290 THE 



seemed about equally divided, but the chairman declared 

 the resolution carried. 



Additional resolutions were adopted, as follows : Request 

 ing the Legislature to pass a railroad law before it ad 

 journed; that the practice of legislators voting on ques 

 tions on which they are directly interested, is contrary to 

 public morality ; that it is one of the necessary measures of 

 railroad reform that the laws that make the stocks of rail 

 road corporations personal property, be repealed, and the 

 law so amended as to withdraw such stock from speculation, 

 and give to them the permanency and certainty of owner 

 ship of the railroads themselves ; demanding that railroads 

 be no longer assessed taxes at less than one-tenth of their 

 value; and recommending that farmers keep a &quot;farm ex 

 penses &quot; account, so that the actual cost of production may 

 be ascertained arid made public. Some minor work closed 

 the first day s proceedings. 



CONCERNING RECONSIDERATION. 



On reassembling, it appeared that there were but seventy- 

 five delegates present, the remainder of those present on the 

 first day having gone home, considering the main business of 

 the Convention over. The advocates of the Illinois River 

 improvement made an effort to revive the resolution relat 

 ing thereto, but failed. 



Senator Castle delivered a talented address, in which he 

 enlarged upon the power of the railroads, and said that the 

 question to be settled first was, &quot; Do the railroads control the 

 State, or does the State control the railroads?&quot; Let the 

 aims be single until these corporations acknowledge the su 

 premacy of the law, and yield obedience thereto. 



Mr. S. M. Smith said the tariff resolution was a bone of 



