Mexico weekly ledger., 1897-03-25
TO TEE PEOPLE OF MISSOURI.
The Farmers' and Industrial Club Issues
an Address Defending Its Objects
and

The Farmers and Industrial Club.
composed of members of the Mis-.
souri, Legislature, tonight issued the
following address:
We, the undersigned members of
the Farmers and Industrial Club,
having seen our actions and motions
unfairly criticised, and in many in
stances enormously reported by the
metropolitan press, desire to make
this statement to the people of the
state.
The first object of our association
was for the discussion of proposed
legislation, that we might inform
ourselves of the merits and dement's
of such measures.
The second object was to work to
| secure the enactment of wholesome
and just laws. Every one, whether
a member of our club or not,
whether a member of the legisla-
ture or not, who SO desired, was per-
mitted to come before III and discuss
any bill or proposed measure, and
wsrs given, as any one who appeared
before us will testify, the most re-
spectful hearing. After a full con-
sideration u members had a better
understanding of the merits of the
measure, but were not in any way
bound to support any measure what
ever.
The club discussed more than fifty
important bills which were reported
favorably and passed the house.
The following bills passed the house
and were defeated in the senate:
The 2-cent railroad fare bill, the
general freight bill, reducing freight
bill, reducing freight on short hauls;
the stock yards bill reducing charges
for grain, hay, and yardage; the
general franchise bill, which would
have furnished the state treasury
with nearly $500, 900 annually; the
saloon license bill, increasing the IL
cense for state revenue from $50 to
800, which would have furnished
the revenue of $3.50, 900 to the state;
the beer inspection bill, which
would have contributed $500, 900 an
nually to the public road fund;
freight bill No. 3. reducing freight
charges on grain and live stock
about 25 per cent.
The senate voted as follows OF
freight bill No. 3: Anderson. Bal
lard, Childers, Hohenschild, Morton,
Lancaster, Majors, Marshall, Van
diver, Wells, Williams voted for the
bill. Brewster, Burkhead, Busche,
DAWSON, Drum, Goodykoontz,
Gray, Klene, Landrum, Lyons, Nc
Clintic, Madison, Martin, Matthews,
Miller, Mott, Orchard, Peers, Pow
ers, Schweickardt and Seaber voted
against the bill. O'Bannon and
Young were absent.
The attention of the people of the
state is respectfully called to the
consideration of the merits of these
questions, and we most earnestly
ask the cooperation of all good cit
liens, to the end that such men only
may be elected to the next general
assembly as will stand for equal
for all special privileges to
Most respectfully submitted by
on address.
F. N. DYER,
G. B. ELLIS of Bates,
j. M. HOPKINS,
q. IT COLLINS, -
F. FITZGERALD,
w. G. ALDREDGE,
A. S. PRATHER,
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES.
We, the undersigned members of
the Forty-ninth general assembly of
the state of Missouri, hereby organ
ize ourselves into an Industrial
Legislative League, such Dr.
ganization to be non. patisan, for
the purpose of securing legislation
in the interests of the wealth Great
ing classes of our state as follows:
Eirst-TO reduce Fees and salaries