250 THE GROUNDSWELL. 



the demands of such organizations. Mr. Perry, of Mar 

 shall County, thought we should be striking at the root of 

 the evil, if we turned our attention to the aggregation of 

 capital in the hands of monopolies. Mr. Phoenix, of Mc 

 Lean County, said that now all organizations tended to mo 

 nopolies. It was soulless brains against muscle that ailed 

 us. We were sold soul and body, in bonds, in Europe 

 and at home. He thought the enfranchisement of women 

 would cure our troubles. 



Mr. Ellice, of Bureau County, said that, through the or 

 ganization of Farmers Clubs, they would be enabled to pro 

 cure the greatest recompense from their labor. They had 

 succeeded in producing, while corporations had succeeded in 

 getting the profits ; while the farmers poll a three-fifth vote, 

 they have had little or nothing to do with legislation. They 

 should make their political power felt by sending represent 

 atives of the farmers to the Legislature and National Con 

 gress. To control monopolies, we must do it through legis 

 lation, and that requires political action. 



Mr. S. M. Smith, of Kewanee, said that, before we talked 

 about using our strength politically, we had first better learn 

 what our strength was. We must first have organizations, 

 complete, compact, and thorough, extending into every school 

 district. The gist of the mass of letters he had received 

 since the Kewanee meeting was: &quot;Men and brethren, 

 what shall we do to secure relief from these monopolies?&quot; 

 The movement then organized would, if wise and discreet, 

 sweep like a prairie fire, not only through this State, but 

 throughout the great North-west. We all know and feel 

 the existing evils. The question to decide is, how to rem 

 edy them. 



The Committee on Credentials having reported two hun 

 dred and seventy-five regularly-appointed delegates in at- 



