I i I
SUPI'LEMENTro
9
Middleburn,
u.
TJIlltSDAY, JUNE 17, 18)7.
JUST "TAMA JIM."
THAT'S WHAT THE FARMERS
CALL SECRETARY WILSON.
Interesting Man with a Hlatory
Tilled with Interesting Experiences
-He's) Practical and a BcleatlBe
firmer-Honor Thrust Upon Ulan.
Frlond of tlie Farmer.
The present bead of the Agricultural
Department is an interesting niaa aul
hii a blatory Glled with Interesting expe
riences. Tall, blender, gray, rugged in
e,
appearance, with a Scotch accent which
baa clung to him since bin arrival in this
country iu childhood, be is a typical rep
resentative of what sturdy integrity and
unbending will can accomplish. There
are so many interohtinj; thiugs to bo said
of "Tniua Jim," who Rets this title be
cause bis hums in Iowa was iu Tama
County, nud it becanin necessary to in
aomo way identify him as against An
other Jumcs Wilson iu his own State, that
It la ditlicuk to know just w hero to begin
and where to end in writing of him. The
Washington Star, however, in a leagthy
article published n few days ago, selects
a number of uniiiuc features iu his history
and some cijuully iu'terestfug chats with
Mr. Wilson.
As n member of Congress this Iowa
farmer performed an net of abnegation,
of renunciation, every whit as knightly
and heroic as the inspired, inspiring self
ishness and uervo of the grimy man in
dungarees who "held her nose agin the
bank till the last galoot" got ashore. It
was the action of "Tama Jim" that re.
atored to (Irnnt the military titlo that
he surrendered when bo been mo the civil
chief of tho nation he had redeemed with
the sword. It happened during tho Forty-
m
eighth Congress, when Grant lay dying
at Mt, McGregor. It wns n Democratic
House, Carlisle was tho Speaker. A
bill was Introduced restoring to Grant
tho rank of general. To thruttlo consid
eration of the bill Its antagonists resorted
to filibustering tactics.
"Tama Jim," for several previous terms
a representative from Iowa, now held his
teat provisionally. It was contested by
Ben. Frederick, his Democratic opponent.
A contested election case has tho right of
way In Congress. The pretext was seiz
ed by the opponents of t lie urgent measure
to givo back to the expiring leader his
military rank. Tho supporters of tho
Grant bill, eagerly as they desired to get
It through in time, were not willing to
aaerltieo tlielr colleague from Iowa, in or
der to gain their end, ami thus they wero
In turn compelled to resort to filibustering
to prevent the consideration of tho elec
tion ease, which wns exactly what the
anti-lirant party wished tliem to do, The
Grant bill was blocked, with its benefi
ciary close to death.
Then "Timin Jim" msh to the height
of Arthur in his hall. Did h understand
that the mere question as to whether ho
was to be permitted to retain his sent in
Congress stood in the way of n nation's
exhibition of common gratitude to its p:5i
aerver? Could It bu possible that a tner.i
mnlpslnil elA,o!.. ....... ... i.- ,t.
u , nun o lo uu UlOi
boulder on which consideration of Hit till I.
pablo an net of lostlcu wns to solii? "I
M fhS JITV fe
mm KiL hi
this Is tha case," he concluded, enlmly Ice Cream,
amid iiitcuan silence, "as It unqneslionnerved. All are
bly appears to be, tho obstacle Is eusilj-n,i AnA
removed. Mr. Speaker, I hereby resign ,
tny claim to a sent iu this llouso to my I. '
cuinssianr, air. l-redorick.
The llouso rang. Uvery man In tho
Jorjy joined In tho hoarse plaudit that
followed the speech. The anti-Gmnt men
were stupefied, and the Grant bill passed
tho llouso amid a hurrieano of cheers. It
was rushed over to the Senate and Imme
diately passed by that body; and within
an hour after James Wilson, now the Sec
retary of Agriculture, had mado way for
Ita consideration by surrendering his seat
In tho House of Representative tho bill
was signed by the President and became
a law. "Tama Jim" went back to hit
Iowa farm.
