The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-03

The efforts of a few calamity howl
eTs to convert the National Farmers
congress into q Populist convention
failed Of SUCCESS and the would-be die
tatoTs were very promptly and properly
sQuelched yesterday.
While the Farmers congress dis
cusses political measures and makes
recommendations of d semi-political na-
ture to the government, it is non-par-
tisan in its work and its members in
clude prominent persons of all politi-
cal faiths. The aim of the congress
is to take an unbiased view of ali
measures, advocating those which it
believes to be of greatest benefit to the
agricultural classes.
In the discriminating judgment Of
the committee on resolutions, a large
number of resolutions which had been
referred to it were reported on I'M
favorably or rejected. These resolu-
tiOns covered every phase of populism
from the single tax theory to Bryan's
famous "cross of gold and crown of
thorns" speech at Chicago, and the
frequently expressed wonder concern
ing them was that in such an assem-
blage as the congress is, that any one
would perpetrate them. The trainers
of these documents were out in full
force yesterday, and a great deal Of
the valuable time of the session was
wasted in hearing their arguments in
support of their respective measures.
H. L. Loucks, of South Dakota,
wanted the convention to go on record
on "a number of visionary ideas. He
wanted the abolishment of the nation
al banking system, the unlimited coin
age of silver and issuance of green
backs, and the government ownership
of railroads, in which last particular
he was ably seconded by P. H. Ra-
hiIly, of Lake City, and L. H. Weller,
familiarly known as Calamity" Wei
ler an orator of loud voice and many
gestures, hailing from Iowa On the
question of railroad ownership, Mr..
Rahilly undertook to show the dark
mysterious ways of those sOulless cor
pOratiOns, saying:
1T has been my fortune to be a member of
the state legislature, in both house and SEN
ate, for many years, and my experience as
such has convinced me that railroad influence
has controlled legislation to a great extent
in many years. In my judgment the railroads
really not only control legislation, but con-
troll both district and supreme courts OF this
state TO a certain extent. To prove my asser-
ton, I undertake to quote a decision rem
dered by the supreme court OF TINS state
within the past six months. 1t is a notorious
fact that we have q law on the statute Dooks
of this state prohibiting scalpers TO sell rail-
road tickets. 1t is equally true that railroads
have furnished such scalpers with blocks OF
mileage books to be sold TO the PUBIC Inc
late decision that I refer 10 has heIo tAat'
while a citizen may purchase one OF these
mileage books, when he presents booh OF
TRANSFORMATION on the railroad the railroad
company is not only 1ustined in refusing to
accept such mileage book for his TanspOrta-
ton butaholds that the company is Iustlhed IN
abusing and insulting said passenger. Ihey
also Justify turning him off the train and
confscating his mileage book. In my Judg-
ment this gigantic court fraud should De
designated as the supreme fraud OF the state.
I was born in q wheat field, nave lved IN
one and expect TO die in one, ana as sucn
am in favor Of government ownership VI 4ali-
roads"
DR.. Cahalen, of Iowa, and others, an
nounced that they had always found
the railroad companies fair and were
liberal in many cases, and when 1t
came to q vote of the congress the
great majority of the delegates
thought so too.
Mr. Weller also had his pet measure
killed sterday-cruelly slaughtered
despite his earnest arguments in its
favor. It was a resolution favOring
free coinage of silver. as follows:
Resolved. That the general welfare of the
great majority Of the people Of these United
States demands that there be made speedily,
bv proper legislation restoration of the laws
of the United States relating to the coinage
of silver TO exactly what they were for more
than half a hundred years prior TO the in
famles of adverse legislation of 1873.
R. B. F. Candage, of Massachusetts,
offered two resolutions which were