THE AGRICULTURAL WHEEL. 213 



to be very trying upon labor organizations ; and will say that, in com- 

 pliance with the instructions of the National Agricultural Wheel at its 

 last meeting, I forwarded to Brother CarLee a communication with the 

 National Wheel demands attached thereto (he being then in St. Louis), 

 with the request that he have a sufficient number printed to supply the 

 delegates to both the Democratic and Republican national conventions, 

 the one in St. Louis, and the other at Chicago. 



Brothers, I feel the importance of all organized labor making de- 

 mands upon our law- makers, -'both State and national. The farmers as 

 a class have neglected this very important matter. We have submitted 

 to us, once in every four years, by the different political parties, their 

 respective platforms ; and they contain measures that the formulators of 

 the same promise to have enacted into law. Sometimes they are unable 

 to fulfil their promises, and I think it would be money well spent, on the 

 part of this organization, to have a committee whose business it would be 

 to take up their residence in the city of Washington, and remain there 

 during the session of our National Congress, or as long as the executive 

 board of this body deemed advantageous, the said committee to devote 

 their whole time and energy to the promotion of the interests of the 

 tillers of the soil, and work in conjunction with like committees from 

 other labor organizations, where the same would be to the interest of 

 both parties. 



I feel that the farmers are being discriminated against by both our 

 State and national law- makers, and if we don't look well after our own 

 interest you may rest assured others will not do it for us. There will be 

 three great questions discussed by the people during the next four years, 

 land, money, and transportation, and I think that we, as farmers, should 

 give forth no uncertain sound as to our position on these very impor- 

 tant subjects. We, as farmers, should oppose any monopoly of the land, 

 and more especially the holding of vast bodies of it, by foreign syndi- 

 cates, for speculative purposes. I think it is full time that large repre- 

 sentative bodies of farmers, such as I see before me, should make an 

 effort to mould public sentiment, because, in a democratic form of gov- 

 ernment, we can accomplish nothing in the way of a reform movement 

 without public sentiment on our side. 



You are all aware of the fact that, though a law be enacted by a State 

 legislature, and signed by the proper officers, if the same be not sus- 

 tained by the public it becomes a dead letter on our statutes. Hence 

 the necessity for us, as an organization of producers, to agitate such 

 changes as will be of benefit to us. And, in conclusion, I wish to re- 

 turn my sincere thanks to the officers of the National Agricultural Wheel 