Among his old associates in Congress
Secretary Wilson Is still affectionately
known as "Tnnut Jim." The nlcknamn
was conferred upon him lccnuso during
Ms service ns a Congressman thrro was
Jn the House another representative from
Iowa named James F. Wilson, afterward,
and for many years, a Senator. Ho died
aeveral years ngo. To distinguish iho
two men, "Sunset" (, fastened upon
Secretary Wilson the nickname of "Tama
Jim," from Tama County, in which Is sit
uated Mr. Wilson's Iown farm.
Mr. Wilson, at the very beginning of
Jilt career as a member of the lower
house of Congress, was the spokesman
of the agriculturist of this country in
urging tho erection of tho bureau of ag
riculture, as it was then called, Into a
tepsrato department, with a cabinet offi
cer at its head. His word may be taken
for It that at that time be never dreamed
that he would himself one day he called
upon to assume the management of thede.
partment he bo tenlnualy strove to estab
. Ilth. The farmers of tha United Statet
aro still burdening President McKinley'a
mall with felicitations upon hit selection
f a Secretary of Agriculture.
The Man on He la.
"I came here to work for the man with
hit coat off," said Mr. Wilson. "The mau
with hla coat off" It a favorite figure of
bit; not unnaturally, for bo hat been a
man with hit coat oS himself all his Ufa,
Ilia big, mo scalar, horny hands show it;
hla alow, heavy (alt, aa of a man rumor
ing tho distance between furrows, pro
clslrua.lt; so do hla tall, rugged, but some
what stooped" figure, hia lined, wind swept
countenance, hit steel blue eyea, their
singular brightness eloquent of life in the
open fields, tho lids habitually drawn to
gether by a lifelong cvasiou of the glar
ing brilliance of the harvest sun. The
honors he has gained have Wen thrust
upon him; literally by physical force he
waa dragged from the farm to the forum.
Now, summoned from the directorship of
an Iowa agricultural college to the head
of the national agricultural institution,
be still professes to he nothing more than
a man js hia diirt alcoves, working for
the' r?SAen similarly divest-
d
physique, his
movements, ev
s seventy-three
.roelaims hint
1
3TJKGH,
ng, generous,
an who knows
IVLwV'en looks like at
aunrise.-
e torcn oi civil war
I gave forth ita first red illumination, young
rv- .11 v !!....
-r uruier it imoa waa ail inr peiziug n umn-
ket and rushing to tho front. But the
family to which ho belonged was large,
poor, and needed itt men, who were strap
ped to the plough; moreover, hit brother
Peter, an older man, wan toil to go, and
hnd the law of primogeniture, observed
by the Scotch, on hia aide. The two men
drew lots, nud Peter went to the war.
and died in It. Tho younger man re
turned to hit plodding of the fields, to be
seized upon at a parliamentarian by bit
neighbors a few years later.
"Among tha men with their coats off,"
taid Mr. Wilton tha other day, "ure tho
dairymen of thit conntry. They are just
setting about sW'nickla cue of the biggest
jobs they have ever undertaken, aud, if I
have any kiud of gift of prophecy, they're
going to win. The problem is this: Eng
land is buying $IV,000,000 worth of for
eign butter n year. The United States
supplies perhaps 1 per cent of it, or a litllo
over i(.tjOO,000 worth, while little Denmark
aupplics nearly $.') 1,000,000 worth, buying
American cow feed for the purpose of
holding this immense business. We make
the best butter in the world. Then why
can't we tell at least as much of it to the
British peoplo ns a litllo country like
Denmark? That's one of the things I am
going to find out, if it takes all of tho sue
rial agents in this department to get me
tacts; and it will be one of the sur
prises of niy lifo if at the end of three or
fiiiir yean we art aot furnishing Great
BritrUn frith tj lens! on half the butter
'she linporti."
