The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-01

cabinet position. We demanded the enactment
Of the Interstate commerce law and it was
passed. We said to the congress OF the
United States we want our experimental sta
ton enlarged and made more effective. We
want a more complete system of crop reports,
and better signal service. We demanded the
enactment of pure food laws, and all those
measures have been laid before the federal
congress and many OF them have been IA
Yorably considered.
When we are credited with what rightly
belongs to the interest represented in this
organization, it includes fully 90 per cent of
the wealth and the population of the greatest
nation on the globe.
The fact that you hold a commission from
the chief executive of your state, is sufficient
evidence that you are men of intelligence,
fresh from the fields OF your pursuits and
from the people, and that your deliberations
during this session will be characterized by
the Hottest craftsmanship.
The session of this congress held at In
dianapolis, November of last year, was at the
end of three years of the most fearful COM
mercial depression known to our country dur
ing any peaceful period of its history. While
every interest and industry felt the tremend-
out shock and while the merchant, the man
ufacturer and the great financial institutions
was driven to desperation to avoid bank
ruptcy, yet ii fell with double force upon the
farmer and upon agricultural pursuits.
The cause of this sudden calamity is a de-
batable question upon which | do not care
to enter. That the worlds over-productlon
with the perfect facilities for transportation
bors, largely contributed to it l have no
doubt; and that mistaken legislation on the
part OF the congress of the United States has
plunged the agricultural interests of America
still deeper in the unfortunate calamity is an
indisputable fact.
The American people have experienced fear
full financial lessons in which the most rigid
economy has been brought to bear; and while
the debris of financial wrecks are being rap
idly cleared away; and while l congratulate
you that there has been a marked improve
ment in the financial condition of the coun-
try at large, and in the price of farm products.
during the last year, yet there remains much
to be accomplished before we reach the high
tide OF prosperity experienced by the Amer
lean farmer in former years.
For the last four years, notwithstanding
the price of transportation has been reduced,
much Of farm product has been below the
cost of production. The farmer is confronted
with investments and obligations contracted
under a high tide of prosperity. These OBJ
legations together with undiminished taxa
ton for the support of the government, must
be met from the meager revenues secured
from reduced prices in farm products.
There is no class OF man more loyal TO
his government than the American farmer
We have not assembled as oisgruntled agi-
tators-an assembly Of disappointed political
aspirants for the purpose of ventilating some
fancied grievance against the present or some
former administration. This is the seven
teenth annual session Of a great oTganiZa-
ton representing great interest OF a splen-
did nation.
when we CONSIDER, Inat II SO snort a llLle
we have stepped 20 the front as the wealth.
est nation on the earth, that our increase of
wealth under normal conditions is at the rate
Of two and half millions dollars per day;
when we consider the rapid mechanical and
scientific development of the last quarter OF
a century, it is not strange that We should
see the combination Of capital and the forma-
ton of trusts. They are the logical outgrowth
of most wonderful progress. During the last
twenty-five years We have been engaged in
settling the great questions involving the right
to control these vast corporations As far as
law is concerned We have the right TO check
the rapacious greed Of aggregated capital
Through legislative enactments and through
the courts the contest has been long and Bit
ter, but the principle has been established
and is now recognized by the two great con-
tending forces. While We have upon our
statutes the interstate commerce laws and
antitrust enactments, yet those evils are still
in existence. II is exhibited in the sugar
trust: we see it in the National Millers' asso-
citation where they largely control the price
of grain from the farmer and the price of the
grain product 10 the consumer; and We find
it in the big Four Beef company" that alb
solutely controls both ends Of the market. If
the interstate commerce commission has not
the authority under existing laws to check the
rapacious greed OF these organizations it has
failed in its mission, and should be super
seeded by more effective measures.
l am not an alarnlist; l take no pride in
making war on any organization or institution
that has for its object the greatest good TO
the greatest number of people. l bid them
God speed and a magnificent success in all
legitimate enterprises; but l hope and believe
there will never come an hour when the con-
gress of the United States viii purposely give
their consent 10 the building up Of trusts and
combinations for the control Of the price of
the necessaries of human existence.
I desire to emphasize what ! have said upon
former occasions regarding the political at
titude of this body. man that has no polit-
ical convictions is not fit TO represent his dis
trict or state in the Farmers National con-
a
ton yet it is fair TO presume that we repre-
sent nearly every phase of American politics.
No man is good citizen who will stay away
from the polls and permit the election TO be
controlled by disreputable political dema-
gogues. 1t is our place to be at the local