The evening times., 1899-01-19

them. Before<we impute feebleness to the
backbone OF Congressman we should con-
slider well whether the inaction of that
body is not due to the inertia of the p7o-
pie.
Now, how are we to get those &c, ,000,-
600 farmers. say nothing of the remaining
45,O0O,000 people, to act effectively so as
to secure the legislation they wish. They
can have their way If they are in earnest.
They can secure all the pure food legisla-
tion they want, on the condition, the wit
said he could write Shakespeare If he had
a mind to- The farmers of this country
could, If they would, command share of
public control commensurate with the
magnitude of their interests. / do not care
to bestow upon them empty compliment,
but it is just to them to allude to the
elements of their social and political pow
er. AS creators of wealth they hold pre-
eminence. They are necessary to the ef-
fective exertions of all other classes. The
marvellous wealth creating agencies of
modern times could no more perform their
miracles of creative energy without the aid
of the farmer than Jupiter seated on
Olympus could have hurled his lightning
had not Vulcan forged the thunderbolts out
! of the earth
Chief among the agencies for creating
public opinion are organizations for asso-
| ciated effort in which men of like views
tion give to an idea social force that
makes it go. Reform clubs, tariff leagues,
, sound money organizations. pure food con-
crosses are examples of the form of agita-
tion which proves most effective in con-
| nection with individual exertions. In our
country these idea-generating agencies are
| more prevalent than elsewhere. Our peo-
| pie are quick to take up ideas because they
| are omniverous readers; their minds are
| furnished and ready to extend hospitality
to new thing in the way of improvement
| ii it looks respectable and desirable.
| doubt If we have any conception of the
| amount of influence that can be exerted by
! a little judicious talk by one earnest man.
| One individual in dozen earnest talks
may change the opinion of a community.
! We must employ all the means available
! to stimulate public interest and inspire a
sense of civic duty.
Now what have the 100000 farmers
| done to create this resistless body of opin-
| ion? How many organizations have they
! efiected. how many meetings held, leso-
lutions adopted. letters written to msm-
| bers of Congress, articles published in the
! press of the country. In other words,
| how many rivers have they started to
pour their streams into the OCEAN Of pub
| lie sentiment that swells and rolls 10 md
our social and political globe. carrying in
| dividuals, conventions, Congresses, g,v-
ernments, on its resistless boom?
When this work has been done and
| done effectively you will have pure food
| Legislation and any other kind o. sa utary
! legislation demanded by the colntry's
| needs.
so | say in conclusion, when the peo-
pie create sentiment which demands leg
(; islation il is sure to come. Remove the
| social inertia, waken the masses from
their lethargy and give them tongue to
! swell the cry for what they need and Con-
| gress will enact it into law and put it on
! your statute books. The nature of socie
! ty is such that in the long run ali rise and
| fall together None can escape the wis
! dom of the wise or the folly of the other
wise. The good and the bad. the strong
| and the weak move together like an army
! ON the march. If evils exist all suffer
none escape. Ali our larger interests are
| in common. We share the same fate, gov
| ernors and governed, repres entatives and
! people. No Congress can get so far away
| as not to hear your call or so high as to
| be beyond your reach or so mighty as not
| to fear your reproach.'
| Congressman Bell, Livingston ami Skin
ner, who were expected TO address the
| congress, were unable TO be present, and
their regrets were expressed to the de e.
! gates by President B blackburn
Chairman Abbott. OF the committee on
| credentials. arrived at the hall during the
! course of Mr.. Brosius' address He vas
called On for the report of his committee,
| but he stated that he had found the work
| TO be Of a very arduous nature and was
| not yet ready. The report he said, was in
! the hands of stenosrapher. and it would
| probably be presented to the congress this
! afternoon.
| One of the delegates asked if there was
| any prospect for the passage of the bill
| this session. Mr.. Brosius stated that he
| did not think it would be possible TO Sc
| cure its enactment, as there were only
| forty days left in which to act on matters
| of grave national and international i'm
| port.
| President Blackburn then stated that
| the programme called for the intro iaL tion
| Of resolutions without debate, and such
would be in order.
A number of resolutions were offered
by the various delegates, all but one OF
| which took the form of amendments to
| the Pure Food bill.
Delegate Shcman. Of New Yo.k, offered
a resolution which provided that the dele
| gates should be instructed to so impress
the Importance of the pure food Law on
| the members of the State legiS a -ures
! that resolutions should be adopted in the
| various State legislatures informing Con-
gress of the necessity for immediate en-
\ actment Of the Pure Food bill.
Dr. Abbott. of Missouri, asked that the
rule be suspended and the resolution be
considered in the form of a motion at
once, as the Importance Of il was plain TO
| all members.
The motion of Mr.. Abbott was immedi-
ately seconded
Delegate De Witt. of Chicago, here in
terposed an amendment which provided
that the motion should be again returned
to the form of a resolution and referred
to The proper committee.
The regular order of business called for
the introduction of resolutions without de-
bate and there was much to be said OF
the subject, Mr.. De Witt, therefore
thought the rules laid down should be ad-
hered to.
The motion of Mr. De Witt met with tn,
hearty approval of a majority of the mem
bers, and his idea was adopted
| The reports of the various officers wer,
called for. Robert N. Harper, of this city
the treasurer, gave a detailed account O
the condition of the finances, and a com
mittee was appointed to audit the ac
| counts.
The report of Corresponding Secretar,
Wedderburn was then read giving an &C
count of the Office work of Congress for th
past year.
The morning session adjourned at II: Is
| 1uS-pIOSTduuue tOE Tie AFTERNOON cal
for a number of speeches from represen
tative men. The sessions of the congres
are open to the general public.
The lecture to be delivered tonight be
fore the Pure Food Congress is one of tn
most important OF it's kind that has eve
been heard jim this city. Mr. Henry d
Perky, of Massachusetts,. has made a spe
cial study Of the various food products
and is able to state authoritatively hoy
I
Possible Natural Conditions" which is tn
| subject he has been asked to lactnrn or,