WH":Ma In from nine to
it-H uuura-ji ui i uia uepsnnicni. lie ue
longa to jth careful, plodding type of
workmen.) Ha likes to makt the draft! in
bit own ttndwritlng of the more inipor-
ttaTir )etw-t BsJ oenjaaants to-"which be
appends tit signature. Disaster befalls
him when, at often happens, hit old farm
er frlendi from Iowa walk In upon him
at bit office, tr a tingle visitation of thit
-Tt eslt a eonsiSttt...; hole in his work
ins day; and ft does not eonsolo the Sen
ret t?y to lie avire tljal ilia his own fault,
lie will roi let Mieit visitors depart with
in a rest ma bio lime, much as they pro
test that !hey fear they are trenching up
on his indulgence. He lines up on n leath
er sofa awngxide a couple of these pros
perous loiking elderly agriculturists, and
there en nies a canvassing of farming
matters, :reated either theoretically, tech
nically or practically.
Beiug u scientific farmer, as well as
practical one, Mr. Wilson says that he
feels as much compelled to keep tip with
the latest writings of scientific farming
as tho ambitious physician is obliged to
lollow the current developments in b
profession. Hundreds of pamphlets ami
publications
sorts relative to mat
tors of the j.
and bn lo-
reach him every week
iig!i tliem all. He has
olio pft h
dch, however, is an emi
II nd praiseworthy one
of I lie sugar beet iudus
neatly Proi
vii., the t
fry In th' Ted Slates. "Whv should
Iho UnitfuTiiites pay out $ m,iMW),iHMi a
year for t suir, when we ran casilv
raise it a; home?" is an inquiry lie puis to
his frienrs constantly, and before long he
Intends 1o make a personal inspection of
tho most important fields iu the country
w here th sugar beet industry is grow ins
"Probably next year," snid Mr. Wilson,
I shall make n tour of the fanning dis
(nets throughout the South and Soutli-
west. I
farmer of (Iip
temper.-'
-Northwest, and
must oi
..ma.
i' i
close
r lack of infor
mation f tljJa
with thi .
ite ai
leiits of (he men
facultj
fi sub-tropical re-
a. J I
frieni
lut I am going to
J' em as I can, and
whatt
t fur as Califur
-Ni
LLAND'S RECORD
have, genteel
em I tided of His Own
Tariff f.Aul.lalUn
Homebody with n good memory has tak
en occasion to remind ex-President Clave
laud and the public who read his scold at
the . Itepubliciin party because of It
promptness in carrying out Its pledges
witli reference to tariff legislation, of the
terrible experlenco of the Hoplo of the
United Statet during the eighteen months
In which hla nun party delayed Its tariff
legislation. This reminder was brought
fortly by Mr. ( levelnnd s New York
speerh, In which be criticised the Itepubli
can leaders for tlielr "hot haste" In tak
Ing VD-4riV VEiftlntion. The eighteen
months wblch el)sed between Mr. Cleve
land Inauguration In 1NIM and the enact
mentlof hla free trado tariff law Included
moreltban 20,01)0 failures, with liabilities
aggregating more than oN) million dollars
the qosing down of over 800 banks; the
appointment of receivers for about forty
rallrotls, whose Indebtedness amounted
to a billllon and a half dollars, and strikes
and lAckouta costing the woikingmen cn
cacedHS million dollars In wages lost,
Thel total record of the eighteen months
lncludU-vlket In New lork and Mich!
gan iqi Irch. lSffl; strikes In Chicago
in ApiJ Irikes and nanlt failures in 1 1 1 1
uois aU hhlo iu May; runs on savings
banks M I estern states in .nine; suspen
sion ol I k In mines and numerous bank
fai'wrf "thoiit tho w est in July; fail
nretV
VVork and C hicago and small
er citlff
fcllowed by riots In New York
Kansa i
d elsewhere, In August; strlko
on the
tig Four" and consequent riot
in Sept I
loer; railroad strike In Alabama
Vlty of troops to suppress it iu
and need
October
atrfket on the Lehigh Valley
road, an-
Jrunnnectlcut fnctoriet in .No
vomK a I
r,t in rennsyirania mining re
glon ife .
cm tier; strikes in .New Jersey
rennsjif fnl
and elsewhere, followed by
riota, i .
ary; ttrlkrt iu New York.
