FARMERS' ALLIANCE AND INDUSTRIAL UNION. 153 



products for the use and comfort of our people, the rail- 

 roads take the lead as a benefactor of the human family if 

 properly used, but the avarice and greed manifested on the 

 part cf these great corporations, have through their unjust 

 manipulation of transportation destroyed all competition, 

 and become oppressors rather than servants of the people 

 for which they were created. These corporations have 

 rights that should be protected; a right to business, to 

 legitimate profit, to property and restricted power. 



" It is not the railroads of which the people complain, 

 but the abuses of their powers, chartered rights and 

 privileges. 



1 ' Everything they have and enjoy hangs like a plum- 

 met to its cord upon law alone; and, as the law derives its 

 strength solely trom the will and obedience of the people, 

 every rail, car, stock, bond and charter has its security and 

 protection chiefly from that tender homage and reverence 

 which emanates from the hearts of our law-abiding and 

 liberty-loving agriculturists; and in oppressing them, they 

 are chafing the cords upon which alone hangs their profits, 

 franchises and existence. 



* ' I would recommend that you demand such legisla- 

 tion, both National and 'State, as shall regulate and control 

 rates and classifications of freights on all lines of transporta- 

 tion, that fair dealing and justice may be secured to all. 



POLITICS. 



' ' While our Order, as an Order, is strictly non-partisan 

 in politics, yet Section I in our declaration of purposes says : 

 4 That w r e shall labor for the education of the agricultural 

 classes in the science or economic government, in a strictly 

 non-partisan spirit.' 



4 ' It is an evident fact that the origin and power to 

 perpetuate the existence of the various rings, trusts and 

 combines that now oppress our people and threaten the 

 overthrow of our free institutions is due to unjust legislation 



