THE FARMERS AND PRODUCERS CONVENTION. 319 



New York, Secretary, with Vice-Presidents from various 

 States. 



President Quincy, in his address to the Convention, said 

 that he had spent a large part of his life in building rail 

 roads, and he felt very keenly the danger growing out of 

 immense railroad monopolies. He appreciated their great 

 benefits, but was aware of their danger to the people. The 

 great granaries of the West held enough to supply the East 

 with food, but it depends on one or two men to say what 

 shall be paid for that food when delivered in Eastern cities. 

 He thought something must be done to take this matter out 

 of the hands of the few men. It was a matter that inter 

 ested deeply the whole country, and should not be controlled 

 by a very few. The object of this Association was to coun 

 teract the great evil. Eailroads have power to bribe Legis 

 latures, and will continue to dictate laws until the people 

 shall have come together and asserted their rights. The 

 rights of railroad shareholders are not to be infringed upon, 

 but the paramount right of the whole people to cheap trans 

 portation must be asserted and secured. 



The Constitution and By-Laws reported provided that the 

 organization shall be known as &quot;The National American 

 Cheap Transportation Association,&quot; whose object shall be the 

 cheapening and equalization of railroad transportation rates 

 throughout the United States, and to make provision also 

 for a subordinate association in each State, and regulate 

 minor matters for the guidance and government of national 

 and State associations. 



After the discussion of the subject that had brought the 

 gentlemen together from the various States of the Union, a 

 committee was appointed which drafted resolutions and sub 

 mitted them to the Convention. 