.JVetnngB
wnio, j
rloU Ir?
husettt and accompanied by
try: ttrlket in New itt-
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
NO officer of the new administration ntlrnett more attention than the Keerolary of Agriculture, ami as a conse
quence no depart men t home is more inquired about than the handsome building in which "Tam.i Jim" Wilson toils
from early morning until long after tho close of ordinary business hours, In behalf of the farmer. A half century
ago a merely nominal sum of $lo0.lMH) waa at the instance of the Commissioner f Patents, Hon. II. I,. Kllsworth, devoted
by Congress for the purposes of agriculture. For two years prior to that this patriotic gentleman had been distributing
seeds nud plants gratuitwusly, and for tho iiiuo years of bis entire term of offtYe bo continued this p"J work. His
successors in the Patent Office continued the practico, but it was not until 1JH' that the Bureau of Aiieultun was
formally organized. Il was not, however, until the beginning of President Harrison's term of otlicc that the head of tho
Bureau of Agriculture w as made a cabinet officer, its chief having prior to that time been termed the I '.iininissieiier of
Agriculture. When President Harrison elevated tho position to Iho dignity of a cabinet olliee its head b e.iine the "heeie
lary of Agriculture," the position first filled by "Uncle Jerry" ltusk of Wisconsin, next by Hon. J. Sterling Morton of
Nebraska and now by "Tamil Jim" Wilson of Iowa. The homo of the Department of Agriculture is a handsome brh-k
building located upon the mall which runs westwardly from the Capitol, and is about midway between the Smithsonian
Institution and the Washington Monument. It is surrounded by spacious conservatories ami wide blooming gardens, nud
every plant and tree In the grounds is indigenous to our native soil, from the luxuriant Bpeeimeus from ilie Southern Stales
to tho dwarfed and hardy foliage of our northern borders. Good sized gardens i upy tho rear of the building, iu
which are carried on tests of varieties of fruits and planls, experiments iu methods of grafting and budding and studies
iu tho diseases of plants. Seeds of new and superior varieties are tested and various ami extensive experiments earned
on.
Tho department maintains at least one correspondent in every county iu tho United Stales, through ) hoin statistics
pf quality and quantity of crops are forwarded to Washington, to bo there distributed by means of monthly ami yearly
reports. Specialists are also employed to prepare from these report a instructive articles on suitable topics. The department
has been of great benefit to the farming and fruit growing industries of the country in the ileieriuinai ion of diseases of
plants and feet and in testing remedies for them and distributing information to tho country generally. Destruelivo
insects which have threatened to exterminate certain fruit industries have been Investigated by the department and means
found for their own destruction and check, proving of Incalculable benefit to tho f armors. As civilization advances nud
exchanges are made with foreign countries of commodities and fruits, various insects and foes appear which were iu years
goua unlhought of, and the department is constantly watching and experimenting to bn able to meet and counteract Iho
work of these destructive foes when they appear. The Agricultural Department is in communication with the leading
Joreign agricultural societies, and the result hat been not only exchange of reports but of almost every known specimen
of a-ed, shrub, vegetable and frnlr. The shade treea ot our entire counlrjr rs-rrpreaanted 4f-hrc"'t.id.i, n... :'"''
natire varieties havlnj been planted. Tho display of floweri Iu tho grounds it also wouderf".; lnj ,viJ gu'ou e(m auy
display Iu the world.
Bey, West Virginin, Pennsylvania and
Colorado, accompanied by riots and the
use of troops fo suppress violence, iu
March; strikes in Ohio, Pennsylvania.
South Carolina. Alabama and on the Pa
cific coast, nccoinpnnied by riots, which
were suppressed by State troops, iu April;
bloodshed and use of troops iu Pennsyl
vania iu May; strikes and riots in Mary
land, Molilalia. Ohio. Alabama, Wiscon
sin, Pennsylvania and Michigan, which
were only suppressed by the use of troops,
in June: ' strikes in Chicago, Indianapolis
and elsewhere, followed by use of troops,
in July; strikes in New York, Massachu
setts and other F.astern Stales prior to
final enactment of tariff law on Aug. -S,
Why HiiNlncHH Sloven Slowly.
