St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-04-02
The Executive Committee OF
the Farmers Alliance
Holds a Session,
And, After Denouneing the
Supreme Court Decision in
the Granger Cases,
Roasts a Corporation News
paper to a Very Brown
Turn.
The Globes Position Is In
dorsed Warmly by the
Farmers.

"Are the people or the railro ads SUI
preme i'm this country?"
This is the question that was dis
cussed In all its bearings by the execu,
tive committee of the Minnesota Farm,
ers' alliance all yesterday afternoon al
the Clarendon hotel. OF course tho
cause of this diseussion,as we'll as of the
meeting, at this particular time was this
decision recently rendered In the SUI
preme court in the celebrated Min,
nesota granger cases. As was
predicted In the GLOBE at the time the
decision was rendered, this unexpected
action of the nations highest court has
famed the Indignation and dissatisfac-
ton of the farmers of Minnesota into Q
white heat, coming as 1t does just at
time when the farmers wSre resting ON
their oars in the belief that the power
full arm of the state was able to reach
out and save them from being ground to
death by system of extortionate and
remorseless railroad rates.
But do the farmers propose to SIT
calmly down and allow the railroad
commission, for which they have fought
for years, to be virtually wiped out OF
existence amid the plaudits of that por-
ton of the public press always motor.
iOusly on the side of corporate power
and wealth? Not much; and here is q
resolution passed by unanimous vote
at the meeting yesterday, denouncing
ne course of one of these sheets:
Whereas, The Pioneer Press. OF st. Paul,
has earnestly indorsed the recent decision OF
the Uuited states supreme court In regard to
the power of the railroad companies to fix
rates for transportation as just and right and
has exulted in the victory of the corpora
tons. and has persistently opposed the inter-
ests of the people; therefore.
Resolved, That we urge the farmers 10 sup
port only those newspapers that clearly and
positively stand by them in the great battle
for their rights.
81 want to say" remarked ignatius
Donnelly in presence of the entire body
of farmers at the meeting yesterday,
''that the course of the GLOBE on this
question was and is appreciated by US.
While nearly, If not every, other lead
ing paper was saying nothing, or in-
dorsing this decision, the GLOBE, in
manly and straightforward manner,
pronounced itself on the side OF the
people.n President Hall and the other
members all expressed their apprecia-
ton of the GLOBES position on this de-
cisiOn.
But the fight is but commenced. An
effort will be made by the alliance to
call convention of the alliances in the
different states for the purpose of devils.
ing plan of concerted action: and the
question of state control of railroads
thought to be settled for all time in the
United States by the decision of the
supreme court in the celebrated "gran-
ger cases" of dozen years ago.
will again be fought over. and the doors
of congress and even the constitution
i,caIf fpuadad ~ tha farrnara aud nrn-
ducers of the United States. To start
the ball rolling Hon. John j. Furlong
offered resolution inviting the secre-
tary to correspond with the different la d.
Dor organizations to express their views
upon the following points:
First-Are you in favor Of joining the al
lance IN calling special meeting during the
coming summer 10 consider the propriety OK
independent political actiOnf
Secoud-Is It the opinion OF such labor or
ganizations that state ticket or any part or
the same should be nominated at such meet
ingY
Thirds It their opinion that alliance cam
didates should be nominated for congressy
Fourth-Will such organization stand BY
the alliance in such independent actiony
These resolutions were adopted unan<
imOusly, and with them will be sent
copy of the following stinging and radi-
cal resolutions, also unanimously
adopted:
Whereas, 1t Is reported by the daily press
that the United States supreme court has re-
Gently decided, in a ca sc appealed from this
state. that the railroad commission tand In
ferentially, the state legislature) has no
right or power to prescribe rates OF transpor-
tation on the railroads of the state, or TO 90
more than establish prima-facie reasonable
rates. each detail to be fought over in sue
cessiOn Of courts, with intermlnable ntiga-
ton, thereby practically. multiplying or re-
versing the great decisions OF the same
court made some years since In the granger
cases; therefore
Resolved, By the executive committee OF
the State Farmers alliance. speaking in be-
half of 5000 farmers of Minnesota, that We
regard the said recent decision as one OF the
greatest incidents in the history OF our
country, and as signifying the subsection OF
the people and the state to the unlimited con-
troll of the railroad corporations of this
country.
Resolved, That we appeal from this second
bred Scott decision to the people of the ma
ton, and we ask them to consider whether
any other race would submit to have their
liberties thus wheedled away from them on
technicalities by squad of lawyers, sitting
as a supreme authority high above congress.
president and people. We call attention to
the fact that the citizens of England, from
whom we have largely derived our form
one instant a bench OF judges
to nullify an act of parliament-there the
people are properly yomnipotent-and that no
civilized government on earth has ever con-
ferred such powers upon any court as are by
our constitution granted TO the United states
supreme court In our anxiety to protect
the rights of property we have created ma
chinery that threatens to destroy the rights
of man.
Resolved, That copies of these resolutions
be sent by our secretary TO the alliances OF
the several states of the Union, with the re-
quest that they unite with us in an effort TO
so amend the constitution OF the United
States as to abolish this new slavery OF the
states and nation. established by and for the
benefit of corporate wealth; and TO make 1t
so plain that the people are masters in this
event that no court, however shallow or cor
rupt. shall ever again attempt to subject
them TO the domination Of the artificial per-
sonages they have themselves created.
Resolved, That we recommend the holding
of u convention by the alliances of the
United States, at an early date. to consider
the very grave and mOmentOus questions
arising out or this extraordinary decision.
Resolved, That we hereby express the
gratitude of the farmers of Minnesota to
Judges Bradley, Lamar, Gray, and the other
judges OF the supreme court who dissenfed
from the said decision and stood by the peo-
pie upon the question.
While these resolutions may seem a
trifie radical they are just what might
have been expected when any branch
of the federal government seeks to OPP
press by technicalities, or through
corporation influences, q body
of men as large and as in
telligent as the American far
mer of to-day. This Is true when
such action comes along In the regular
sequence of things; it is doubly sure to
he true when a court OF last resort
reverses itself on a question OF such
-. - NIaa.