274 THE GROUNDSWELL. 



find out that they had plenty of friends. He hoped that 

 some steps would be taken by the Convention in the right 

 direction. 



RESOLUTIONS AND DEBATE THEREON. 



Various resolutions were submitted and referred to a 

 committee, which, subsequently, reported the following: 



Resolved, That organization is the great want of the producing 

 classes at the present time, and we recommend every farmer in the 

 State to become a member of some Farmers Club, Grange of the 

 Patrons of Husbandry, or other local organization. 



Resolved, That the taxes assessed and charged upon the people, 

 both by national, State, and local governments, are oppressive and 

 unjust, and vast sums of money are collected far beyond the needs 

 of an economical administration of government. 



Resolved, That we respectfully request our Senators and Represent 

 atives in Congress to vote for, and secure, an amendment to the tariff 

 laws of the United States, so that salt and lumber shall be placed on 

 the free list, and that there shall be made a material reduction of 

 the duty on iron, and that such articles as do not pay the cost of 

 collection be also placed on the free list. 



Resolved, That we demand that the Legislature of our State shall 

 pass a law limiting railroad freights and fares to a just and fair sum, 

 and that unjust discriminations against local freights be prohibited. 



Resolved, That the act passed by the last Legislature, exempting 

 bonds, notes, mortgages, and judgments from taxation, is unjust, op 

 pressive, and a palpable violation of our State constitution, and we 

 call upon all assessors and the county boards to see that said securi 

 ties are taxed at their fair value. 



A debate ensued on the first resolution. Mr. Lines ob 

 jected to the Granges on the ground of their secrecy fea 

 ture, and moved that the words &quot; Granges of Patrons of 

 Husbandry be stricken out. After a discussion, in which 

 it appeared that Mr. Lines was almost alone in his views, 

 the amendment was withdrawn, and the orginal resolution 