The bad effect of the election of tirover
('level llld and the free trade Congress
was felt in a singlo mouth after the elec
tion because, the morohan's flopped or
ib-riiig from lb" home luanufadurers in
the expectation of getting cheap g U
from abroad under a low l.irilf. The good
effect of lb" rlfflioil of M-dv llib-y a ml
the prelection Congress cannot be fell as
prninpllv as wns the bad efl'-. t of th- eh
tion of Cleveland, because those sain-
merchants nr- still bnyin-,' g Is abroad
in enormous quantities, and ill pi'-'ba-lily
have a year's supply in band before
the new law gets into effect. This nc
counts for the delay in activity iitnn
our manufacturers and for the delay in
the business revival which will surely
follow tho resumption of business by
them.
Tho Former unil the Senate.
The farmer is likely to bo well Ink''"
earoof by that dignified body, tho United
States Senate. The tariff bill, reporlod
from the Finance Committee of thai body,
has added n duty of l'j cents per pound
on bides, increased the rate on wool or I in
third class, and rut out the clause In the
House bill which exempted Hawaiian
tugsr from duties, thus reducing that
competition with beet sugar. . I ho duly
put on bides, tea and other articles which
were formerly on tho free list will Im
prove tho opportunities tr advantageous
reciprocity treaties for which the N"atn
will provide, ami which will greatly bene
fit the farmer. It is believed the llouso
rates on wools of the first and second clas
will be restored by tho Sonata or confer
euco committee.
A Chilly Venr for Bllver.
This hat lteen n chilly year for the all
vr cause. The population of the nation
which have rejected the ellver standard In
the past year is more than three times as
great as thnt of all those taking this step
during tho ten years previous. From 1HS5
to 18!)." the nations which adopted the
gold standard were Egypt, Uonmnnla,
Austria-Hungary and Snnto Domingo,
having an aggregate population nt that
time of fifty million people. The nations
which have abandoned the silver standard
in the past year are Bolivia, Costa Rica,
Chill, Pern, Japan aud Jlussia, with nn
aggregate population of ISO million, to
say nothing of China with her 100 million,
which has gone a long distance toward tho
adoption of the gold standard.
Cleveland's Iilttle Joke.
Nobody ever before suspected Mr.
Cleveland of being a humorist. Upon no
other theory, however, is it possible fo ex
plain his assertion made in his New Y'ork
speech the other night, that his party
"defends the humble toller against oppres
sive exactions in his home and invites him
to the utmost enjoyment of the fruits of
iuduatry, economy and thrift." Tho ex
perlence of the "humble toller" ainoe Mr.
Cleveland came to otllco four years ago
will hardly enable him to agree with that
gentleman Iu tbit ttatcnieut.
rOOLINU LAW NEEDED
RAILROAD INDUSTRY KILLED BY
IGNORANT LEGISLATION.
Absolute Necessity for a Pooling; I. aw
if the Hoads Aro to l'roaper and
loo 1 1 an c to Give Work to Tlielr
right II ii ml red Tlionaaiid Km ploy ca.
Hailrouil President Views.
Mr. K. B. Tbouias, in response to an In
quiry from the Washington Post regard
ing his views as to tin- relation of the
railroads of the country to the prosperity
of the people, and particularly as to his
views tipi.ii the pooling hill now before
Congress, says:
There exists in the public mind an ap
prehension that tlm railways are opposed
to the public interest, and that any legis
lation which I'-slrains railways is of lie
cessily for tlm good of the people at ln'KC
This misi'ikeii ulen has had much to do
with shaping the Stale legislation ihH
lias in many instances so severely crip
plrd railway enterprise, and, iu a larue
measure, this impression was prevalent
when, ten years lIKo, Congress took its
lir-.t step in dealing with the railway
problem. Looking back for twenty years
it is difficult to recall a single legislative
Hunt-lire, national or Slate, proposed, ad
vocated or enacted for the benefit of tin
railways, whereas during that period hun
dreds and even thousands of propositions
have been brought forward, many of them
iinhiippiiy enacted into laws, which seri
ously injure railway property nud causo
great loss to those who have invested
their money in this form of security.
