Connecticut western news., 1890-06-25
THE FARMERS LEAGUE
A Branch Organized at Lttchfield.
From the Litchfleld Enquirer.

The meeting for the formation of Farmers League in this town at Armory Hall on Friday night was attended by about 60 people, mostly farmers. MT Fessenden Ives, of Goshen, was appoint ed chairman, who introduced Mir G. F. Powell, Pres. of the National League. This gentleman is Q plain, practical, '" hard-headed" farmer, but very effective talker.
 Mir Powell opened his address by calling attention to the strange fact that while this is the richest country in the world, while its agricultural producers ought naturally to be the most prosper ous in the world, they are really suffer ing from great depression. The reason for this was that while other classes have been favored by legislation, and saved from injury by law, agriculture had not met with the same care and protection.
 'sThe time has come," said the speak CT, "when we must organize as other classes organize to make ourselves felt in congress and the legislatures. We have been standing apart, as individuals, while other classes have organized.
 How can we do this We must attend
 to the primaries. We must see that
 better representatives are elected.
 ''Can the farmers of both the old
 parties work together politically :? Ger
 tainly. Most of the old political prob
 lems have been worked out to suc-
 cessful solution. We are no longer
 confronted with any great issue. Yet
 politicians were never so alert, so bent
 on holding people in the old political
 Eor fn
 because they are not represented. Why
 should we fill congress and our legisla-
 lures with lawyers ? They do not repre-
 sent us. The railroad interests are
 always better cared for, there. The
 manufacturers represent themselves,
 why should not we represent ourselves?
 Our government has made one terri
 ble mistake. It has given away our best
 land to foreigners. The railroad com
 panies have profted immensely by this
 mistake. They have run their lines out
 into vast tracts of unoccupied land and
 then imported foreigners to people it.
 There are $500 agents out all over
 Europe soliciting emigration. It used
 to cost $1OO to come over from Europe.
 Now steerage passage costs but $S.
 Criminals and paupers are unloaded on
 us by the hundred thousand. Europe
 can send us two million emigrants 8
 year and yet maintain it's population.
 "What has been the result Forty
 years ago New England farmer could run in debt for land and pay for it. To- day, if he owes $2,O00 or $3,OOO on a farm of 200 acres, he is doomed l! Why is this A few figures will show. Be- tween 1870 and 1880 the value of the land of Colorado increased $21 ,O00, ,OOO; but Vermont lands decreased $50, ,000, 900 in value. In the same period Dakota lands show an increase of $20, ,OOO, 900; New Jersey lands, decrease of $6O,- OOO,OO California lands. increased $120. 1000, ,000; Pennsylvania lands de- creased $67, 100000 Kansas lands in- | creased $144, ,OOO, ,OOO; New York lands decreased $216, 100000. This shows why the Eastern farmer can't pay his debts. Yet congress is flooded with bills calling for millions on millions to aid capitalists in irrigating desert lands when there should not be another acre of land taken up for 25 years.
 |" l have no doubt that farm indebted ness is increasing while the value oi farms is decreasing. At recent milk meeting in Pawling, the richest milk producing section of the country, ] ! asked tho farmers who were making | money to hold up their hands. Not a hand was raised. A person who had examined the land records declared that he had found more mortgages than there had ever been before.
 These are facts, however politicians may deny them. Why do the New York consumers pay 6 to 10 cents g quart for milk while the farmers get but two Because we have not orga- nized. have seen farmer peddling his own milk in New York city for 3
 cents glass and people were awarming 1 to get it. There is no over-production of milk. New York city would buy every quart you can produce, if only ! they could get it pure and cheap. Just 1 imagine what a reformation it would work if milk were substituted as a drink for beer What the country needs is statesmen who will save the farmers from being ruined by over-emigration and by over-stimulation of Western agriculture, leading to production and general depression of all agricultu- l ral interests.
 "Our league started i'll Massachusetts two years ago. Dairymen were threat ened with great loss from the introduce ing of oleomargarine. The farmers organized to procure the passage of q | law to protect them against the fraud. They accomplished little the first year. Last year they pledged candidates be- fore election and carried bill through | the House but failed in the Senate. Next fall they propose to have Senate ! as we'll as House elected who will do them justice. Farmers begin every where to feel the necessity of organiz- ing. State Leagues have been formed l in Maine, New-Ye Rannaylxania and Ohio. Only five farmers are needed to start league the expense is only DO ! cents each. The only pledge given is ! this
 "'I hereby affirm that will do all in my power by vote and influence to ad- vance the farmers interests in politics ! and legislation, so far as this can be done without conflicting with the vel l fare of the entire people.
 "Can Democratic and Republican ! farmers work together You are not called on to leave your party in order 1 to join the League. But you should attend the caucuses and insist on good l candidates, on candidates who will attend to your interests. The greatest evils of our time are bad type of poli- tics and class legislation hostile to your interests. Money is ruling politics to- day. All our elections in New York are
 determined by money. In our congress sional district I have known one candi- 1 date to spend $16O,O00, and another to
 put in $2OO, ,OOO. On that election day ]
 knew Republican deacon and his son, also church member, offered $40 each 1 to vote the Democratic ticket. They
 hesitated. The Republicans offered
 them $50 each and they took it. l knew