Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-11
PLOW AND HAMMER.
The Knights of the Pillow Meet
at Sedaiia.
THE KNIGHTS OF THE HAM MER
Assemble at Toledo-PumplSins Big as
Barrels, Corn as Long as Your Arm.
The Billion-Dollar Consress--Pow-
derly's Report-The Proceedings.

SEDALIA. Mo, Nov. 1o,-The eleventh
annual session of the National Farmers
congress met here to-day. There could be
no mistake in the character of the assembly.
| Woods opera house, the place
of meeting, was handsomely dec
GRATED with various agricultural
products, sheaves of grain, immense
stalks of corn, pumpkins like barrels and
ears of corn as big as ones arm. There
were goo delegates present representing
thirty different states On the platform
were seated Governor Francis of
Missouri, vice-President y. ". Smith
OF Kansas, Secretary B. F.
| Clayton of Iowa, Hon. Frank Is. Wyer,
| president of the Commercial club of Soda
| LA. Col. Daniel Needham of Boston.
| president of the New England
agricultural society; Senator John
Iowa, Hon. A. Pope Yeaman of Missouri,
Secretary Clayton called the congress TO
order, and stated that he had just received
word from President kolb of Montgomery,
Ala, that it would be impossible for him to
attend. In his absence Vice-President y.
". Smith of Kansas presided. He was
presented with phenomenally large ear of
corn to be used Us 4 gavel.
After prayer, Governor Francis delivered
an address of welcome in behalf of the
state. After bidding the delegates wei
come he said it was eminently proper that
the men who represented the greatest inter-
est in the nation should meet and confer and
discuss the best methods to promote the
welfare and protection of their interests.
Farmers had grievances. There was no
doubt OF that, and 1t was proper that they
should meet and devise means TO
correct them. Glass legislation, he
continued, had been one cause of
the depression of agricultural interests.
ii had
ance and it was now that the farmer was
given recognition in the councils of the
nation. There were two great questions,
the proper solution of which would tend to
ameliorate the farmers condition.
One was the improvement of the great
water courses, which would furnish cheap
transportation for farm products. The
Missouri river could be improved at a cost
of 10000, 600, 4 small sum compared to the
expenditure of the billion-dollar congress.
The other great question was the improve
ment ofcountry roads, which would fur
njsh good Transportation for small farmers
to their nearest market.
Vice-PreSident \. W. Smith responded
to the address of welcome. He thanked
the governor for his cordial words of well
come. He agreed with the governor
that the great water courses
of the country should be improved
in the interest of farmers, manufacturers
anu NcHty iulllOu
was a small enough amount to be de-
voted to the improvement of a
big river like the Missouri He was
not alarmed, he said, at any billion-dolar
congress. He thanked God that he lived in
a country where the appropriation of bill
lion dollars by one congress would not bank
rupt the treasury.
The agricultural interest was the great
est interest of the nation and legislation
should take it more into account than it
does. Still the farmer did not ask for class
legislation. The affairs of the
nation could and should
be administered without any clashing of in
terest of farmers and of manufacturers
Acting Mayor Carroll also delivered an
address OF welcome to which Col |
Daniel Needham of Boston re-
spOnded. He returned thanks for |
the cordially of this welcome. They came |
here, he continued. mot as Democrats, not |
as Republicans, and l thank God not as |
Farmers Alliancers." They come repre- |
senting the agricultural interests of the ma |
ton, irrespective of party.
Still another address Of welcome was ex- |
tended by Frank B. Myer, president Of the |
Sedalia Commercial club. Secretary B. f. I
Clayton of Iowa responded, after which an |
adjournment was taken until o'clock in |
the afternoon.