Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1891-04-17
INTERSTATE CONGRESS.
AN IMPORTANT MEETING IN PROG
RESS At KANSAS CITY

To Consider tho Commercial Welfare Of
tho Blississippi Valley States-Letters
From President Harrison, Secretary
Rusk. Charles B. Farwen and others.
KANSAS C1rY, April 15.-Two sessions
were held by the interstate congress
here. The morning session was devoted
TO addresses Of welcome by Governo,
Francis, Senator Kelly and Hon. Dwight
Thatcher, of Topeka
The afternoon session was called to
srder ut 8 o'clock. The committee on
credentials made the report that SO
many of the delegates had failed to re-
port on their arrival that it was impossi-
Bile to get the full list and it was conse-
quently difficult to say who were and
who were not delegates. After consid.
cradle of q spat among those on the floor
it was virtually decided that all in the
hall who wore the badge Of
the delegates should be recognized
Is such. The committee on
permanent organization then reported
permanent officers as follows: Chair
man, Governor D. R. Francis, of Mis-
souri,; secretary, John W. Springer, of
Illinois; vice presidents, one from each
state.
Committee on rules and order Of
business and committee on resolutions
were similarly appointed.
After Governor Francis was escorted
10 the chair he made a short speech and
then called for the reading of the letters
of regret from various parties. The let
ter Of President Harrison was read, but
IS it was getting very late, it was de-
cided to refer all other letters aud papers
to the committee on rules and order of
business, which should set the time for
their presentation. The congress then
adjourned until 8 .. m. =.
Uncle Jerry's Opinions.
Among the letters received was one
from Secretary Rusk:
The secretary suggests that the promi-
nence be given to the discussion OF those
questions affectingthe agricultural inter
ests of the country, for the reason that a
prosperous agricultural condition will IN
sure prosperity in all other branches Of in
dustry. He suggests that the subjects of
Transportation, Markets and Federal and
State Statistics" as the pivotical in ques-
tions affecting the farmer. The large sur
plus agricultural products of the West
must be sold in distant markets and the
manufactured products must be brought
from distant sources making
The Question of Transportation
especially important to the Western far
mers. Reliable statistics touching tho
supply and demand not only, Of our own
but all foreign countries are highly essen
tial. The removal of foreign prohibitory
laws against American live stock interests
IS dwelt upon at length. The result of re-
cent negotiations with foreign countries
ts rapidly removing these prohibitions
through guarantees that shipments of
American live stock and animal and meat
thorough as that exercised over food prod
ucts in any foreign country. The same
integrity should apply to our agricultural
products We must study the wants of
the markets. Of the world, the tastes of the
consumers and prepare to meet these con-
dattons. We must cultivate demand for
these products in the most finished form,
thus reducing bulk, AL consequently the
cost of transportation.
About business Combinations.
Ex-senator Charles B. Farweu, of ILL.,
nois. sent letter on the subject assigned
to him as follows:
Auc CAUSE duu eAcCtS VI BUSINESS CON-
binations, individual or corporate, is that
individual capital is so limited and so
timid that all large enterprises requiring
large capital could not proceed without
them. Further than this they would not
even be attempted; notably railroads,
which have made it possible for our vast
unsettled territories to blossom into
thickly populated states, as Iowa and Kan
sas, in Incredibly short time
Manufacturing plants of every descrin-
tion spring into existence at the beck and
call OF these populations in favoring dis
tricts, and they too need large capital, but
are more largely in individual hands than
railroads. These are legitimate odsprings
of high civilization in any country and ars
of course consl licuously absent in all semi
barbarous countries, where capital is
chiefly in the hands of kings and auto
Gratis. In word, the effects of such COM
binations which have probably been the
chief cause of the congress you represent
are the abnormal use Of this power Of con.
centration of capital for individual selfish.
ness and unwise legislation on the part of
the government to prevent it by unwise
and impracticable supervision. Selfish
ness which has been used to build railroads
has more than punished itself by unwisa
competition until railroad stocks and
bonds are not tirst-class Investments, az 4
rule. While farmers have suffered in some
instances it is probable that capital in
railroads has suffered more than capital in
farms as is shown by the price of railroad
stocks and bonds This money question
needs the wisdom and ability Of the best
posted men in the country, and hope
your discussions will develop such charac.
teristics and do world Of good in settling
the unrest of our farming interests, which
can only come from q source which reaches
capital as well as labor.