Lamest F.mployrrn of I.nlior,
Kailways are not only Iho largest em
ployers of labor direct, but they uro enor
mous purchasers of supplies. If tin) rail
way system of tho United Slates were
even fairly prosperous tho amount of
money it would annually distribute over
this broad land would exceed f 1,'Jini.imni,
INHI. Comparing our railways with our
national government, which is regarded
lis n pretty big business, wo find that the
t loveriiinent disburses on an average
about fl0,00 1,000, or one-third ns much
ns our railways. Take the Urle Kailroad
system ns an example: With a gross in
come of about :tO,t 100,000 per annum, It
distributes in wages among about 80,000
niiloyes, over ? Hl.tXHi.OlMt, and for ma
terial nearly six millions, the greater part
of which goes to the labor producing the
manufactured articles.
Tho total number of railroad employes
In tho United States la obont 800,000 nnd
the total expenditure is over $723,000,000.
Tnklng as an overage five Individuals to
a family, we see that there are some 4,
000,(H K)' of people directly dependent for
their existence upon the railroad Indus
try, and I feel safe, therefore, In saying
thnt in the conducting of transportation
the railways distribute more actiiul money
to a greater number of individuals
through more numerous channels and over
n wider area of country than any other
Industry.
Vaat Bnnia Annnally Kxpeniled.
Great and far-reaching as are these dis
biirsenvnls, the ?2."0,000,OOU per annum
cNpended In late years, in what niBy be
termed keeping this property in good re
pair, give employment to hundreds of
thousands of track laborers, skilled la
borers in our rail mills, locomotive, car,
and machine shops, nnd to on through an
immense range of tradet and occupations.
Even during these bad years, and with
uncertain rates, the railways are putting
$70,000,000 per annum Into their road
beds, $.13,000,000 Into new rnilt and ties,
aud over $13,000,000 Into new brldgee.
The fences fo keep off cattle and the sign
posts to wain people at railway crossings
cost over $:i,r.iHi,tl(Sl per annum, or more
than the legislative branch of iho na
tional government. Kven the newspa
pers and printers am deeply interested,
for SS.nfiO.itiii) wns spent in printing ami
advertising. The I tiited States Puslollh-e
Department f considered an important
business, and yet the aggregate expenses
of that department iu IS'.i.l were $'.hi,.
oll..11"J, while for repairs and renewals of
locomotives, passenger and freight cars
our railways expended in the same year
$!.'. 7i7.!imO. A moment's thought w ill
make it dear that nearly all of this vast
sum is annually spent for i hanical la
bor of all kin, Is. for nearly every branch
of industry i ik jm,, locomotive ami car
building. In times normally good you
may nal'ely figure on upwind of 1 m ,( M M , -KM)
per ii 1 1 1 1 ii 1 1 for this purpose ns a regu
lar part of keeping the rolling stock of
railways up to diilo and in good repair, to
nay nothing of an additional .o, mjon
for other mechanical work incidental to
keeping e pluiits of transportation in
good running order. only refer to flics,.
j fuels for the purpose of idiowiog how in
j Minutely the nccessf nl conduct -if (Iiom-
great properties is interwoven with other
industries of tlu country, ami bow im
possible it is to injure our railway prop
erties without nl the same lime seriously
injuring atiiiosi all other occupations ami
ciiitailiio; the prosperity of tl ntlre mi
lion. It has been aptly staled that unless
the people me prosperous the railroads
cannot flourish. Is not the converse equal
ly true; can the people prosper when so
largo an industry languishes, when its
Kinijnmi employes are working only part
time nnd its forces are reduced to Iho
lowest possible limit repairs and replace
ments postponed to better times?
