alliances is now going
on SO rapidly as to tax the utmost eXer-
tions of the alliance officers to keep up
with their work.
And the example set by the Minnesota
farmers will be followed in every state
of the Union, until the whole agricult-
ural interest will show solid phalan
against the further progress of mon0po-
listic power.
The charge made by the Pioneer
Press, the Minneapolis Journal, and
other corporation organs, that the farm
ers have pursued, and are still purSu-
ing radical course, is unfounded. The
farmers are the most conservative of
all our citizens. In fact their intense
conservatism has well nigh been their
ruin. Being property holders, and the
highest type of property holders, they
have been so careful to avoid every
thing that had tinge of radicalism
that they have suffered themselves to
be robbed of their rights and to be
stripped of their power by the monopo-
lies. Their reliance for protection has
been in the supreme court of the United
States, and now that it has failed them
they propose in the future to rely solely
upon themselves. And with that de-
termination comes their salvation.
There is a striking analogy between
the late decision of the supreme court
and the famous DRIED SCOTT decision,
both as to the methods employed and as
to the effect of the several decisions.
In commenting upon the late decision
IN the Minnesota granger cases the
Pioneer Press, the corporation organ of
the Northwest. said: after twenty
years of conflict and agitation, we
emerge at last upon the broad, free
ground of equality of rights before the
law. On the principle laid down in
this decision, there is free and equal
justice for all, after due process of law.
1t is conclusion worthy Of the travail
we have passed, and of the splendid
instrument that makes the rights of all
secure"
Singular coincidence, but the Ian
guage here used by the Pioneer Press is
almost identical with the remarks made
by BOB TooMBs when he first heard of
the DRIED SCOTT decision. The veteran
SecesSionist gloried that after twenty
years agitation the slave Oligarchy had
at last obtained decision from the
highest judicial tribunal of the land,
which determined the legal status of
slavery, and which protected the slave
holder in his property rights. He too
pronounced it a decision worthy of the
travail the slave power had passed
through.
What followed the renderinS of th e
DRIED SCOTT decision?
The people lost faith in the supreme
courtas the palladium of human liberty,
and they went to work in their own way
to give expression to popular opinion.
the institution of slavery included vast
property rights, but they were all swept
away in the storm that followed.
Property rights are sacred in the eyes
of the American people, but they are
not SO sacred as to permit the perpetual
ton of injustice or the establishment of
adespotism OH the plea that it is neces-
sary TO protect property rights.
Justice and freedom are of higher
consideration in the American mind
than property with fictitious valua-
ton.
The farmers have no intention of con-
fiseating the property of the railroads,
but they are resolved to prevent the cor
porations from confiscating farm pro-
ducts and from applying the proceeds
to paying dividends On watered stock.
Instead of the supreme court decision
being a conclusion of the twenty years.
agitation of this question. it has only
given fresh impetus to the agitation,
and when final determination is
reached it will be upon an entirely diff
ferent basis from the principle an
nounced by Justice BLATCHFoRD and
his associates. The final decision will
| respect all property rights, the property
rights of the farmer and the working
man included. The right of every
man to earn his own living, and to re-
| ceiye a just compensation for honest
toll, is the highest property right known
| to the laws or to the constitution.
Next to that is the right of state to
control, and in its own way, the Great
! ure of its own creation. If state
| grants franchise to corporation and
| then appoints a commission to regulate
4 and control that corporation, it has the
| inherent right to say whether the ac-
ton of that commission shall be final
| or not.
Upon these issues the farmers are ar
raging themselves. They are closing
up their lines, perfecting their organi-
cation, and propose to fight the battle to
finish.
1t is simply question Of whether the
people or the corporations are sover-
eign. And upon the final decision of that
question depends the future existence
! of republican government in this coun-
try.
The DRIED SCOTT decision was re-
versed in the aSsizes where the whole
people sat as judges. And so will any
decision which attempts to enthrone an
oligarchy in this country.
| THE RATIONAL VIEW.
The bill that has recently passed the
senate providing for additional pen
| SionS and which will presumably he