The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1890-02-15

not represented In the great stone pile
at Joliet nor in the Legislature AT
Springfield.
u Suppose we had organized trust
with the cities during the past twenty
eight years and when the balance
sheet was brought out We had dis
i covered that the net profit was twenty
eight billions of dollars. We smile
and say that we have done we'll aad
ask what our share Is. They tell us
that IL Is only five billions. We ask
why our share is but five billions,
while the share of the cities Is twenty
three TO our five. They tell us that IL
Is because they are the skilled labor.
Yet 1t takes eight years to make "A
farmer of IA boy, while he can become
a lawyer or doctor by two years
study.
The farmer and the farmers lands
were becoming poorer every year.
Mortgages had swept away nearly all
of the best farms of New Hampshire
and New Jersey. The capitalist
made from 10 to 80 per cent. upon his
railroads, his banks and his factories.
The farmer who had $4,000 invested
made but per cent. This year the 3
per cent. was on the wrong side of the
balance sheet. Why was this? 1T was
because the farmer had allowed the
politician to legislate against him at
every hand and the capitalist con-
trolled the politician. Therefore the
legislation was in favor of capital.
The farmers could not hope for pro-
lection as the term is generally used.
There was nothing in it for the farm
| ,n "a, far n IN
to protect himself by doing his own
ruling. He outnumbered the city man
in the ratio of ten to six and all that
it was necessary for him to do was to
walk into the conventions OF his party
and do the nominating. Then do the
electing. This was the object most
sought after by the Grange, and the
Grange was steadily accomplishing it,.
The Grange taught the farmers to
stick to their party, but insist upon
running it themselves. They must
have a majority in the state legisla-
lures and a majority in congress.
| Farmers of to-day were not fools.
They were as intelligent as other men
and just as competent to rule. Rule
in town, rule in county, and in state
and nation. The farmers would have
a majority in the next legislature.
With oats at nc, corn at Doc and hay
at 81 to So, how must farmer receive
protection unless he protects himself?
| If he has full crop, prices are down;
if he has short crop, they are a little
higher. He must look out for himself
and he is going to do it.
The session adjourned at O'Clock.
THE EVENING SESSION.
The session of the institute last
evening drew largely from the city for
| it's attendance, but the farmers were
present, though not in so large num-
bers as during the day.
The evening opened with ballad
| by the Sylvan quartette, whose mem
bers covered themselves with glory as
usual.
A NEW MUNCHAUsEN.
Judge f.. S. Wilson, of Olncy, en-
cited suspicion among the farmers in
the audience, that he might perhaps
be new Munchausen, by his vivid
description of Southern Illinois farm
ing in an address on Northern and
Southern Illinois Canning, nusn mh e
county h. VOLUNTARILY Iva afss ff's or fUfty
acre tract of land, if he had about a
dozen children to tend it. Had to-
have the children, for he couldn't af-
ford to hire. If he did his land would
be sold for taXes--sure. Still, this
sour land of Egypt was the greatest
fruit land in the world. This land
raised the finest fruit in the world and
in greater abundance. He knew a
man who had an income of 81, 400 per
year from ten acresvf apples.
The Judge then read paper upon
the Farmers Needs and the Farm
er's Demands" The business of farm
ing had developed into the most UNI
profitable business in the world. The
sons and daughters were deserving the
farm for the city and leaving the old
homestead. He quoted statistics to
show that the farmers had raised
nearly one third more in 1889 than in
1888 and had received $l45, 1000, 900 less
for their crop than for the crop OF
1898. The loss was $27 600, 900 to Hi
nOis farmers alone. He compared the
profits of the manufacturers of Massa-
chusetts with the farmers OF Illinois,
showing picture Of great profit on
one side and heavy loss on the other.
He cited the numerous wrongs of
the farmer, the doubling of the ma
tional debt by the payment of the u.
S. bonds in gold instead of in the de-
preciated currency with which it was
purchased, the watered stock Of the
railroads upon which the farmer pays
the dividends, the payment of the
greater share of public taxation, etc.
He declared the only remedy to be the
control of legislation by the farmer,
by placing men Of his kind in the halls
of the state and national legislation.
ONLY A FARMER.
Mrs L. G. Chapman, of Freedom, a
lady of good address, read paper
upon the topic, "OnIy Farmer" She
travelled back to the time of Adam,
who was 'only farmer" to the days
of Washington, Lincoln, Grant, and
the heroes of history, who were ''only
farmers" Just why the word "Only"
was coupled with the farmer more
than with the lawyer or the doctor?
The farmer was always at the end.
Uncle Jerry Rusk brought up the
rear" at the receptions at Washington.
The farmer was always bringing up
the rear. So it would ever be until
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