IHslurlmiicc of Coiniiirrce.
Not only do the eotitfiiucil attacks on
railways thus fall heavily upon the indus
tries of the country at large, but they
bring about a disturba nco of commerce,
and cause men who would otherwise put
their money Into o operative Industries
to withhold it, ami thus cripple existing
and prevent new enterprises of all sorts.
Instead of benefiting Iho public, iinich of
the so-called railway legislation bus been
n decided detriment. It crontes uncertain
ty whore certainty should exist. It breeds
ninny of the ills (such ns discrimination
in rates) which it seeks to remedv, ami
has done much toward bringing bankrupt
cy nud ruin to nearly half the railway
mileage of the country.
''Protection fo American Industries" has
ever been a cardinal principle iu this poiin.
try. They have almost invariably receiv
ed fair treatment at the hands of the na
tional Legislature. Why should nn in
dustry employing more labor-and a great
er proportion of Amricnn-horn labor- in
which t lie capital Invested is greater,
which expends for supplies in this country
alone sums far in excess of any other in
dustry, lie debarred from fair and legiti.
mate treatment and become the prey of
unscrupulous demagogues nud dishonest
politicians, ami the tnrget for newspaper
abuse'.' In a new country, under new
conditions, and with a rapidity that has
astonished the older world, we have built
up a railway system equal in mileage to
all the railways of the rest of the world
combined.
The mm responsible for the work have
used their best judgment, given their best
thought, aud many of them the best years
of their lives, in honest endeavor to make
the most of the enterprise iu which they
bare embarked. Aro ii"t the purposes
of this Industry ns necessary and legiti
mate, are not its owners entitled to ns fair
a return upon their investment as other
industries? Are not its officers and em
ployes as honest, etliclent aud patriotic
as those in other avocations? Why not
give them a fair chance? Out of the com
plex problem presented there hat baea
solved the question of moving a ton of
freight a greater distance for a lest turn
of money tbtn any other country. Our
passenger service, in speed, comfort, regu
larity aud safely has been the admiration
of the world. Let Legislatures, the press,'
and tho public give fair aupixirt to this
great industry, helping to conserve Instead
of to destroy, and the railroads of Amer
ica will make Mich progress as will wring
admiration and praise from even their un
friendly critic.
To I'revrat General Demoralization.
Though the present outlook is fur from
encouraging, and the reo-nt decision of
1 lie Supreme Court declares that all at
tempts nt uniform action are illegal, wo
seek for no legislation that will increasn
rates or mid lo the burden of the general
public. The proped pooling bill recently
introduced in the Uuited States Senate
by Senator Forakcr of Ohio means at
tho hot a sort of breakwater to prevent
general demoralization. It U the best
means thus fur devised to legalize free
dom of agreement between competing
lines so that all shippers may secure just,
reasonable and uniform rates. Iu tho na
tional legislature of ten years ago the ne
cessity for uniform action regarding rail
ways w as lY'Nignized, and this measure Is
only taking up the question where Con
gress laid it dow n nml carrying the legis
lation a step furl her. To hold those prop
erties together and to give the people tho
full benefit las I have showui of a dis
bursement reaching nearly twelve hun
dred million a year, we must get nearer
a uniform management. The work of tho
r.iihvajs must, in kIioii, be carried on
with uniformity and method. This ran
best Is- done by the several railway sys
tems working as they do. Under tho law,
as proposed, when the rales nrn finally
agreed upon by the competing roads, and
passed by the Interstate Commerce Com
mission as reasonable and just, power
should be given to the roads to enforce
llu in. This is a reasonable and fair de
mand, ami one that Congress should nt
oii-o grant.
