Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-19
THE BIG CoRNC0B
Raps the Farmers Congress to
Order at SedaIia.
THE PLATFORM, AS 1T WERE,
Contains the Cardinal Doctrines of the Party
of the Masses.
The President and United States Senators
Should be Elected by Popular Vote.
Savannah Harbor-Speech of Con-
gresham Heard-An Ear of Corn.

gresham Heard-An Ear of Corn.
SEDALIA. Mo-, Nov. 1.-THE National
farmers congregation was late in assem-
bling this morning, and it was II O'Clock
when president Smith let the corncob
gavel drop, calling the session to order.
The following resolutions were introduced
and referred:
BY John Church of Colorado, urging the
congress of the United States to cede the
arid lands in various states to provide the
states with systems of irrigation.
By NJ. +. ". thurman of Missouri, urging
the extension of the signal and crop report
system of the department Of agriculture.
By Virgil Mackay of Kansas. providing
that the ear OF corn used by the chairman
as gavel be sent to the Worlds fair for
exhibition.
BY G. W. Swink of Colorado, urging a
national system of irrigation.
Congressman John L. Heard of the Sixth
Missouri congressional district delivered an
address on railway transportation. Rail
way transportation was subject of su-
p enc Importance to the farmer. One Of
the solutions of this vexed question, he
said, was found IN state railway commits
sions. Missouri has been among the first
of the states to deal with the question in
that way, and Missouri's experience showed
that the method has been successful Au-
other method of controlling railway corpo-
rations in the interest of the people was u
true national railway commission. Some
professed to believe that railroads should
be placed under government mana cement.
Government railroading, he believed, would
be a gigantic failure.
In the first place the government would
have TO buy the railroads, and that would
cost ten thousand millions of dollars. That
h.a
there was in circulation only fifteen hundred
million dollars. The purchase of the rail-
roads would nece5sitate mourning a debt OF
gigantic proportions, and he did not believe
that the farmers or anyone else wanted to
go down into their pockets and pay any
more debts than they were now paying.
Another great objection to government rail-
road control was the increase of Federal
officeholders which it would. naeessitates.ssi
H. c. Brown of Georgia Endorsed every
thing that Mr.. Heard had said. Georgia,
he said, had tried state ownership of raif-
ways. Georgia owned the Western and
Atlantic railway. Under state control the
rates were higher. the service bad and the
deficit was extraordinary The state found
1t has been too expensive to run its own
railway, and the line WIS leased to private
Individuals. Under private control the
service, paid a rentalsof $1,000 Il month and
made money for thedessees r
Hon. MARTINI Mghler, Secretary of the
Kansas state board of agriculture, read. a
paper on the rage fsaeg conditions Of high
whetherra high state Of Civilization tended
to increase or decreasassthe happiness of
mankind. He took an optimistic view of the
question, and concluded that higher civiliz-
alton was the greatest happiness OF the
race.
The convention then adjourned until 2
o'clock. At the afternoon session the COM
mittee on resolutions presented for adoption
the following preamble and resolution,
which were adopted:
Whereas, the government of the United
States has established as cabinet officer
the secretary of agriculture. which action
We heartily approved of; and,
Whe,eas, the Hon. J. NJ. Rusk occupies
that distinguished position in the present
administration and has been faithful and
cautious and diligent in consulting the best
interests of the farmers; therefore. be it
Resolved, that he is entitled to and has
the approval and thanks of this the
Eleventh annual session of the National
Farmers congress of the United States, in
convention assembled in the city of Sedalia,
Mo.
The committee also submitted its formal
report through its chairman, Col Daniel
Needham OF Boston, the report being read
by Capt. ID. 5. Purse Of Georgia. The re-
port recommended the adoption of resolu-
tlonS pledging the organization to maintain
its non-parti an character, requesting the
national congress to improve the river and
harbor OF Savannah, Ga. demanding the
passage of laws distributing equally upon
all classes the burden of taxation, which
should be limited to the wants of the gov
eminent economically and honestly admin
requesting the secretary of agri-
culture to increase the number of repre-
sentatives in foreign countries to push the
work of introducing American corn as food.
believing that the marked success in that
direction attained already is a warrant for
such request. and requesting congress to
appropriate sufficient money to cover the
expense of this increased representation
abroad; demanding systematic and
improvement by the Federal gov
of the waterways and harbors of
the United States; requesting the extern |
sion of the free delivery of mails |
among farmers; demanding control of
all trusts and combinations and monopolies |
so they shall work no harm to the people; |
recommending that the president of the |
United States and United States senators |
be elected by direct or popular vote: de- |
handing the extension of the signal service |
reports issued by the agricultural depart |
nent; requesting the Federal government |
~ dlu llic StSitto VI drlu |
The resolutions were considered seriatim |
md were all adopted with the exception of |
he latter, which the congress struck from |
he report by vote of A to II.
The resolution asking congress to improve |
he harbor at Savannah, Ca, was loudly |
ipplauded and unanimously adopted, as |
vas also the resolution demanding the cleo |
ion of the president and vice-president OF |
he United States and United States sena-
ors by popular vote.
The committee on finance presented re-
,ort requesting the various state legisla-
ures to make an appropriation for the ex-
lenses of state delegations to future con-
-resses of this character in order that each
tate may have full and proper repre-
entation. The report was adopted
The convention then adjourned till to-
morrow morning.
This evening the delegates were enter
aimed at various receptions and by parade
f the Sedalia fiambeau club