Tho proposition w hich has been suggest
ed by some theorists for enlarging Iho
Interstulc l ii 1 1 1 n i-1 1 Commission and
permitting it to initiate rales would be n
fatal mistake, ami a system based upon
such au idea vicious iu the extreme. Tho
raiiuiivs not only have the ability, but
the facility to make rales. It is expert
woik. requiring judgment and a thorough
l.uon leilgo of ail local omlilioiis. lo
have the rate making power removed t-
Washington and absolutely fixed by n
commission, no mailer how able or how
honest, would work Incalculable injury,
It would Im- far belter for the lovcrnnient
to purchase the railways and nssnnie th
whobt responsibility lluri for the Govern
ment practically to uuiicriiike the regula
tion nud management of the property of
private Individuals. This Is undoubtedly
tlie most mischievous proposition thus far
evoked by demagogues anil anarchists for
the wlntov .nt nf iov e.i"' i
Iniin,,; .... s)
unendurable, and lead to mil
lions heretofore unheard of, even in our
present Imperfect system. The H)ssibill
ties of corruption would be liemendous;
iho pulling and hauling nt Washington
for favored rales for special cutiiinunltles
would bring the whole svsiem down with
the weight of i's own folly and imprac
ticability. Would Hcoelit the Whole Country.
In I he bill referred to, the public, the
shipper, the railway employe ami the rail
ways have all been fairly considered. If
it I ones a law the results must be ben
eficial to the whol iintry, 1 nine our
railways penetrate all purls of the repub
lic. Congress should, therefore, approach,
it in a spirit of fairness ami justice, and
not with temper and political prejudice.
It is an honest effort to adjust satisfac
torily dltlicullics that have grown up by
reason of the magnitude of our transpor
tation industry ami the newness of our
common country.
THE FARMERS AND PROSPERITY
Rome Sensihlc Hiiititrntiou, Kven I'
They Do Come from tlio KnMt.
The common cry from the virions D'-m-.
oorats floating around in - old and muddy
water since the Mood of Novonhor, that
may lie placed in language easily c onpr1)-
llended, is us follow sf
"Look here, j mi fellows have promised
the country good times, general prosper
ity, all that sort of iliiug, plenty of good
money, if MoKitiicy should be elected;
now, where is the money to collie from
and how do joii expu t to get your good
limes'. There are just nl t live million
farmers watching you, and if oii cannot
do something for tliem, you are gone.
Can't you see it already'.'"
In ibis connection it is cost unary to ask
the questions, "What is II precisely tho
farmers desire and e. t '.' What would
satisfy them' You warn us that they nro
revolutionists except uu condition de
line tin- condition-;."
And the answer is that the farmers
have not been milking anything and they
want more money, aud menu to h.ivo it
from one parly if not from another. If
the Republicans do not give them aid, tha
farmers will turn (he whole Government
over fo the Populist Democratic party,
mid that Is just what is In the wind now!
As for the farmers of America, Ihey
will have lo remember that they have not
the monopoly of grain and meat produc
tion Hint the vast wheat tieids of Argen
tina, India, southern Russia, Hungary
ami the Dakotas, are plowed ami sown
nnd reaped by mac hiin ry. so that wheat
is grown at less expense than in any
former age, been use (here is less labor
needed to till the ground. More than that,
the world has by cheap power from ( heap
coal, ami by cheap steel, been made com
paratively small. The lines of steel rail
across continents spanning great rivers
on steel bridges tin- lines of steel steam
ers across the oceans ten thousand tons
of freight driven live hundred miles a
day, finds the worklugmen of the cities
In w hite bread. I'ntin products are cheap,
cued by giving the populous nations that
carry on manufacturing industries cheap
food along with frugal power and fast
transportation. Well, is this to be regard
ed as a calamity? This very cheap power
and rapid movement enlarges the area
that the men who work In shops can live
iu--givcs wife and children good nir nnd
a chance for shnde and grass and milk di
rect from the coxvs in the summer time.
Mutter comes from Australia by the thou
sand tons and breaks the bi.iter markets,
so that golden butter goes with whit
bread.
How are the farmers to be compensat
ed? There is ono sum vay. It is the et
Inhlishrnent of home markets through tho
diversity of industries. We cannot better
the condition of farmers by multiplying
farmers. New York Press.
Greece and Corbet t seem iu be in tha
same class. Boston Globe.
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